Bell Trail Arizona: Wet Beaver Creek Hiking Guide

The Crack swimming hole at Bell Trail is one of the few places within an hour of both Flagstaff and Sedona where you can actually swim in a canyon. That’s a short list in central Arizona. The pools form where Wet Beaver Creek cuts through Coconino sandstone, and the result is clear, cold water running through 30-foot canyon walls. In March and April, the flow is strong enough to fill the deep sections to 8 and 10 feet. It’s worth knowing about.

The trail to get there is 7.4 miles round trip. It’s not technically demanding. The challenge is the sun exposure and, if you’re going in the wrong months, the heat.

Trail Overview

Bell Trail #13 follows Wet Beaver Creek from the trailhead to The Crack, a slot canyon swimming section 3.7 miles in. The round trip is 7.4 miles with only 597 feet of elevation gain spread across the entire distance. By Flagstaff area standards, it’s a flat hike.

What it isn’t is a shaded hike. The first 2 miles are open desert, no tree cover, direct sun. The canyon walls provide relief from about mile 2 onward as the sandstone closes in around the creek. By late morning, the canyon section is in full shade on its south-facing wall.

Difficulty: moderate. The terrain is sandy and flat for most of the route, with light boulder scrambling near The Crack. The mileage is the main challenge. A 7.4-mile day in the desert isn’t casual, especially if you’re hitting it in April when temperatures can hit 85°F even in the canyon.

Best season: October through May. The prime window for swimming is late March through mid-May when Flagstaff snowmelt keeps flows high. June through September is possible in the early morning only, but flash flood risk in July and August makes the canyon section actively dangerous during storm season. October through February is good for hikers who don’t care about swimming. The creek still runs year-round.

No permit required. This is Coconino National Forest land.

Getting There

From Flagstaff, take I-17 south approximately 17 miles to Exit 298, signed for Sedona and Rimrock. Head east on FR 618. This is a dirt road, but it’s well-maintained and passable for standard two-wheel-drive vehicles in dry conditions. The Bell Trail Trailhead is about 2 miles east of I-17 on FR 618, signed on the right.

The trailhead has vault toilets and a dirt parking area with room for 20 to 30 vehicles. On spring weekends from late March through May, it fills by 9am. Arrive early.

From Sedona, take SR-179 north about 14 miles to I-17, then south to Exit 298 and east as described. From Phoenix, it’s I-17 north to Exit 298, about 75 miles from the Phoenix metro core.

Carry gas and water from town. Nothing is available at the trailhead.

Trail Description

Miles 0-2: Open Desert Section

The trail begins at the trailhead kiosk, crosses a dry wash, and heads northeast along the creek drainage. Wet Beaver Creek is on your left for most of this section, though it may be running below the bank level and not visible depending on the season.

The terrain here is classic high desert, sage, juniper, and cliffrose with sandy trail underfoot. The footing is easy. Views ahead show the low canyon walls you’re walking toward. It’s not dramatic scenery yet, but it gives you a clear sense of what’s coming.

Shade: none. The sun hits this section fully from mid-morning. On spring mornings, it’s comfortable. In April and May, start early to cover these first 2 miles before the heat builds.

At about mile 1.5, the canyon walls begin to rise on either side. The rock is Coconino sandstone, the same pale yellow-orange formation that defines the Sedona canyon walls 20 miles to the south. Here it’s lower and less dramatic than Sedona, but the enclosure starts to feel real by mile 2.

Miles 2-3: Canyon Narrows

The trail transitions from open desert to canyon proper around mile 2. The walls close in and the creek becomes a constant presence rather than an occasional glimpse.

Creek crossings begin here. In spring, you’ll get your feet wet. Bring water shoes or sandals you can wade in. The crossings range from ankle-deep to knee-deep depending on the time of year and how wet the preceding winter was. None are dangerous under normal spring conditions, but use judgment. If the water is moving faster than a walk, wait and assess.

The canyon floor alternates between sandy stretches and rocky sections. Footing is generally good but you want to watch your step on the wet rocks near the creek crossings. They’re slippery.

The sandstone walls show the characteristic cross-bedding of wind-deposited dune rock. The layers angle in multiple directions, recording ancient wind patterns. The color deepens as you move through the canyon, from pale tan to deeper orange in the afternoon light.

Mile 3.7: The Crack

The Crack is a 100-yard section where the canyon constricts sharply and the creek forces through a narrow passage in the rock. The walls are close enough to touch on both sides in the tightest spot.

The pools here are 6 to 10 feet deep in prime spring conditions. The water is clear and cold, around 60 to 65°F from March through May. The bedrock forms natural ledges around the pools. A few jump spots exist at 4 to 6 feet above the water surface. The pools deep enough for jumping are the obvious ones where you can see to the bottom.

It’s a confined space and popular on spring weekends. If you arrive to find it crowded, the pools extend upstream a short distance. Follow the creek above The Crack for another quarter mile and you’ll find secondary pools with fewer people.

The round trip to The Crack is 7.4 miles. You can continue beyond The Crack, and the canyon extends for miles further. The trail (#13) continues as Bell Trail into more remote country. Most day hikers don’t go past The Crack.

What to Bring

Sun protection is more important on this trail than on most Flagstaff-area hikes because of the exposed first 2 miles. Sun hoodies are the practical choice over sunscreen alone, as they cover your arms without requiring reapplication. A wide-brim hat matters.

Water: 3 liters minimum per person for the round trip. Do not count on the creek as a drinking source. Ranching operations occupy parts of the watershed above the trailhead, and the creek water isn’t suitable for drinking without treatment. Carry everything you need.

Footwear for water: at minimum, trail runners that you don’t mind getting wet. Water sandals or neoprene water shoes are better for the creek crossings and the swimming section. Flip-flops are wrong for the hiking sections.

Bring a towel and dry clothes if you plan to swim. The 3.7-mile hike back in wet clothes is uncomfortable and can cause chafing by the time you hit mile 2.

Trekking poles are optional but useful on the rocky creek crossing sections.

Safety Notes

Flash floods are the most serious hazard on Bell Trail, and the risk comes from a direction most hikers don’t think about. Flagstaff sits 17 miles north of the trailhead, and its watershed drains directly into Wet Beaver Creek. A monsoon storm in Flagstaff generates a flash flood at Bell Trail within 20 to 30 minutes. You won’t see the storm. You won’t hear it coming. The water arrives fast and cold.

From July through September, check the National Weather Service forecast for the entire Wet Beaver Creek watershed before entering the canyon. If there’s any probability of afternoon thunderstorms anywhere in the watershed, don’t hike past mile 2. The open desert section has escape routes. The canyon section, starting at mile 2, does not.

Heat is the second hazard. The exposed first 2 miles have no shade. On days above 90°F, start before 7am to cover the exposed section before the sun gets high. Carry more water than you think you need. Heat exhaustion comes on fast in canyon environments where radiating rock walls raise the ambient temperature above the air temperature.

If you’re going to swim, know the water is cold. Cold water swimming involves different risks than warm-water swimming, including cold shock and reduced muscle function. Stay within your depth and get out immediately if you start to feel muscle cramping.

Related Trails

West Clear Creek Trail is the longer, wilder version of this canyon experience. It’s a 26-mile point-to-point through a deeper, more remote canyon with true swimming holes throughout. Plan 2 to 3 days with overnight gear for the full route.

The Elden Lookout Trail near Flagstaff gives you the ridge-and-summit version of the same Coconino National Forest experience. Completely different terrain from Bell Trail’s canyon walk, but worth doing as a two-day Flagstaff area combination.