Really enjoy this swimming hole. BEWARE THE BLACK FLIES they bite :(( cover up well if you can? Maybe keep moving? Idk that kinda sucked, but otherwise love this hike. read more

Very beautiful and relaxing, we creek walked the opposite direction of The Crack, heading South down the creek, there still was pockets of people we encountered. Very tranquil place. Saw a few fish. read more

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Parking - I highly suggest to get early because this is popular place and it quickly fills up. While they do have extra space at other lots for parking it just gets very jammed up. Hike- Put lots of sunscreen on, bring a hat, lots of water, some snacks of food, and the right shoes! The hike itself is not bad, it's pretty much flat for the most part. It does have some incline, but nothing an average person can't handle. I think the only reason people complain because the heat drains out a lot of energy and water in your body. If you do feel tired they do have a couple shaded areas by trees to rest. Keep following the signs that say Bell Trail. You do have options to stop and check out other smaller cliffs and little river pools but we chose to see the big cliff. Take it slow, enjoy the view and make it all the way to end of bell trail and jump of the cliff! It's amazing . You can spend basically the whole day there if you want but have what you will need in your backpack for that day. read more

Wet Beaver Creek Trail - The hike towards the big cliff - Hiking Near Me - Sedona, Arizona

Honestly this hike was a bit interesting. It's not clear where you should hike or where the trails are. At times you're found walking on the mostly dried up creek. There are some areas where you have to figure it out and hope for the best. The good thing is there isn't really a way to get lost here. And at the end, or what I thought was the end, is a nice area to sit on the rocks and look at a pooled area of water surrounded by nature. Bring something to sit on as the rocks are very hot and there isn't much for shading. There are tons of pretty butterfly's and bunnies along the way as well. Note: if you have a lower riding vehicle, be careful of all of the holes on the dirt road. Bottoming out is very possible. read more

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Worth every mile! Bring at least a gallon of water per person, sunscreen, hat and food. Hiking, swimming then hiking uses a shit ton of calories! read more

Wet Beaver Creek Trail - Hiking Near Me - Sedona, Arizona

From the trailhead to the swimming pond took me 1 hour and 20 minutes on a relatively easy trail. If you are looking for a low-cost alternative to Fossil Creek I would highly recommend this location. The trail is less arduous, does not require a pass, and has a large swimming hole as a pay-off. The down side is that it is free so there is more foot traffic. There are various places that you can leave the designated trail and follow the creek, although it is mostly large river rock and boulders and a large amount of poison oak. The drive in is paved and only a small section of road off the 618H is unimproved. There is a main parking lot and also an overflow with a decent amount of spots. There is an outhouse at the trailhead. read more

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This place has it all -- the long-ish hike, the ample parking (get there early though!), the deep swimming hole and rocks from which to dive. Endless fun awaits at Wet Beaver Creek and the spot locally known as "The Crack." -There are stunning views on the way to the creek via the trail, with red rock cliffs and visible layers in the rock to show periods of time. -When you reach the wood forest sign, be sure to stick to the left at the fork! -The hike from the parking lot to The Crack is roughly 3.5 miles each way, so if you're bringing kids make sure they're up for something like that. There's not that much of an uphill climb but it can feel long especially on the way back. -There are two pool areas to enjoy swimming and cliff jumping. Some areas in the pools are more shallow than others, so jump at your own risk and know how to land properly! Belly flops will leave a lasting sting hehe... -The water is pretty cold even in the heat of summer, but you get used to it once you're in. I would recommend just jumping in as if forces your body to adjust quicker vs. easing your way in. Have fun and PLEASE pack in what you pack out!! Otherwise I could see permitting in this place's future. read more

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Easy accessibility and beautiful views make this Bell Trail hike a no brainer. The elevation change is not all too challenging and the trail is wide making it nice when you're doing a group hike. Most people hike this to reach "The Crack," which is about 3 1/2 miles in, but if you wanted to get a longer distance in, you can continue on with the hike. "The Crack" features multiple areas that you can jump in. The obvious protruding ledge that has water beneath it appears to be the safest to jump from. Other areas, it was hard to tell with the dark shadowing during early morning so I waited for frequent Wet Beaver Creek cliff jumpers to assure where the "safe" areas were. Some of my friends did kind of touch rock when jumping in, so naturally I took more precautions. This area is so amusing for hikers that it doesn't take long for the Crack to become crowded. Some favorite jump areas had a line to even jump in after a certain point. Regardless, it was great to relax and picnic and enjoy nature. It was a bit hot anyway hiking out since there are not really shaded areas on the 3 1/2 mile trail back to the parking area. I definitely recommend taking water since the sun can beat on you pretty heavily during the summer. Obviously the area is more crowded during the summer since it's a favorite local swimming hole. read more

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This was a fun, less crowded hike. The water/swimming/cliff diving is what makes it special. It is not as "red" as the rest of Sedona compared to cathedral rock/devils bridge, etc if that's what you're looking for. It was a pretty straight forward 3.3 mike hike to "the crack"with cliff diving, fishing, cooling off in the swimming hole if you are brave enough with the cold water. It was little hard to find but here are my directions: From phoenix: I-17 N exit 298 onto AZ 179N. Instead if turning left to Sedona, Turn RIGHT/East and follow signs for Bell trail. Continue signs to Bell Trail and you'll see a sign that says "work center" to the left - turn left and you'll see the gate, parking space, and trailhead for Bell trail. (If you see wet beaver day use area to the left you've gone too far) The hike in continue following signs to Bell trail (pass white Mesa trail on the left, pass Apache mead trail on the left) you'll see sign that says wet beaver wilderness and a fork in the road between Bell trail on left and Weir trail on right-keep LEFT on Bell trail. You're 1.5 Miles away. Continue walking until you see a no camping sign and it will fork left or right. You'll be tempted to go right because that's towards the creek but Turn left to get to "the crack" and swimming holes. (If you happen to make a right at the no camping sign you'll cross the creek and do the 11 mi trail incline for Bell Trail until it ends FYI) Oh and dogs were allowed! read more

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Reviewing the Bell Trail, just east of the 17 Freeway near Sedona. The trail is roughly two miles from the freeway and provides ample parking and offers a restroom before you begin the 7 mile round trip hike. For the hike, I must state I was a little disappointed. Book reviews and a few yelpers loved the hike and views and I just was not blown away. The trek takes you 3.5 miles in to the Bell Crossing. The family and I were hopeful of a large watering hole at the end, and even though it was a nice, it was not anything amazing. Maybe I have been spoiled by a few other awesome hikes, but this one was just okay is my book. The difficulty level overall was easy with a moderately strenuous portion going up the rim. The family hike included a few middle schoolers who made the round trip fine but were ready for it to be over halfway back down the rim. For those families with children, there are paths at the beginning of the hike that will take you down to the creek and out of the 7 mile hike. The views during the hike were decent and included rim views. Unfortunately, even though the temperatures today were to be ideal, if the sun is out during your hike like ours was, the heat can take a little toll on a hiker. As said, overall I was not super impressed in today's hike and would pick another spot in the future. Seven mile trip with limited excitement. read more

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This spot is great to take a swim from the heat or set up and relax. Families and dogs welcome! Great resting spot! read more

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This is another absolute gem of Arizona! This hike is relatively short and easy with a magnificent reward once you make it to the "Crack." This trail can be accessed by everyone as the trailhead is reachable by any type of vehicle. Not to repeat what everyone has already said, I'll stress sime things to remember. -From the Bell Trailhead it is advertised as a 3.8 mile trek to The Crack. The first half is fairly easy going and the last half begins to climb. When you reach the Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness sign, go left or up. -This trail is not shady by any means, so leave early to beat the heat. -The trail is dog friendly and we bring ours. They are hiking beasts and have been all over Arizona. For some reason this trail has literally exhausted them both and the heat has affected them both. So please remember their paws and bring water for them. -This place can get wild and college kids will take over very quickly. So if you are bringing small kids, PG friendly is earlier in the day. As the alcohol kicks in you may soon find yourself in a clothing optional environment. -This is a fun place. But remember beer alone will not keep you hydrated. Bring plenty of water. -Unless it has recently rained, the water is generally clear. If you've never been, don't immediately go cliff jumping as shadows will hide the depth. Check depth at all locations before jumping. -There are plenty of places to swim as well as jump. 5', 10', 15', 20' heights to choose from. Just make sure you know depth. -Bring your hammock. Plenty of places to set up and relax in between the fun. -Sunscreen. It works, use it. -Tents are heavy. Bring tarps and set up shade in certain locations. -Bring cheap water shoes. Barefoot is fine, but rains carry debris and thorns and they will find your feet. -Watch your dogs. They do accidentally knock people into water, or down on rocks. I've seen it happen and is usually not good. -Pick up your trash. This is still a free place to visit. Let's keep it that way. read more

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I can't ever say the name of this place without giggling. This is a beautiful spot in Sedona. I've been backpacking here with a couple girls and a dog and we've never had any problems camping under the stars without tents. I love coming here because of all the beautiful pools, rocks and trees. There are places to jump off cliffs and swing on ropes or just bask in the warm sun all day. It's a moderate hike although going during the hottest months make it more grueling. read more

Not sure if I am reviewing the same place as the other reviewers, because the trail I hiked did not allow camping. I hiked from the Bell Trail #13 trailhead to Bell Crossing (7 mi RT). There are about 3 forks in the trail and some of the forks are not clearly marked, so look up some directions beforehand and print them out. Although if you did get lost, it's a popular trail so you could just ask someone for help. When my friends and I hiked the trail on Saturday we probably passed about 25-30 other hikers on our way in and out. Tips: -pretty much the entire trail is exposed to the sun, so on a hot day, it's going to be really unpleasant. we went when it was in the 80's and that was still pretty warm. -the gravel/dirt parts of the trail get REALLY hot, so if you bring your dog be mindful of that. one of the dogs who came with us was really uncomfortable on the hot dirt and the next day he could barely walk because his paws were hurting so badly. I would bring dog booties next time -there are lots of those big ants, the dogs got ant bites all over their stomachs -bring at least 2.5 L of water for yourself for the 7 mi hike -water shoes would come in handy at Bell Crossing if you want to swim and climb over the rocks to cliff jump, but you can also manage without them (I did) -parking at the trailhead fills up quickly, but there is an overflow parking lot about 1/4 mile away read more

Beautiful place to hike or go camping. I enjoyed the view and the weather. Water was cold but nothing you can't handle.

This is a review for the crack trail. FIRST THE ADDRESS FOR THE CRACK IS WRONG BOTH ON YELP, AND APPLE MAPS. I strongly recommend following the directions organically from the website instead of even trying to use a GPS. Apple maps takes you to a random suburban neighborhood and yelp takes you to a random place off the freeway. Since we got lost, we did not start our hike until 2:30 pm. This is during the summer time, so the heat was BRUTAL. We almost had to turn back around because we could not handle it. And we are from Phoenix where it is ridiculously hot. Trail is All direct sunlight and no shade. The path itself isn't too much incline except for at the end but just very very very long. We also did not bring enough water. A gallon per person a gallon per person a gallon per person AT LEAST. *tip make sure you turn left when you get to the creek, if you go straight the trail continues on The swimming hole is beautiful truly. You're going to be sharing it with a lot of tourists because it's very popular but it is worth spending a few hours at swimming and taking pictures. Bring water shoes in your pack, the hole is rocky. Make sure you bring a portable charger because you will not have service and your battery will get drained. And if you want to stay until dark and avoid the head bring a light source (not your phone, need to keep power in case of emergency). Overall, this is a long hike. Took us 2 hours on the way (in the heat) and an hour and 15ish on the way back when it was cooler so do not underestimate it. But beautiful and water is nice and cold to freshen up. read more

First couple miles are fairly easy terrain but a little boring scenery, once you reach the trail head is when it starts to get a bit tougher with gorgeous scenery. Be careful you are walking the edge of the mountain the remainder of the trail. Once you are there it's breathtaking. I suggest getting there early if you want peace and quiet. Hiked in without seeing one hiker, but after an hour of relaxing at the crack for an hour it was packed full of hikers. Make sure you take plenty of H2O, hiked the last weekend in Sept and was still a bit warm. Seen a lot of hikers while heading back out with only a 12oz bottle of water....no bueno!!! read more

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I don't advise going on this hike during the summer months. Although the waterhole makes for a very refreshing end, it was a grueling 3 hours spent walking under direct sun. Unfortunately there's still a good number of folks who don't respect the outdoors and are starting to set up parties at the water. We must have gone in the heat of summer break and found ourselves at a pool party hosted by a bunch of high schoolers. They were blasting their Fetty Wap, taking shots of Monarch and taking over the waters with their giant inflatable swans. Disrupting mother nature must be what the cool kids do now. Aside from all of that, the trail was fairly easy (but very long) and the cliff diving was fun. read more

Super pretty creek to chill and bring some snacks with you and just enjoy the water. Really clear water and distance wise it's not bad. Pretty flat most of the way there. read more

I hiked in with a few friends but did not plan to go all the way to the end. We stopped at a few swimming holes along the way which was perfect. We went the end of July so it was still hot but the water temperature was perfect. We found a few spots along the creek that was shaded but also had spots in the water that was in the sun so we could switch off. There were plenty of spots to stop and we only hiked in about 1-2 miles each way. Not a super hard hike for the part that we went to. read more

Long hot walk in with practically no shade. Once you're there there aren't many places to sit and be comfortable and there is very little shaded areas. You'll want to be in the water because the shade is minimal. Dogs are permitted but DON'T take yours. It's too long and hot plus once you get there they can't relax because the only place for a dog to sit is next to the cliff jumpers. The scenery is beautiful and the hike really isn't very strenuous as long as you pack enough water for the hike out. read more

The water at the crack is a 5 really, but the hike is not impressive. What is great that you can do it in about 3 hours, get really wet and do some lower cliff jumping. Very crowded on weekends. Get there early or parking is tough. It sounds like there are other places to swim before the crack - we heard people but did not go explore what they were doing. The second half of the hike is the better part with some signature red rock and some elevation. No shade until the end so bring sunscreen. read more

So very beautiful! Sedona raw and beautiful at its finest! Make sure you have lots of water! You will need food, sunblock , and good hiking shoes! read more

I found this hike in my AZ Highways hiking guide, and wished I'd read these reviews first! The guide calls this the Bell Trail--it is the same. The guide describes the hike following along the shady Wet Beaver Creek, where you can get relief from the hot sun. OK, 98% of the trail is in the open, hot, no shade, desert sun! Sure, there are a couple (only a couple) side trails for you to go down to the creek- nothing as anticipated. We took this on during a July afternoon---a major mistake, and we know better! (but I trusted the book- hoping for a 1/2 mile hike, play in water, another 1/2 mile, play in the water....NOPE!) We did have enough water- but enough to 'survive'- I was amazed at the teens heading down in their bathing suits and bikinis with just a jug to share. NOT SMART. It is a 3.3 mile hike one way. Towards the end you climb some cliff sides yet remain on a well marked path--but there are a couple spots that have a pretty steep drop. (For those of you who like to let your little ones run on ahead..be warned!) Many people were disapointed to find the end spot (the Crack) full of loud teens, kids, and folks who acted as if this was SplashLand. Fun can be had without respecting the beautiful area for what it is! We will be back, but in the Fall or Spring. And agreed...parking lot fills up! So when you are done with your hike, could you please pull out into the side road to picnic, so others can pull in! THANKS. read more

Wet Beaver Creek Trail - Not quite 3 miles in... - Hiking Near Me - Sedona, Arizona

Beautiful views and water at the end. More difficult in terms of length rather than elevation.

This is not a scenic hike till the very end and the end is beautiful. There is a spot to cliff jump. The water is mildly cold. Now to the fun part.. this is not a difficult terrain hike but the hot summer weather makes this hike difficult. Pack a LOT of water. The weather can be a 100 degrees and there is no shade. I advise women to not wear their bikinis only from the parking lot to the water spot. We passed by this young group of kids and two of the women in bikinis thought this hike would be short and easy. This hike is 4 miles and is difficult in the hot summer weather. Cover yourself mildly to protect yourself from the sun. WEAR HIKING SHOES. Do not wear sandals!! read more

Wet Beaver Creek is a beautiful red rock oasis area offering a little something for everyone! For day hikers and backpackers, there is the challenge of following the Bell Trail through the creek watershed up to Bell Crossing which is fairly easy going to that point (roughly 3.3 miles). After crossing the creek on the well-marked trail, you'll climb the Mogollon Rim sharply and top out to a much gentler sloped plateau (roughly +1 mile), but plan to ascend over 1200 feet during that trek beyond the crossing. There's a great place to stop for lunch there and rest to return or you could continue on. Once you top the rim, the trail continues and at times becomes rather faint (beware!) where you can travel another 2.7 miles (approx.) to Roundup Basin Tank. From here, you could return back via Long Canyon Trail. This back country is very remote and wild. People traveling beyond Wet Beaver Creek should come amply prepared for the unexpected as there is rarely anyone nearby to contact for help should something go wrong. Once you top out onto the rim you should also be prepared for walking exclusively on malapais rock, definitely slowing your normal pace especially when coupled with the trail being faint. Just like it affects horses, malapais can make a hiker sore-footed faster than most other terrain in Arizona. There is a peaceful solitude there that is very apparent and I highly recommend exploring the Weir and Apache Maid Trails as well that veer off from Bell Trail early on near the trailhead parking lot. For folks seeking a lesser physical endeavor, there are beautiful and deep swimming holes along the creek bottom and the looming giant sycamore trees and cottonwood trees cast ample shade and bring cool relief from an otherwise hot day. You can camp overnight at the formal campground or picnic along the creek (no camping is allowed near the creek bottom otherwise). Families with kids will enjoy the swimming and the canyon's red carved interior to explore (BYO lifeguard, of course!). Wet Beaver Creek is a gem of a location for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. It offers a wide spectrum of activities that serves the novice to advanced outdoorsman. Campers, Picnickers, hikers, hunters and swimmers all should enjoy this place. I loved our trip there and intend to return again, for sure! read more