Boynton Canyon Trail - Sedona - Coconino National Forest

Trail information: Mileage: 5 miles round trip / Elevation: about 4,500-5,000 (very little change, just a few small up's and down's with one short climb at the end) / Location: Take 89A in Sedona to Dry Creek Road, take until it ends then follow signs to Boynton Canyon trailhead / Note: You need a National Lands Pass or Red Rocks Pass to hike here

This hike is through a spectacular and well loved box canyon in Sedona. This enjoyable, mostly level trek gets you right up to the red rocks and into a closed in canyon. It is a popular trail even on a weekday which is when we hiked it. It is frequented by helicopter tours and has a large resort and exotic homes that you hike along for about 1/3 of the trail. As long as you aren't looking for solitude and an area untouched by humans (which is probably going to be difficult to find in Sedona) this is a great little trip that is easy to do even for someone who isn't in super fit condition. The early part of the trail is out in the sun but the further into the canyon you go the shadier and cooler it turns, as the bottom of the canyon changes to mostly pine trees. During the winter the far reaches of the canyon get little sunlight and the floor still had a layer of frost on it at 2 in the afternoon (so warm clothes are in order in the winter here)! The trail meanders through interesting rock walls with unusual spires and a "mitten." During the spring it appears there may be a small creek that runs down the canyon floor. Make sure to not give up without doing the final climb at the end as it brings you just above the trees providing an awesome view of the canyon you just hiked (see pic). While I'm not in to the "vortex" thing this whole area is a spiritually inspirational place and I always look forward to my trips here. With all the interesting formations and majestic red rocky cliffs towering above this is definitely well worth the hike.

• For more technical information on the trail visit the Coconino National Forest trail page

• Enjoy my photography at Flickr and Zazzle

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Fatman’s Loop Trail / Mt. Elden / San Francisco Peaks

Trail info: 2 miles, elevation (low-high) 6900-7500
Location: HWY 89 just north of Flagstaff Mall

Really gigantic ancient juniper trees and some excellent views, including some of Sunset Crater (pictured at right), are the features of this enjoyable short hike. It climbs gradually, but nothing major and all the trails in this area are well marked and easy to follow which is always a plus. This trail can also be used as a lead in to hike all the way to the summit of Mt. Elden, but my brother and I had other plans and weren’t really interested in hiking to the top on this one. It was an enjoyable trip but there was little fall foliage on this side due to the type of trees, unlike our previous days hike in Lockett Meadow which is an autumn leaf paradise with all the aspens around. Overall, a hike that is probably nice anytime of year. It's a popular hike due to its proximity to the city and nice to use when you just want to get out for a pleasant stroll.

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Coconino National Forest - Lockett Meadow/Inner Basin Trail/San Francisco Peaks

Trail info: appx. 3.6 miles roundtrip (Meadow to Inner Basin and back)
Location: Take AZ 89 east out of Flagstaff - Turn left at Forest Road 522 which is opposite the entrance to Sunset Crater NM

Early October is definitely the time of year to visit Lockett Meadow as it’s alive with the beauty of golden aspen leaves shimmering in the sunlight. Getting there is a bit interesting as you will need to drive several miles on forest road 522, a narrow, winding, low maintenance road with sharp drops. There is a camping area there, and of course, the highly scenic Inner Basin trail, the passage to the heart of the San Francisco Peaks. The meadow area and much of the trail features stands of aspen contrasted by the dark green pines with mountain peaks towering in the background. We ascended towards the basin on this fine day under a few clouds, but mostly sunny skies, the scent of pine filling our noses. Even with it being a weekday a good number of other hikers were out making this popular fall trek. This walk is a bit rocky so good hiking boots are a plus for the journey. It is generally a gradual climb with nothing to steep to handle and the trail is wide and well defined unlike many of my excursions as of late. As spectacular as the hike up was, on reaching the inner basin we realized that the leaves there were a bit past prime. It was an enjoyable trip nonetheless, just not at the level of color we’d hoped for. This is such an amazing place to be where mountain peaks surround you and on a good day the basin provides a view all the way to the painted desert. A touch of snow, barely visible, capped Mt. Humphrey and from the forecast it seemed likely that more was on the way. The fall air was a bit brisk and occasional gusts of wind brought golden leaves raining upon us, while the mountains were constantly creating various cloud formations overhead. We spent some time enjoying the views, watching clouds, and snapping pictures before returning to the meadow. Wonderful day and at a perfect place for an autumn outing.

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