Bell Trail via Wet Beaver Creek
By James LaJocies
If there was ever a hike in which the end justified the struggle it took to traverse through a wilderness, then trudging along the Bell Trail above
Wet Beaver Creek is worth every step. Under clear blue skies and the
sound of rushing water that gives Wet Beaver Creek Canyon its name,
along with the steep red rock cliffs towering above, will offer
you a feeling of remoteness on a very popular trail. Indeed this is a
trek with opportunities to soak up spectacular scenery that everyone
should take in. For, with out any doubt, this is a desert jewel.
When stepping onto the trail and traversing for about two miles through
this mid-desert elevation, a cornucopia of scrub oak, catclaw, mesquite
and prickly pear cactus (a lot of prickly pear), becomes witness to the
resident vegetation of this desert environment. Soon you will have
opportunities to venture onto side trails leading down to Wet Beaver
Creek. As it has been said many times in Warner Brothers cartoons,
“Exit stage right.”, is a must.
As you enter the permanent stream bed of Wet Beaver Creek, suddenly the
environment offers a canopy of cooling shade rich of cottonwoods,
willow, Arizona ash, alders and sycamores. A small trail travels along
side the creek which will bring up a changing environment of vegetation
and geology. High desert grasses, grape vine and even some poison ivy
are fed by the cooling waters of Wet Beaver. Soon, large smooth red
sandstone boulders blanket the canyon bottom along Wet Beavers side.
There are some good fishing spots along this stream and campsites for
the adventurous wanderer.
There are many areas to traverse out and explore the canyon bottom of
Wet Beaver but soon, you will want to climb back onto Bell Trail and
continue ascending the canyon gorge. Once you have returned to Bell
Trail and continue climbing, you will note that the trail leaves the
canyon bottom to wind high along an escarpment of towering red
sandstone cliffs and offering spectacular views of the canyon riparian
area and the surrounding mountains and valleys. This is a spectacular
part of the canyon sojourn.
Continuing along as the Bell Trail clings to ledges of adjacent red
sandstone cliffs, occasionally large blocks of basalt appear in the
side canyons having fallen from the lava cap-rock above, which offers
more evidence of a changing geology of the high desert country. Soon
your journey will come to a ‘fork in the road’, per say. To the right
is the Bell Trail crossing of Wet Beaver Creek. To the left, is the Rim
Trail and the deep pools of Wet Beaver.
Take the right fork first and save the best for last. After a
short distance you will drop down to Wet Beaver Creek again and under
the cooling shade of tall cottonwoods, you will notice the trail
markers indicating the creek crossing and the continuation of Bell
Trail. If you continue and cross Wet Beaver at Bell Crossing you will
begin a 1200 foot elevation change up to a grassy plateau on the
Mogollon Rim with sweeping views of Sadona and the San Francisco Peaks.
Or you can return to the fork in the trail and continue your trek on
the Rim Trail.
As you climb along the Rim Trail, soon the canyon opens up to a
spectacular view of red sandstone boulders and cliffs, with deep pools
of cold water flowing through Wet Beaver Creek. This is the best eye
candy on the trip, jaw dropping for sure. The area is large enough to
venture out onto the red sandstone boulders right up to the cliff edges
along the side narrow gorges of the canyon. A perfect spot for a picnic
snack and if you didn’t bring along a camera, your going to kick your
self all the way back.
To
start your adventure just link
yourself via the links listed below.
Bell Trail via Wet Beaver Creek - Directions
Bell Trail via Wet Beaver Creek - Maps
Bell Trail via Wet Beaver Creek - Photography