Bell Trail to The Crack
※ Download: The crack at wet beaver creek
At the Y where the trail branches off to Weir Trail, I tried taking Eko down one of the offshoot trails down to the creek. Turn east under the highway and drive about 1. So unlike the other swimming holes on this list, this one requires a bit of a hike to get out to.
The trail is nice and wide most of the way in until you reach the short ascent just before the hole. Prickly pair may not be the most exciting cacti plant as it grows nearly everywhere. The trailhead begins about 2 miles east of the freeway next to.
Bell Trail #13 Near Sedona - The trail is nice and wide most of the way in until you reach the short ascent just before the hole. Hikers that choose rim-hike option should be aware that the trail leading to the rim's top is poorly marked and there is no water beyond that point.
Another Saturday and another adventure. Someone I know suggested I hike Beaver Creek with Eko, so he could get his paws wet. I tried looking up Beaver Creek trails, and something called The Crack came up. Of course I had to seek it out. All joking aside, this was actually a pretty good hike. It was approximately 7 miles in and out via the Bell Trail 13. There is very little tree coverage to provide shade along this trail that runs parallel to Wet Beaver Creek. Eko and I got there and started hiking about 11:30, so it was a sunny and hot hike in. I wore a good hat and applied thick amounts of sunscreen before hitting the trail, but poor Eko had a hard time out there. Luckily, there are little offshoot trails that lead down to the creek along the way, where there are thick coverage of Cottonwoods and cool water. You start out at about 3870 feet in elevation and gradually climb up. I found this to be a very easy hike and did it in my Keens. The only thing I found difficult was the exposure to the Sun, and with that, I was mostly worried about Eko. It took us about two hours to get down to the creek proper that leads to The Crack. It was slow going with Eko after having to stop for frequent water breaks. If you do this hike, bring plenty of water, especially if you have a dog. He drank the majority of our water supply. I think I sipped on about half a liter the whole time, but he easily drank two liters. At the Y where the trail branches off to Weir Trail, I tried taking Eko down one of the offshoot trails down to the creek. One could definitely get down to the creek this way, but not Eko. There was a ledge I was able to scramble down approximately six feet high. So I climbed back up and we walked back to Bell Trail. Once we got back to the Y, I saw a deer on the hillside near the trail, a little White Tail. It was gray and scrawny. I was able to snap a few pictures. The deer is right above the center post. Once we got to the creek bed the trail circled down and around this large, flat slab of red sandstone high over the edge of the creek. We followed the path around it to a sandy patch where there was smooth access to the water. Eko stood at the edge and drank. It was clean and clear and I only saw algae in a few places and kept him from drinking there. I walked out into the water and it felt pretty much amazing on my hot, dusty feet. Once he saw I could walk out in the water, he followed, and from then on was good with going in and out of the water. There were so many people down there, and all along the trail. On the way in I passed countless amounts of people who were on their way out. Where she pointed was up the creek, past large river rocks and a thick patch of Cottonwoods. I could see a few people in brightly colored swim shorts through the trees. I took pictures, ate trail mix, and drank water before we moved down to The Crack. There was a dry path on the other side of the large, flat slab of stone, but the drop down was too high for Eko. So we took the wet path around the slab through the creek. The water level came up just above my knees at its deepest. Eko had to get a little more wet than he wanted because the water came up to his neck. Luckily for him, it was just a short walk through the water. We then walked over and around the large river rocks and through the Cottonwoods to The Crack. Through the creek, around the rock, and through the trees, the Wet Beaver Crack you will see. The Crack is a deep swimming hole surrounded by sheer red cliffs and shelves of overhanging rocks where people were jumping off into the cold water. There was a younger couple there with a German Shepherd puppy. I asked if it was ok if Eko met him, and they were cool with it. Eko sniffed at him for a little bit, then got bored and walked out into the water. The Crack We hung out at The Crack for a bit. I took pictures and Eko wandered around to all of the people getting attention. To get to the top of the shelves where people were jumping from, you had to climb up these tall rock steps. I got up the first one and it was angled enough that Eko could scramble up to me. But the second one was too high for him to climb so I lifted him up there. After that he was ok to climb the rest of the way. There were even more people on that side. They had folding chairs and were laying out on beach towels and had a radio playing. Way too much fun for my liking. I want solitude as much as possible. Plus, all these strangers are now in my scenic pictures. A view of The Crack from the other side. After exploring for a little bit up there I decided to get back so I could get some food. Eko and I climbed down, I retrieved our stuff at the bottom, and we headed out. The hike out was pretty much uneventful. Saw a lot of big groups of college aged kids going in as we were leaving. Eko would get ahead of me and start following other groups of people who were ahead of us. He did that a few times. Eko following some strangers. A little less than a mile from the parking lot, we took a detour down one of the little trails leading to the creek. The water was clean and clear and flowing over these long, flat, red rocks that stretched across the width of the creek. They cascaded down over three stages. Eko was walking through the water, following along with me as we explored and took pictures. After that, we got back onto Trail 13 and made it back to the car. We were about 15 minutes away from Sedona so I looked up a place where I could get a burger and a beer and that was also dog friendly. I ended up going to Spoke and Wheel, which is in the same upscale complex as Oak Creek Brewery. Eko and I had dinner on the patio there, where, again, he was very popular and the other patrons wanted to come say hi to him. I had the cheeseburger and a Lumberyard Hefeweizen, and got just a plain burger patty for Eko. Then we headed home. Overall, it was a pretty good hike. Not very difficult, but still a good stretch to get exercise and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Poor Eko slept the whole way home, and all through the night, he was so tired.
Visitors with trailers or horses are encouraged to use the Bruce Brockett Trailhead parking lot to park, and use the Bruce Brockett trail to connect with the Bell Trail instead of parking at the Bell Wet Beaver Trailhead. Regarding laptops - we don't actually keep them or any electronics in our topbox exactly for the reason that the box gets VERY warm inside, even if it's not summer in the desert - we store everything in the car out of direct heat. Your clothes will dry completely on the hike back along the lush, creek-fed valley. This hike is kid friendly, but it is 3. To get to the top of the shelves where people were jumping from, you had to climb up these tall rock steps. For the most part, the trail follows a route along a bench well above the streambed. I'd say the safest bet is to check with the ranger office about the specifics. A little less than a mile from the parking lot, we took a detour down the crack at wet beaver creek of the little trails leading to the creek.
