Do you know Sedona has its own subway? It is similar to the famous Subway in Zion National Park, but much easier to get to. This Sedona’s subway is the West Fork of Oak Creek Trail. Located along Highway 89A, halfway between Sedona and Flagstaff, the West Fork of Oak Creek trail takes hikers through one of the most beautiful canyons in the area, featuring the towering cliffs of Coconino Sandstone, fun creek crossings, and deep slot canyons.
Most people hike the West Fork of Oak Creek trail as a day hike; however, you can also do it as a backpacking route. The day hike is about 6.7 miles round-trip. It is considered easy with many creek crossings. The backpacking route is 14 miles each way. After the first 3 miles, the rest of the trail becomes rugged with long swim sections and tons of boulder hopping. So, the backpacking route is considered strenuous. In this blog, we’ll go over the day hike portion of the West Fork of Oak Creek trail.
Call of the Canyon Day-use Area
W Fork Trail, Sedona, AZ 86336
34.990614, -111.743151
There is a paved, medium-sized parking lot here.
$15 per vehicle (up to five people) or $4 per person for walk-in and bike access, to be paid on-site. You can also use the Coconino Pass. However, Interagency passes such as the America the Beautiful pass are not accepted here.
Vault toilet at the trailhead.
7 miles R.T.
564 ft
Easy to Moderate. There are 13 creek crossings.
Takes average 2-3 hours
Pets are allowed on trail, but they have to be on a leash.
The West Fork of Oak Creek trail is beautiful year-round. However, it is busiest during the fall, when the foliage is in full display. If you can, visit during the off-season, or get there early in the morning on a weekday. This place is packed on the weekends and holidays. Keep in mind, if you’re visiting in the winter, there might be snow on the ground. The water will also be freezing.
The trailhead for the West Fork of Oak Creek is inside the Call of the Canyon Day Use Area. Call of the Canyon Day Use Area is located along the scenic highway 89A, between Flagstaff and Sedona. When you’re on Highway 89A, follow signs for Call of the Canyon Picnic Site. The trailhead is at the end of the parking lot. Look for the paved path marked “Call of the Canyon Trail.” It is very obvious. You can’t miss it.
The parking lot here is not that big. It can fill up quickly, especially during weekends, holidays, or peak season (fall). If it is full, there are some pull-out spots farther north on Highway 89A. There is a gate at the entrance. The gate opens from 7 am to dusk from April 1st through September 30, and from 8 am to dusk from October 1st to March 31st. There is a fee to use this area. It is $15/vehicle (up to five people), or $4/person for walk-in. You can also use the Coconino Pass. However, Interagency passes such as the America the Beautiful pass are not accepted here.
We got to the West Fork of Oak Creek trail early so we could get a parking spot. Luckily, since we went off-season, there were a lot of spaces left. After parking, we headed toward the end of the parking lot to get to the trailhead.
After leaving the Call of the Canyon trailhead, we started our hike along a nice paved trail for a short distance. After crossing over a metal bridge, the trail turns into a dirt trail and will remain so for the rest of the way. Soon, we came upon our first highlight of the trail, the Mayhew Lodge Ruins. This was once a famous lodge owned by photographer Carl Mayhew. The place was visited by many famous movie stars, writers, and politicians such as Clark Gabe, Susan Hayward, Jimmy Stewart, President Herbert Hoover, and more. Now, all that was left were remnants of stone floors, fireplaces, and abandoned structures. By the way, if you like birds, there are many different species here. We spotted a Steller’s Jay along our hike.
As soon as we left the ruins, we came across big wooden signs marking the official start of the West Fork of Oak Creek trail. The trail is mostly flat with some rocky sections and short climbs. There are signs along the way. As we hiked, we couldn’t help but marvel at the towering walls. Some of these walls curve, resembling a tunnel if it were cut in half. There are 13 stream crossings total on the first 3.3 miles of the West Fork of Oak Creek trail. These stream crossings can be tricky because you have to balance yourself on rocks and logs. They can be slippery and unstable. You might want to use a walking stick or just walk directly into the water. In the warmer months, the water is very refreshing. However, if you visit during the winter, it can be freezing!
The further we hiked in, the scenery became even more beautiful. We couldn’t help but stop to take tons of photos. The West Fork of Oak Creek trail is already so beautiful off-season, but it must be spectacular during the fall foliage. This is why it gets so busy during that time. After what seems like endless creek crossings, the trail goes left to climb up the canyon wall for a short distance. Then, it drops back down. And soon, we reached a decent-sized pool of water, marking the end of the trail for dayhikers. This area is known as the “Subway Tunnel.”
Most people turn around at this point, before the pool, while backpackers continue further. As for us, we wanted to see more of this section. So, we rolled up our pants and got into the water. The “Subway Tunnel” is a slot canyon cradling a pool of water, creating a water-filled tunnel. This section reminds us of the Subway Cave, but with water. When we went, which was in March, the water was freezing. Luckily, there were small ledges along the way that we could get out when our legs went numb. The water was about ankle to knee-deep. It can get deeper in some parts. If you’re doing this hike, we highly recommend going through the Subway area. It is so cool.
After getting out of the slot canyon, the West Fork of Oak Creek trail continues. The trail was even more beautiful than the first 3 miles. Most of the trail was underwater, covered in green moss. We hiked a bit further before turning back. To be honest, we kept wanting to hike further because it was so beautiful, but we weren’t prepared for the longer hike. Maybe we will come back to do the backpacking trip next time!
Sedona is such a beautiful place. There are tons of things to do here. Don’t forget to check out our list of 9 amazing hikes in Sedona. If you love slot canyons, check out Buckskin Gulch, or Cathedral Gorge State Park.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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