In a normal year we would not hike up this canyon in the summer because of the threat of thunderstorms and flooding. But this year has been anything but normal when it comes to rain and the monsoon season. So during one of the many long stretches of dry weather we returned to West Fork Oak Creek canyon and hiked up about 5 miles (or about 2 miles beyond the “end of trail” sign) upstream.
Because of the lack of rain some of the canyon vegetation was stressed. Ferns were already withering. Leaves were turning brown and even falling from the trees. The outlook for a vibrant and colorful fall leaf season isn’t looking good.
But the hike was fine and the water was clear and visitor traffic was low–especially beyond the end of trail.
Blackberries can be found at the very beginning of the trail.A primrose peaks out from a field of ferns. This was one of the better looking patch of ferns showing mostly green.Numerous large reflecting pools can be found in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.This is the “subway tunnel” at the end of the maintained trail. Hikers can continue upstream for many miles but there isn’t much of a trail.This is the upstream end of the subway tunnel in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.High walls tower above the stream in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.Upstream there is another set of narrows. This used to be a narrow stream but sand and gravel has dammed the downstream end and now the water is several inches deep.Looking downstream at the pool and the sinuous curves of the canyon.Butterflies and wildflowers in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.A natural amphitheater and wildflowers in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.Monkshood wildflowers.Larkspur wildflowers in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.Lush greenery found in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.A young deer hides in the tall greenery in West Fork Oak Creek canyon.
Our next hike up the canyon will probably be in mid winter when ice covers the stream allowing passage through the various narrows.
The nearly-full Moonrise in August presented another chance to capture the rising Moon behind Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. The June and July events were thwarted by clouds in the east. This time, though, the clouds cleared in both the east (to see the Moon) and the west (to get sunlight on Cathedral Rock).
The nearly-full Moon rises behind Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona.The Moon lies between the spires and buttress of Cathedral Rock.The sequence of photographs at 3-second intervals was combined to produce this track of the rising Moon.
As always, I used The Photographers Ephemeris to find the location in which to shoot the rising Moon. For this event, it required that I do a small bit of hiking along Pyramid Trail to line the Moon up with the gaps in Cathedral Rock.
Time-lapse of the Moonrise behind Cathedral Rock.
I shot photographs at 3-second intervals. A couple of times I stopped the shooting to change the exposure as the Sun set and the Cathedral Rock got darker. However, I had to also be mindful not to overexpose the Moon.
Running—especially trail running—is a big part of our lives and we try to run in interesting places. That could be running up mountains, alongside streams, through forests, and in canyons. And I try to take a camera with me when we run. As a minimum, the camera will be a phone but I prefer to take along my Sony RX100 V, a small camera with a 24-70mm  zoom lens. The camera is actually smaller than my phone (smaller length x width, but thicker) so it fits well in my water bottle waist pack.
Here is a collection of photographs taken on the trails we have run this spring in northern Arizona.
The rising sun illuminates the red rocks of Sedona as we prepare to start the run.Sometimes Dry Creek has water.A great swimming hole at the turn around point on Wet Beaver Creek.Group run through Carroll Canyon.Spring blossoms along the Elden Springs Trail.Overhanging rock on Hardline Trail.Blooming agave plant on Hangover Trail.Spring-fed ponds along the Sycamore Canyon Rim Trail.Sycamore Canyon Rim Trail overlook.Cluster of oak trees on Apollo Trail in the Mount Elden Dry Lakes (MEDL) trail system.View of the San Francisco Peaks on the high point of Space Walk Trail, a part of the MEDL system.Tree with carved bench at the top of Space Walk Trail.Rock art along a trail in the Red Rock—Secret Mountain Wilderness.Rocky Mountain Iris along the Arizona Trail.Picturesque stand of aspen along the Arizona Trail.Running on the Oldham Trail at the base of Mount Elden.
It’s not just about the running—it’s also about the beautiful places running can take us.
Snow in April! Actually, it isn’t rare for snow in April in Flagstaff. In fact, it is more likely that there is snow in April than no snow. Over the course of record for Flagstaff (1898–2025), there has been measurable snow in 107 of those years. Only 21 years had no snow or only a Trace of snow.
The snowfall this April, however, has been well above average. To date, there has been 13.5″ of snow (average for the entire month is 7.3″), falling in two events: April 2–3 (4.3″) and April 18–19 (9.0″).
This is good news as we had a dry winter. Our snow season total (July 1–present) stands at 60.3″ compared to an average of 87.6″. It is unlikely that we will catch up to normal as the chances for significant snow decrease rapidly going forward. However, this late influx of moisture (both March and April) has been good in bringing the fire danger down to LOW across the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests.
Here are some photographs from both of these events.
Layers of clouds are draped across the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona, in the wake of a winter storm (04 April 2025).The rising sun illuminates clouds draped across Mormon Mountain in northern Arizona in the wake of a winter storm (04 April 2025).
Time-lapse video of clouds over the San Francisco Peaks and Mormon Mountain in northern Arizona.
Streamers of fog and low clouds move below the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona (19 April 2025).Streamers of fog and low clouds move below the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona (19 April 2025).Fog and low clouds move below the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona (19 April 2025).Fog and low clouds drape across the red rock spires of Sedona, Arizona (19 April 2025).The rising Sun illuminates mist and fog swirling around the red rocks of the Munds Mountain Wilderness (19 April 2025).Mist and fog swirls around the red rock cliffs and is reflected in a small pool in Munds Mountain Wilderness (19 April 2025).The setup for the previous photograph.Dewdrops adorn this small lupine in Sedona (19 April 2025).Snow adorns the blossoms of this flowering fruit tree in Flagstaff (19 April 2025).Snow on a flowering forsythia bush in Flagstaff (18 April 2025).Snow on a flowering crab apple tree (18 April 2025).Snow and daffodil, Flagstaff (18 April 2025).Snow in the upper reaches of Oak Creek Canyon with the switchbacks of SR-89A below.
As noted in the previous post we had a lot of snow in Flagstaff during the first half of March. That meant if we wanted to do any trail running it had to be elsewhere. And, of course, that means Sedona.
On 22 March the group run was Hangover Trail loop (Munds Wagon Trail, Hangover Trail, Cow Pies Trail).
A brief respite from the near-continuous climbing on the Hangover Trail in Sedona, Arizona.An expansive view of the Red Rocks of Sedona near the intersection of the Cow Pies and Hangover Trails.
The run up Wet Beaver Creek on 29 March was the final Sedona run of the season; we return to running in Flagstaff now that the snow is gone (well, it could return).
This is the turnaround spot on the Wet Beaver Creek Trail. Weather permitting, a few runners make the plunge into the deep pool.A narrow ledge on a steep sandstone cliff along the Wet Beaver Creek trail.
