The Amazing Supai Pools of Woods Canyon - Sedona, AZ ***Please read the WARNING below***
The Amazing Supai Pools of Woods Canyon - Sedona, AZ ***Please read the WARNING below***
***WARNING*** This is a punishing off trail 'hike'. I cannot stress enough how physically and mentally demanding this was for us (except Nick because Nick is a freak of nature). Nick heard about this from a local legend who said "Don't underestimate it." This local legend is well known for understatement. So when he said 'don't underestimate it' that means 'this place could likely kill you, or at the least you may have to spend the night, call for help or just live there because you can't get out.' At one point, I wished I were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and only had to climb up the Bright Angel Trail instead of being where I was and completing the loop we were on. It's rough. It's beyond rough. The pay off is worth it (for me, anyway), but the cost is very, very, very high.
Our trip wa about 9 miles, 1848 ft of elevation loss (then gain) and it took us 11 hours truck to truck.
If you attempt this take that into account. It's quite possible that it may be the hardest thing you've ever done.
So on to the write up;
I've heard about this place for a while. It's almost like a myth or tall tale. This amazing oasis hidden outside Sedona that no one knows about. Gorgeous supai pools and tall canyon walls. It's spoken about in whispers late at night over a campfire. The story changes slightly depending on who is telling it, but two things always stay constant;
1. They want to go back.
2. The hike SUCKS. (In case you want to be optimistic, yes, there are several ways to approach the area. But you haven't found a hack. The hike SUCKS from ALL of them.)
Now that I've done it myself, I find both of these things to be true. The 'hike' in either involves miles of brutal bush whacking or less miles of brutal bush whacking and some rappels. We went with the rappels.
Once you reach Woods Canyon itself, it greets you with a never ending field of boulders. I was displeased with these boulders. Little did I know that later I would be wishing all of the terrain looked like this.
After a bit, you come up on a Native American ruin, tucked high on the canyon wall. It appears that it has been untouched since someone engraved a date from the 1800's on a rock in the alcove. There are shards of pottery, corn cobs and plenty of thatch. (Or so I was told since I was too worn out to get up to the ruins.)
After that, you come up to the meat and potatoes. The fabled oasis itself. Red rocks with multiple deep pools. These include what appears to be water slides if you were to catch the flow just right. (Of course if it were flowing that much, you might find yourself washed out dozens of miles downstream, so don't take my word on that.) The terrain switches between open swimming holes and narrow chutes. The pools have fish and some are pretty deep. I saw waves (from the wind) on one that I would estimate at about 1' tall. It is absolutely incredible.
Take a break here and relax. I nearly dozed off in the shade while waiting for the rest of our party to catch up.
Then it's back to it. The canyon doubles down on the boulder hopping. The boulders increase exponentially in size up to the size of a small car, requiring you to constantly watch your step as you slowly make your way up canyon. Breven likened it to doing squats in gym class....for 8 hours straight.
When you think it HAS to get better, Woods Canyon says 'hold my beer'. The canyon narrows and there are a few (I think 3?) swims. I didn't bring a tape measure, but they were fairly long. They were actually fun, but very cold.
Then it's back to the boulder hopping. This is where I was desperately wishing I was back at the normal sized boulder field when we first entered the canyon.
And when you think it can't get any worse, it does. The exit drainage never seems to get any closer and Woods Canyon throws more obstacles at you in the form of even larger boulders, pools and some 'waterfalls'. Not really waterfalls, but...well, you see them in the video. Luckily we were able to get around these without swimming since it was getting late in the day and we had just gotten mostly dry from the previous swims.
Eventually you hit the side drainage. Although the boulders became smaller, the drainage was absolutely filled with poison ivy. I kinda felt Woods Canyon was just being spiteful at this point.
Anyway, then we were at the truck and heading home. Did I mention the roads? They also suck if for nothing else than for the sake of consistency.
If you decide to try it, don't say I didn't warn you.
Music by Epidemic Sound:
Eine Kleine Nachtmusic (or something like that.)
Will Harrison - Baptized and Buried
Dusty Decks - Crate Concerto
Music by Artlist:
Brooklyn Classical - Habanera Bizet
The Hunts - Far
Yehezkel Raz - Icicles
Israel Wasserman - Too Far
