Loy Canyon

ONE of the trails in the Red Rock/Secret Canyon Wilderness in Sedona wakes you up with its vibrant colors: Loy Canyon.

During a recent hike I saw twelve flower species in bloom. The reds and yellows jump out at you first. Then you start to notice the lupines and larkspurs. The Sedona red rocks ahead make for a great background. But this is where the Loy Canyon Trail can trick you. The first three miles are relatively easy, with no indication of what you’re approaching or the energy you’ll need for it.

This is a ten-mile hike, five in, five out. At about the three-mile mark you come to a cavelike indention in the canyon wall. If you turn around here you’ll have had a leisurely six-mile hike.

If you don’t, you’re in for a workout. Loy Canyon Trailrises from 4,677 to 6,400 feet, the vast majority of it in the last two miles. The first three miles offer a decent amount of shade; not so on the last two. The trail is steep and you’re walking or scrambling over steps of broken boulders. The people who built this trail had a sense of humor.

The work is rewarding, though, and the farther you go up the trail, the better the views. Loy Butte is straight ahead, with Secret Mountain reaching up behind it.

A nice factor for this trail is that it’s accessed via Sedona back roads, offering two benefits. First, not that many people use this trail, so, unlike so many other Sedona trails, it’s not overcrowded. Second, while we did hear a couple of helicopters, is it’s not overrun with tourist helicopters the way some trails are in the area.

The Loy Canyon Trail is known for Stellar’s jays. I didn’t see any on this trip, but hey were there last time, and the odds are good you will see some.

Shortly into the trail you come across a sign letting you know you’re passing through part of Hancock Ranch. There is a wire fence with the ranch on the other side, and the easement allows hikers to pass through, but you’ll still want to be respectful. Regardless of whether you’re on the ranch property, remember the hiker’s creed: leave no trace.

The lower portion of Loy Canyon hosts scrub oaks, Arizona cypress, yuccas and prickly pear. The upper portion has alligator junipers, Ponderosa pines, gambel oaks and firs.

The 47,195-acre Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness is home to a broad range of local wildlife — elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, javelinas, coyotes, rabbits, mountain lions and black bears. Common recreational activities include horseback riding, photography, wildlife viewing, swimming and hiking.

The many trails in the wilderness include Vultee Arch, Dry Creek, Sterling Pass, AB Young, Secret Mountain, Wilson Mountain, Fay Canyon and Bear Mountain.

Arizona has 90 wilderness areas, and for us it’s great to have Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness nearby.

Getting there

From the roundabout junction of State Rt 179 and State Rt 89A in Sedona, drive south on 89A for 9.7 miles to Forest Road 525, turn right on FR 525 and continue 9.5 miles to the trailhead. For more info, call the Red Rock Ranger District at 928-282 4119.

‍