Sinagua ruin at Honanki, just south of the wilderness
The wilderness is predominantly wind and water sculpted pinnacles, windows, arches, and slot canyons, and the red-rock cliffs of the Mogollon Rim that mark the edge of the Colorado Plateau. Bordered on the east by Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, the high mesas of Secret Mountain and Wilson Mountain jut out into the lower country and canyons as deep as 1,500 feet (457 m) drain into Oak Creek and the Verde River.[1]
Prehistoric rock art and abandoned cliff dwellings can be found in the wilderness.[2]
Common recreational activities in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness include horseback riding, photography, wildlife viewing, swimming, and hiking. There are numerous short trails in the wilderness:[2]
Mooney #12 (4.2 miles (6.8 km)) – Originally built to drive cattle to and from summer pastures on the Mogollon Rim, and still used for this purpose, the trail is steep and the views are good.
Vultee Arch #22 (1.75 miles (2.8 km)) – This trail follows the bottom of Sterling Canyon, a drainage that is dry most of the year. It dead ends at a bronze plaque placed in memoriam for Gerard and Sylvia Vultee who lost their lives in an aircraft crash on January 29, 1938. The actual crash site is more than a mile north and at a much higher elevation, on East Picket Mesa. On the north side of the canyon across from the plaque is the sandstone arch named for Gerard "Jerry" Vultee, an early aircraft designer from California.
Dry Creek #52 (2.5 miles (4.0 km)) – This trail is often hiked as part of a 6.2-mile (10.0 km) loop.
Sterling Pass #46 (2.4 miles (3.9 km)) – Named for a local settler, this trail leads over a high saddle from Oak Creek Canyon into Sterling Canyon.
A.B. Young #100 (2.4 miles (3.9 km)) – Believed to have been built originally by C.S. "Bear" Howard in the 1880s, it was reconstructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and supervised by A.B. Young.
West Fork Trail #108 (3 miles (4.8 km)) – This is the most popular trail in the Coconino National Forest and hikers should not expect solitude.
Secret Mountain #109 (5 miles (8.0 km)) – This trail winds along the south edge of Secret Mountain, past the tops of several deep canyons including Hart Well, Boynton, and Long, and ends at the 6,607-foot (2,014 m) summit of Secret Mountain.
Wilson Mountain/North Wilson #123 (5.6 miles (9.0 km)) – A strenuous 2,300-foot (701 m) climb to a view stretching over hundreds of square miles of scenic canyon country.
Brin's Mesa #119 (3 miles (4.8 km)) – Hike past Coffee Pot Rock, Wilson Mountain, and Chimney Rock to the expansive view at Brin's Mesa.
Fay Canyon #53 (1.1 miles (1.8 km)) – This trail in a box canyon leads past a natural arch to a dead end with evidence of ancient Indian dwellings.
Loy Canyon #5 (5 miles (8.0 km)) – This path was used by the Samuel Loy family in the 1880s to move their livestock to and from summer pastures on the Mogollon Rim. The trail features a 2,300-foot (701 m) climb to the top of Secret Mountain.
Boynton Canyon #47 (2.5 miles (4.0 km)) – Scenic, but somewhat busy, hike to a box canyon.
^ abRed Rock/Secret Mountain Wilderness – Coconino National Forest
External links
Red Rock/Secret Mountain Wilderness – Coconino National Forest
"Fire in Red Rock Secret Mountain area causes trail closure", Arizona Daily Sun, Saturday, March 15, 2008
January 31, 2023
rock, secret, mountain, wilderness, acre, wilderness, area, located, within, coconino, national, forest, state, arizona, iucn, category, wilderness, area, fall, colors, boynton, canyonlocationcoconino, yavapai, counties, arizona, united, statesnearest, citysed. The Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness is a 47 195 acre 19 099 ha wilderness area located within the Coconino National Forest in the U S state of Arizona 1 Red Rock Secret Mountain WildernessIUCN category Ib wilderness area Fall colors in Boynton CanyonLocationCoconino Yavapai counties Arizona United StatesNearest citySedona AZCoordinates34 57 56 N 111 51 24 W 34 96556 N 111 85667 W 34 96556 111 85667 Coordinates 34 57 56 N 111 51 24 W 34 96556 N 111 85667 W 34 96556 111 85667Area47 194 acres 191 km2 Established1984Governing bodyU S Forest ServiceMap of Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon West Fork Trail Sinagua ruin at Honanki just south of the wilderness The wilderness is predominantly wind and water sculpted pinnacles windows arches and slot canyons and the red rock cliffs of the Mogollon Rim that mark the edge of the Colorado Plateau Bordered on the east by Sycamore Canyon Wilderness the high mesas of Secret Mountain and Wilson Mountain jut out into the lower country and canyons as deep as 1 500 feet 457 m drain into Oak Creek and the Verde River 1 Prehistoric rock art and abandoned cliff dwellings can be found in the wilderness 2 Contents 1 Wildlife 2 Recreation 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksWildlife EditThe high rims are relatively cool and moist compared with the lower desertland of the wilderness and a wide variety of vegetation supports plentiful wildlife including elk mule deer white tailed deer javelina coyote rabbit mountain lion and black bear 1 Recreation EditCommon recreational activities in the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness include horseback riding photography wildlife viewing swimming and hiking There are numerous short trails in the wilderness 2 Mooney 12 4 2 miles 6 8 km Originally built to drive cattle to and from summer pastures on the Mogollon Rim and still used for this purpose the trail is steep and the views are good Vultee Arch 22 1 75 miles 2 8 km This trail follows the bottom of Sterling Canyon a drainage that is dry most of the year It dead ends at a bronze plaque placed in memoriam for Gerard and Sylvia Vultee who lost their lives in an aircraft crash on January 29 1938 The actual crash site is more than a mile north and at a much higher elevation on East Picket Mesa On the north side of the canyon across from the plaque is the sandstone arch named for Gerard Jerry Vultee an early aircraft designer from California Dry Creek 52 2 5 miles 4 0 km This trail is often hiked as part of a 6 2 mile 10 0 km loop Sterling Pass 46 2 4 miles 3 9 km Named for a local settler this trail leads over a high saddle from Oak Creek Canyon into Sterling Canyon A B Young 100 2 4 miles 3 9 km Believed to have been built originally by C S Bear Howard in the 1880s it was reconstructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and supervised by A B Young West Fork Trail 108 3 miles 4 8 km This is the most popular trail in the Coconino National Forest and hikers should not expect solitude Secret Mountain 109 5 miles 8 0 km This trail winds along the south edge of Secret Mountain past the tops of several deep canyons including Hart Well Boynton and Long and ends at the 6 607 foot 2 014 m summit of Secret Mountain Wilson Mountain North Wilson 123 5 6 miles 9 0 km A strenuous 2 300 foot 701 m climb to a view stretching over hundreds of square miles of scenic canyon country Brin s Mesa 119 3 miles 4 8 km Hike past Coffee Pot Rock Wilson Mountain and Chimney Rock to the expansive view at Brin s Mesa Fay Canyon 53 1 1 miles 1 8 km This trail in a box canyon leads past a natural arch to a dead end with evidence of ancient Indian dwellings Loy Canyon 5 5 miles 8 0 km This path was used by the Samuel Loy family in the 1880s to move their livestock to and from summer pastures on the Mogollon Rim The trail features a 2 300 foot 701 m climb to the top of Secret Mountain Boynton Canyon 47 2 5 miles 4 0 km Scenic but somewhat busy hike to a box canyon See also EditList of Arizona Wilderness Areas List of U S Wilderness Areas Wilderness ActReferences Edit a b c Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness Wilderness net a b Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness Coconino National ForestExternal links EditRed Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness Coconino National Forest Fire in Red Rock Secret Mountain area causes trail closure Arizona Daily Sun Saturday March 15 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness amp oldid 1052942483, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
