Doney Trail - Coconino National Forest

The Doney Picnic Area is located on Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop Road 9.3 miles from its northern terminus on US 89 north of Flagstaff, Arizona. While the picnic area is located in Coconino National Forest, you have to go through the Wupatki National Monument to reach it by paved road. We stopped during our May 2015 visit to the Southwest. The picnic area has vault toilets as well as trash and recycling receptacles. While there, I hiked the one mile round-trip trail to a vista point on 5512 foot high Doney Hill. There is no shade along this trail, so use sunscreen and drink lots of water. The wind carries cinder dust and increases as you climb. The trail is rated as easy. Several benches have been placed along the way as well as interpretive signs.

Topographic map with GPS hiking route

Trail elevation profile

The initial trail surface is loose cinders

As the trail climbs up to a saddle between cinder cones, the trail surface is much firmer

Painted Desert from the saddle

Turn right at the saddle to climb the higher cinder cone

Remains of a Wupatki farmstead

More of the ruins

Wildflowers in bloom

Hard packed cinder path

Continuing the climb

Merriam Crater (6813' 14 miles)

The top is in sight

Bench and sign at the end of the trail

Loop Road, Red Hill and S P Mountain

San Francisco Peaks

Fault line

Wupatki National Monument Visitor Center and Wupatki pueblo

Painted Desert

Gray Mountain, part of the Coconino Rim

Doney Mountain (5534')

Pinyon Pine

Another view of the Painted Desert

There is no entry fee for this portion of the Coconino National Forest.

The trail webpage is http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=55086&actid=50.
The forest website is http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coconino/home.

Painted Desert Vista - Coconino National Forest

The Painted Desert Vista Picnic Area is on Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop 9.3 miles from its southern terminus on US 89 outside Flagstaff, Arizona. We stopped for a picnic on our May 2015 visit to the Southwest.

An unnamed 6193' cinder hill

Mormon Tea

Clouds cast shadows on an unnamed cinder cone

The loop road descends into the desert

The Painted Desert

Shadows moving across the landscape

Mesas on the horizon

Shadows and light

We continued on Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop another 2.7 miles and descended 500 feet to a roadside pullout with more great views.

Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop and the Painted Desert

An unnamed cinder cone (6109' 2 miles)

A small cinder basin

Newberry Mesa (24 miles)

Descending into the Painted Desert

There is no entry fee for this portion of the Coconino National Forest.

The forest website is http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coconino/home.

Red Rock Ranger District - Coconino National Forest

Our May 2015 trip to the Southwest continued with a drive from Tucson to Flagstaff, Arizona. We made a slight detour through Sedona and the Red Rock Ranger District of the Cocnino National Forest. Our scenic detour began at exit 298 on Interstate 17. We turned north on Arizona 179 and drove about 6 miles to the Red Rock Ranger District Visitor Contact Center.

Visitor Center

The visitor center is located just off of Highway 179. The visitor center contains the usual information desk, bookstore/giftshop, exhibits, restrooms and theater. The theater shows an excellent 14 minute orientation video Scenes of Red Rock Country. In addition, the front entrance area provided wonderful views of the area we would soon travel through.

A portion of the information desk

Rock climbing and geology exhibits

Three-dimensional map of the forest

Rock layer display

There are also displays in the theater

Courthouse Butte (5451')

An unnamed mesa

Castle Rock (5248') and Bell Rock (4919')

Red Rock Vista

Located 2.5 miles north of the visitor center, the Red Rock Vista is located just north of the Village of Oak Creek. The Bell Rock Trail begins here. There is a large parking area

Bell Rock

Courthouse Butte

An unnamed formation west of the highway

Lee Mountain and Jacks Canyon

Little Horse Trailhead

Another 2.6 miles north of Red Rock Vista is Little Horse Trailhead. This is the last trailhead before entering Sedona.

Cathedral Rock

Courthouse Butte

West Lee Mountain

One of the Twin Buttes

US 89A Pullout

Arizona Highway 179 ends at its intersection with Arizona Highway 89A in Sedona. To continue to Flagstaff by way of Oak Creek Canyon, take the first exit off the roundabout onto Highway 89A north. A paved extremely wide shoulder is located 1.4 miles north of the roundabout. 

Mitten Ridge

Highway 89A bridge over Wilson Canyon

Looking back at Mitten Ridge, Cathedral Rock and Sedona

Oak Creek Vista Point

Highway 89A follows Oak Creek Canyon for 13½ miles before climbing out of the canyon on a series of switchbacks. Vehicles over 50 feet are prohibited on the highway. At the top of the canyon is a vista point with a large parking area, vault toilets and an information booth. The vista is located about 16 miles from the roundabout intersection with Arizona Highway 179 in Sedona. During that 16 miles, the road climbs 2200 feet and traverses a transition from the Sonoran Desert to an alpine climate.

Pumphouse Wash

Oak Creek Canyon

Switchbacks on Highway 89A

Looking down into Pumphouse Wash

The rim above Pumphouse Wash

While it isn't required for short stops to take pictures, a Red Rock Pass (or America The Beautiful Interagency series Annual Pass [$80], Senior Pass [one-time $10 for ages 62 and over], or Military Annual Pass [free to active duty military personnel]) is required when leaving your vehicle unattended while recreating on National Forest land around Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. A one day Red Rock Pass is $5, a seven day Red Rock Pass is $15 and an annual Red Rock Pass is $20.

The Sedona Friends of the Forest sponsors a website at http://www.sedonaredrocktrails.com/ in support of the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest.

The forest website is http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coconino/home.