Hiking the Fay Canyon Trail, AZ…

Staying close to Sedona AZ we planned a few hikes but would have to do so between monsoonal rain events. One trail we wanted to hike was the Fay Canyon Trail. However hiking in a canyon meant making sure it would not rain and one day the forecast was favorable so we headed to Sedona.

The Fay Canyon Trail is about 2.6 miles roundtrip on an in and out trail with modest elevational change. It was going to be a warm day so we were glad to find this somewhat shorter hike through the red rock country of Sedona AZ.

Once we arrived at the trailhead parking lot we were pleased to see this lot didn’t charge a parking fee. Several lots do charge a fee but we later found out that we could use our Senior Lifetime Pass in many of the lots to park for free. We parked and donned our boots making sure to pack plenty of water.

Looking for trails in the area I came across this quote: “Fay Canyon is a hidden gem. The Fay Canyon Trail is an easy, scenic hike that takes you through this lesser-known Sedona canyon. You won't see majestic open views like those of Bell Rock, but you will find gorgeous views, without the crowds.”

There were quite a few cars in the parking lot so we assumed we might see more people than we had planned but as it turned there are many different trails from the parking lot so we only encountered a few other hikers on our trail.

The trail is a mix of having some sandy parts along with mostly rocky spots. We found ourselves hiking in and out of the drainage since thee was still some standing water from recent rains. As we were hiking I was keeping an eye out for escape routes from the canyon should the weather suddenly change.. Fortunately storms weren’t an issue on this day.

About halfway through the hike there was a reported natural arch we somehow missed on the way in. The hike was a steady uphill trek which ended abruptly but there were several areas where adventurous souls continued by rock scrambling up the steep slopes. We chose to stay and enjoy a light snack while taking in the views.

One nice thing about canyon hikes that are in and then out is that the views are strikingly different on the return hike. We were also fortunate to spy the natural arch and stop to enjoy its beauty. All in all this is a nice hike to see magnificent red cliffs ,an arch and some interesting pinnacles. Even though it was hot this day we were able to find an occasional remnant of shade and once back to the car we were glad we were done as it sure was getting hotter…

NOTE:  We are currently in Mesa, Arizona until November 1st…