Drive for 1.5 miles to the old Beaver Creek Ranger Station, turn left and continue to the trailhead parking lot.Tumbling from the forested heights of the Mogollon Rim, West Clear Creek slices a deep narrow gash through sandstone cliffs. Pack out all your trash and any that you might find. Guests also enjoy sights of rare birds such as bald eagles and great blue herons.
The deeper into the canyon you go, the more solitude you’ll find. A short morning drive (approximately two hours) north of Scottsdale leads to the Verde Valley and a remarkable collection of tumbling streams. This is of a rare beauty.
Arizona's Needle Rock Recreational Area -- situated along the Lower Verde River -- is a popular swimming spot in the Tonto National Forest.
A short morning drive (approximately two hours) north of Scottsdale leads to the Verde Valley and a remarkable collection of tumbling streams. Home to Weaver's Needle, a United States Geological Service-recognized rock formation, the beach and river brim with tourists during the summer months trying to escape the punishing Arizona sun.The drive up to Needle Rock can be a bit treacherous -- situated 14 miles from Scottsdale, travelers will take Rio Verde Drive up to Forest Road 20. The older I get, the more I crave water.
In Arizona, air conditioning keeps us sane but water and shade set us free. Nestled at the base of a towering red-rock cliff, this wide clear pool varies in depth. Her work has appeared in such publications as "USA Today" and online at Hotels.com.
Visitors to Needle Rock cannot bring motorboats or trailers longer than 16 feet; rowboats, canoes and kayaks are permitted. The dirt road has a couple of rough spots but is usually accessible to sedans.During summer months, most people using this trail are bound for “The Crack” (3.3 miles), a memorable swimming hole just upstream from Bell Crossing. The waterway forms a slender riparian corridor that barely keeps the spiny desert at bay.The trail cuts across the old Bull Pen Ranch for about a mile before dipping into the canyon where you encounter the first of four stream crossings. Besides, the spot has underwater communication with the ocean and therefore it is also a very interesting … Early on, a swimming hole with a sandy beach siphons off a portion of the crowds. I like to walk in the woodland shade where cooling breezes rustle every leaf. Unless you need a hardcore workout, make the last crossing your turnaround point. Keep yourself safe. Non-Motorized Watercraft. The water runs fast and shallow—colliding with boulders, rushing through chutes—creating a splashy symphony that changes around every bend.If you decide to venture on, just upstream from a bridge spanning the creek, deep water carves an exquisite 70-foot long channel between narrow sandstone walls. The Verde River is one of Arizona’s major perennial rivers and a treasured resource in the central part of the state. FR 215 can be rough going and is best managed in a high clearance vehicle. But here are other streamside getaways in the Verde Valley, equally beautiful and a bit less crowded.This trail leading into Sycamore Canyon is spectacular, dropping from a scrubby high desert into a jungle-like oasis. There is no freshwater available.It's not all about swimming at Needle Rock. Within this section of the Verde River you can catch smallmouth bass, catfish, and largemouth bass and bluegill.
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Staying on a sunny bench above Wet Beaver Creek, the trail skirts the base of desert hills. Fishing is allowed. Sycamore is the second largest canyon in the state but there’s a special intimacy to this segment of the gorge, shaggy with greenery.The trail swings from one side of the creek to the other several times.
Tourists also enjoy relaxing at the Verde Hot Springs along the Verde River.Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Free flowing for most of its length, it provides lush riparian habitat, abundant wildlife, diverse recreational opportunities, and spectacular scenery.
From Cottonwood, drive northwest on Main Street, following signs to Tuzigoot National Monument. The trail scrambles 200 feet down the canyon wall to the creek bed and from there makes easy going through a tunnel of leafy shade.Pools form along the way, creating rippled mirrors that reflect the canopy of treetops and high cliffs that surround me. Guests spending time at Needle Rock will also find vault-style toilets on-site. Drive slowly, as there are many sharp turns and curves in the road. Head northwest to Cottonwood. Where: From Phoenix take 1-17 North to the Sedona exit (Exit 298) and turn right on Forest Road 618.