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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