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Secluded Oasis
in Sycamore Canyon
One of the most refreshing and
astonishingly beautiful swimming holes in the Verde Valley is
located in Sycamore Canyon on the outskirts of Clarkdale, Arizona.
It is half way up the Parsons Trail. The water
is clear and deep. Along
one side there is a dramatic 200-foot canyon wall with naturally
occurring red-rock ledges for diving and sunbathing.
Lush cottonwood trees and willows provide shade.
Sycamore Canyon is the second largest
canyon in Arizona (after the Grand Canyon). It is a 56,000-acre
protected wilderness area—from its forested rim near Williams to
its desert mouth in the Verde Valley. A
number of trails provide access to its scenic and fragile
landscape. Forest Road 131, for example—just off the road
to Tuzigoot National Monument—is 11 miles to the Parsons Trail
trailhead.
My family was introduced to the watery
canyon oasis by Jim Reich, owner and lead guide of Sedona Hiking
Adventures, which specializes in personalized and private tours.
Reich took us to the trailhead by jeep across the open
desert wilderness of the Coconino National Forest, stopping along
the way so we could take in the dramatic vistas. On one mesa we
had a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, embraced by half a
dozen towering red rock cliffs.
When we reached the trailhead, Reich made
sure we were equipped with plenty of water, electrolytes, protein
bars and sun protection. And then we were off. The most difficult
part of the Parsons Trail is right at the beginning, when stone
steps drop rather abruptly, (about 200 feet) to the canyon floor.
After that, the trail is flat and relatively easy to
follow. It meanders along the banks of Sycamore Creek, a riparian
area lush with plant and animal life. The day we were there we saw
a rainbow of wildflowers and young chipmunks and rabbits.
As we walked, the terrain seemed to change
continuously—from open, wind-swept areas to woods that formed a
canopy over the trail. The
road kept pace with the landscape, changing from embedded river
rock to soft beach-like sand.
As we got closer to our destination, the creek crossed the
path three times. It
is here that I really appreciated Reich’s experience in guiding
me across.
When we arrived at the spring-fed swimming
hole, we were all speechless. The beauty was almost otherworldly.
The rippled water cast dancing reflections on the soaring canyon
walls and the shadows of trees on the far bank gave the otherwise
clear water a greenish tint. It was a perfect place for a picnic
and spending a lazy afternoon swimming, skipping stones and
relaxing. Our guide
even brought a camera to take memory shots.
At one point a solo raven skirted the canyon, with its wide
wings outstretched.
When the first ribbons of sunset began to
streak the sky, we packed up, reluctantly leaving the water
behind.
--Sylvia Somerville
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