Travel Hooray – Arizona Hiking: White Mesa Trail
WHITE MESA
TRAIL
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| The view from the top of White Mesa |
From the
hyper popular Bell Trail, the imposing, vertical cliffs of White Mesa appear as
an unsurmountable wall of stone.
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| Hike goes to the top of the mesa:center horizon |
Rising
over 1,000 feet above one of the most heavily visited trails in Coconino
National Forest 40 miles south of Flagstaff, the mesa is composed of colorful
layers of red sandstone, buff-colored sediments and a cap of dark volcanic
rock.
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| Trail departs Bell Trail 1.7 mile from the trailhead |
For those willing to make a detour
from the water-centric trail that traces perennially flowing Wet Beaver Creek,
the mesa’s secrets may be explored by way of the White Mesa Trail #86.
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| The only tricky spot on the trail passes a rock jam |
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| White Mesa towers over the Bell Trail |
To get to it, first hike 1.7 miles on the
Bell Trail. Along this easy stretch that
follows a wide dirt road that was once used to access mid-20th
century ranch operations, keep an eye out for petroglyphs pecked into boulders
on the north side of the road and foot paths that lead to icy pools in the
creek. The route enters Wet Beaver Creek
Wilderness where the White Mesa trail begins at the head of Casner Canyon. Leaving the leafy riparian corridor dominated
by sycamore and cottonwood trees, the trail heads uphill on the western flanks
of the canyon. While there are no switchbacks to ease the climb, the trail
makes a constant but manageable ascent on a rocky single track.
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| The trail is clear and easy to follow |
Like the Bell
Trail, this one was originally used to move cattle to graze on high pastures. Its straight-up, edgy course passes through
mostly shade less grasslands, cacti, rockfalls and the occasional mesquite tree
clinging to steep slopes.
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| A hikers nears the summit of White Mesa |
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| The grassy summit of White Mesa |
The trail is
clear and easy-to-follow with only one spot where some hand-over-foot
scrambling is required to get through a rock jam.
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| A pastoral scene on White Mesa |
At 3 miles from the trailhead, the path meets
a barbed wire fence at the wilderness boundary that’s the official end of the
trail. However, to enjoy the full experience of this hike, you’ll want to pass
the gate (close it behind you) and continue on well-worn paths-of-use.
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| Part of the hike follows Wet Beaver Creek |
The
route tops out on a grassy, juniper-dotted plateau with excellent vistas all
around.
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| Watch for petroglyphs on Bell Trail |
Directly below, a dizzying gorge
wraps around the mound of 5,131-foot Casner Butte.
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| The edge-hugging path climbs over 1,000 feet |
To the northeast, the tip of
7,307-foot Apache Maid Mountain, Round Mountain (6,328 feet) and Table Mountain
(6,197 stand out over rows of less prominent hills and mesas giving a birds-eye
view of the wild landscape that surrounds this beloved Verde Valley recreation
hub.
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| Casner Butte (left) stands out over Bell Trail |
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| Vertical volcanic rock caps White Mesa |
LENGTH: 6.5 miles round trip
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 3,828 – 4,925 feet
GETTING
THERE:
From
Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde, take the Oak Creek/Sedona exit 298. Head
left (east) at the bottom of the off ramp and go 2.2 miles on Forest Road 618
to the main Bell Trail parking lot.
There’s a
restroom at the trailhead. Forest Road 618 is maintained dirt and suitable for
all vehicles. There are no fees.
INFO:
Coconino
National Forest
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=55434