The Verde Valley's greatest natural recreational resources are waterways. Swimming, diving, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, rafting-all these things are readily available in spots all over the Verde Valley.
Perennial water flows in Arizona are rare, and the Verde Valley has plenty. The contrast of arid high-desert landscapes and lush-riparian habitats confirms why people have chosen to live in this valley for thousands of years; there's water!
In times past, water from the rivers was essential to life. Now most people get water from a well deep underground, but the waterways are still part of the Verde Valley's identity.
They also provide recreational refuge from the summer heat.
Every week this summer you'll find a featurette in this section on river activities from different spots all over the Verde Valley.
This week's featured river spot is Parsons Trail in Sycamore Canyon.
The trailhead starts at the top of the canyon and works its way down to Sycamore Creek.
Hikers can get away with wearing sandals, but athletic shoes or hiking shoes are best for descending the canyon and later crossing the creek.
After the initial descent into the canyon, the trail flattens out and is easy the rest of the way.
Parsons trail highlights the riparian-desert contrast because the trail is often right on the edge of the divide.
One minute, hikers are in lush foliage, the next they're among cacti. Documenting the biodiversity created by the merging habitats could be an ecologist life's work.
Eventually the trail reaches Parsons Spring. Filtered by the earth, the water is generally good to drink.
If you choose to drink from the spring, first look around to see if there are any visible contaminants.
The area around the spring is serene and worth the hike, but just a little further is a great swimming hole.
After the spring, continue for about 100 yards and then turn left. At this point you have to cross the creek and the trail picks up on the other side.
It leads to a frequented swimming hole squeezed to the edge of the canyon wall, with water deep enough to jump into from adjacent cliffs.
A rock ledge looms under the water in some places, so it's important to check the water before jumping from the rocks.
If you go there on a weekend in the summer there will be a sizable group of people enjoying the spot too.
The algae level this year is already pretty high and probably going to get worse.
There's fish in the area, but it's not a good idea to fish at the swimming hole because there's just too many people. Further upstream there are quieter fishing opportunities.
The hike back is just as enjoyable as the hike in.
Taking a break halfway up the canyon to enjoy the scenery is a good idea.
If you're lucky, and you time it just right, you can see the scenic Verde Canyon Railroad train at the end of the line. It stops in Sycamore Canyon and heads back to Clarkdale.
The trail can get busy, but the long dirt road and the hike weeds out people from attempting the journey. Relative to other spots in the Verde Valley Parsons Trail isn't crowded.
Reader Comments
Posted: Saturday, June 05, 2010
Article comment by:
Nancy Local
I may be mistaken, but I always believed that Parson's Springs is the springs that is farther up the canyon from the swimming hole, near the caves. I never thought the small springs you cross just before fording the river had a name.....
