In the Southwest corner of Northern Arizona's Coconino National Forest lays a canyon so amazing that it rivals Oak Creek Canyon and parts of the Grand Canyon. There are many forest roads that lead to this canyon, most of which are accessible only via off-road vehicle. And while the destination is truly awesome, the journey is worth taking in as well. Primary forest roads, secondary roads and off-road trails are all encountered on the amazing journey to the East end of the Wilderness. Take an updated GPS and stop at the Long Valley Mustang gas station and pick up a Coconino National Forest map for $10. Between the 2, you'll be able to find the canyon and find your way out once you are finished enjoying the beauty.
We had the amazing opportunity to host 8 other RVs for a weekend at Sunrise Resorts Clint's Well the weekend of August 13th. With three Jeeps and one Polaris quad, we set out for fun, adventure and mud on Saturday afternoon. Heading North on Lake Mary Road/Forest Highway 3 from Highway 87, we turned left on a secondary road between FR 122 and FR 196. The road is not listed on a map, but does show up on GPS when you get there. We followed this road until it took us to FR 196, which is a primary road and is visible on a map. We came upon FR 122 which then branched off into FR 122A. We followed 122A to its end where it became FR 9369. This is a secondary road which provides many easy opportunities for rock climbing mixed in with a little mud and even some brush to provide that "Arizona pinstripe" look to your vehicle. There are a couple of off-shoots on FR 9369. The one that takes you to a magnificent view of the canyon is FR 9369C. If you follow FR 9369B, you'll end up in a dead end near a watering hole.
Once we took FR 9369C, we had to open 2 gates. Shortly after passing the 2nd gate, the view begins to emerge on the left of your vehicle. For the best perspective, you'll want to get out of / off of your vehicle and walk down to the canyon's edge. From there, you'll see sheer cliffs, pined ledges, moss covered shale and at the very bottom, West Clear Creek. Spend some time to take it all in. If you continue on, the road comes to an end and there's a delightful shaded area that you can park under and get out to socialize with the other members of your convoy. There is also plenty of room to turn around to head back to civilization.
We definitely took a more direct route back to the highway. We followed FR 122A until it joined with 702, then continued on 702 to Highway 87. Depending on your level of adventure, there are many great spots to tent camp in the forest. Jeeps and quads do very well on these roads but it would be a struggle to get an RV too far into the forest due to the terrain and the poor condition of the roads.
Summer is drawing to a close, so make your plans now to head up to the Clint's Well area to RV or tent camp and visit West Clear Creek Wilderness. You will not be disappointed.
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Thanks for reading, and Happy Trails!
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