The West Fork Trail is one the most unique hikes in Sedona, offering 13 stream crossings, stunning views of the town’s iconic red rock formations, and the chance to hike through a narrow slot canyon. Here’s everything you need to know to hike this bucket list-worthy trail.
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About the West Fork Trail
- Length: 6.5 miles
- Elevation gain: 564 feet
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There are a few steeper sections and it’s a bit on the longer side, but for the most part, I’d personally categorize the trail as easy.
- Dog-friendly? Yes, your furry friends can join you on the trail, but they’ll need to stay on a leash.
- Trail map
How to get to the West Fork Trail
The West Fork Trail is located here, along Route 89A, a little over 20 minutes north of downtown Sedona.
The parking lot is quite large (at least for Sedona’s standards!), holding up to 40 cars.
That being said, this is also a POPULAR trail and the lot frequently fills up by 8 AM, especially during busier periods, like weekends in the spring or fall. When my husband, Justin, and I visited in March, we visited around mid-morning on a weekday and a parking attendant needed to help us find a parking spot!
If the parking lot is full, there are a few pull-offs along Route 89A a bit past the entrance, but be sure to abide by any signs and only park in areas where your vehicle is fully off the road. It’s quite narrow and curvy and could potentially be quite dangerous to other drivers (and your car) if you’re sticking out at all.
One of the unique things about the West Fork Trail is that, unlike a lot of the other trailheads in the Cocino National Forest in Sedona, a Red Rocks Pass (other than Grand Annual Red Rocks Pass) or the America the Beautiful Pass is not honored here. So, unless you have the annual Red Rocks Pass, the site charges a $12 entrance fee for vehicles of up to 5 people or a $3 entrance fee if you walk or bike into the parking lot.
There are several vault toilets and a nice area with six picnic tables at the trailhead.
What to expect along the West Fork Trail
Trailhead to the Mayhew Lodge
From the trailhead, you’ll walk along a flat pathway. It initially starts paved, but transitions into a dirt trail, curving towards the red rock cliffside and into the forest.
After just 0.3 miles, you’ll come across the ruins of the Mayhew Lodge. Originally opened in 1926, the lodge once served as a tranquil retreat for the rich and famous, including Walt Disney, Clark Gable, and Jimmy Stewart. The lodge closed in 1968 and, unfortunately, a wildfire burnt the vast majority of the historic structures to the ground.
Still, there are a handful of ruins left behind that are worth poking around for a bit, including a food storage cache built into a cliffside and an impressive stone hearth. Justin and I kept marveling how wild it was that we were standing next to the fireplace that Walt Disney himself (likely) once stood beside!
Mayhew Lodge to the end of the trail
Past the Mayhew Lodge ruins, the path continues until you reach the first stream crossing at 0.5 miles into the trail.
From here, the trail follows along—and through!—the creek. None of the 13 river crossings (one-way!) are particularly technically challenging, with shallow water and plenty of stepping stones or logs to help you get across.
Just be careful with your footing and try to stick to the well-trodden trail through the water. Justin tried to wander downstream a bit to get a photo and slipped and fell on a rock that was covered with inconspicuous algae.
The trail snakes through a dense grove of pine and oak trees between two canyon walls. It’s actually mostly forested (much more so than any other hike I’ve done in Sedona!), but along the river crossings and clearings in the trees, you’ll get plenty of spectacular views of the cliff sides towering overhead. These areas are beautiful, with the green of the trees popping against the shocking red hue of the surrounding sandstone formations.
Slot canyon down the West Fork of the Oak Creek
To be honest, our favorite part of the West Fork Trail is at the very end of the maintained pathway. Here, the walls narrow into a slot canyon and you can hike for miles through the waters of the West Fork of Oak Creek.
I’d highly recommend walking a bit through the canyon. Justin and I had SO much fun watching the narrow canyon walls swirl and curve overhead. It feels very much akin to the iconic Narrows Trail in Zion National Park.
Just be prepared—the water is straight up COLD and can reach well above knee height! It might feel nice on a hot summer day, but, when it’s cooler in the springtime, it can be downright chilly.
If you’re looking for even more of an adventure, you can even go on a backpacking trip here, with dispersed camping allowed 2.75 miles past the end of the maintained trail.
Otherwise, you can hike as far as you want and simply turn around to head back to the trailhead whenever you please. Justin and I hiked for about half a mile past the end of the maintained trail and, once our feet were disturbingly numb from the cold water, decided to turn around.
When to hike the West Fork Trail
If I’m being totally transparent, the West Fork Trail doesn’t provide the best views of the famed red rocks of Sedona, as compared to some of the other super cool hikes in the area, like the Keyhole Cave or Devil’s Bridge Trail. But it does offer something that’s quite rare here—shade and cool water! Accordingly, if you’re visiting Sedona during a particularly hot day or would just prefer to stay out of the sun, this is an EXCELLENT trail.
Winter and early springtime are the worst times to hike it. The water is absolutely freezing (even in the warmest of weather!) and if your socks or feet get wet during the water crossings, you may be in for a chilly six-plus mile hike.
Additionally, Sedona gets surprisingly cold in the cooler months, oftentimes dropping below freezing in the wintertime, so it’s not uncommon to encounter snow in the shaded parts of the trail and lots of ice along the already slippery rocks.
Tips for the West Fork Trail
Avoid the trail if it’s currently or is supposed to rain
The entire canyon, but especially the narrower section, is subject to flash flooding, which can be quite dangerous. Even if there’s not rain in the forecast, know what to do in the event of a flash flood (i.e., immediately get to higher ground!).
Wear hiking sandals
If you only plan on hiking the maintained trail in the summer or fall, you may be able to do the entire thing without getting your feet wet. That being said, I’d definitely recommend wearing waterproof hiking boots, as the rocks can be quite slick and your feet may accidentally slip into the creek.
If you plan on hiking down the slot canyon portion of the West Fork Trail or are hiking when there’s been a decent amount of precipitation in the area (the rainy season of Sedona is typically from June through August), your feet will almost certainly get wet. Accordingly, I’d suggest wearing hiking sandals, like my beloved Tevas, so you don’t have to slog around in wet socks.
I hope you enjoy this unique hike in Sedona as much as we did! Do you have any questions on the West Fork Trail? Let us know in the comments below!
