A few days ago we did a trail run down Kelly Pocket to the confluence with Pumphouse Wash. This is about 6 miles round trip. We started from the upper end and ran downhill to the confluence then turned around and ran back up to our starting point. It was interesting that my running times were about 1 minute per mile faster on the uphill.
Water flows through erorded channels in the sandstone in Kelly Canyon.Trees and sky are reflected in the narrow and shallow pool.A shallow pool in Kelly Canyon.Several larger pools can be found at the confluence of Kelly Canyon and Pumphouse Wash
We stopped to take some photos (maybe that was why the downhill was slower) of the canyon. It was nice to see that there remained some water in several pools and these were very pretty in the morning light.
The trail in Kelly Canyon.This used to be a fun ramp for mountain bikes up and over the downed tree. But time has taken its toll and both the ramp and tree .
In just a few more weeks the leaves will be changing color and this small canyon will be worth another visit.
It’s great that one can do all three of these in the winter. Ski in Flagstaff; run and mountain bike in the deserts. We have done all three this winter with the emphasis on running. Here are a collection of photos from this winter.
Group of runners stand around pools of water (01/20/2024).X-C skiing at Fort Tuthill (02/09/2024).X-C skiing at Fort Tuthill (02/09/2024).Trail run on Sketch Trail, Sedona (02/13/2024).Snowy run on Schultz Pass Road (02/15/2024).Trail run on Margs Draw, Sedona (02/17/2024).Mountain biking on Little Rock Trail, Sedona (02/20/2024).Trail run on Lower Chimney Trail, Flagstaff (02/22/2024).Trail run on Woods Canyon Trail, Sedona (03/02/2024).Trail run on Woods Canyon Trail, Sedona (03/02/2024).
Bonus photo from last year’s epic winter. Yeah, untracked powder!
Preparing to descend Flying Dutchman chute, Mt. Humphreys (01/18/2023).
The Arizona Trail is a National Scenic Trail from that traverses the state from Mexico to Utah. Currently 96% of the trail is complete. In the Flagstaff area are a couple of extraordinary sections of the trail — including the portion that runs along the rim of Walnut Canyon.
Within a few minutes of leaving the trailhead the trail drops down into a side canyon that provides an expansive view of the main canyon. But if you are running the trail you need to keep your eyes on the trail and not the view. This is a good reason to stop and take a good look — or a photograph — before resuming the run.
Arizona Trail along the edge of Walnut Canyon.
Portions of this trail have been re-routed recently. This includes the sections that drop down into and climb back out of the side canyon. The old sections were becoming eroded and difficult to maintain. The new sections have a more gradual slope and will shed water better so that the trail resists erosion.
One of the best features of this trail run is heading out to one of the many overlooks and peering into the canyon. Because this area was inhabited by the Sinagua there are many artifacts lying around and with sharp eyes pieces of pottery are easily spotted. Enjoy — but please leave them where you found them!
This run is 8-miles out and back and has a lot of climbing — in both directions. The trail is well marked and can be quite busy at times with hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Share the trail and enjoy!
Although we had a lot of snow in Flagstaff and northern Arizona in December, it’s been completely dry since then and the snow has slowly vanished. We’ve taken advantage of the dry weather and done a lot of trail running in Sedona. It’s always warmer there, of course, because of the lower elevations. But even there they received measurable snow in late December and, as a result, many of the trails are still muddy and some still have patchy snow in the deep shadows.
Still, it’s been a great chance to try out some new trails. We’ve been aware of the growing number of non-system trails (i.e., trails that are not part of the Forest Service network) and have been interested in trying some. The Forest Service has also recognized that some of these trails should be brought into the system.
One of these is Aerie Trail which starts from the Boynton Canyon Trailhead and heads in a generally westerly direction, passes by the Fay Canyon Trailhead, then heads towards Doe Mountain. You can connect this trail with Cockscomb and make a nice loop. Although parts of the trail were exceptionally muddy, other sections were dry. These two trails can be combined into a short, ~6 mile loop.
Aerie-Cockscomb Loop
Another loop we’ve done a few times is the Munds Wagon–Cow Pies–Hangover Loop. This loop has some amazing views from the top of the saddle and some great running sections on the Hangover section. Keep your eyes open for mountain bikers!
