The Huckaby Trail can be accessed from either Midgley Bridge or Schnebly Hill Road. Because of very limited parking at the Midgley Bridge access point, we decide to go in from the opposite end today. But even with all the additional parking space at the Schnebly Hill access, on this typically busy springtime Saturday morning in Red Rock Country we’re lucky to squeeze our three vehicles into the last remaining spaces on a small spur road parallel to the parking lot. The time is 9:20 AM as we pull in, with an unknown fourth vehicle right behind us and searching for a parking space as well. The timing couldn’t be better since the fourth vehicle belongs to Mark P., driving in from the Cottonwood area to meet us for the hike. After a round on personal introductions, we don backpacks and hiking boots and then locate a willing volunteer to take our group picture at the trailhead sign.

Today’s hike was postponed from last Saturday because of a major winter storm moving across Arizona, beginning on Friday night and extending throughout the day on Saturday. The forecasted high for the Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon area was a bone-chilling 47 degrees, with wind gusts up to 30 MPH, and rain and snow showers throughout the morning and early afternoon. Here we are just seven days later with mostly clear blue skies, a gentle breeze blowing out of the northwest, and a somewhat toasty temperature of almost 85 degrees right out of the starting gate. Only in Arizona.

While we certainly don’t believe that any rainfall from last Saturday caused a variety of wildflowers seen along the trail to suddenly spring to life from dormant seeds, the rain and snow surely must have helped nurture them along after an unusually dry winter this year. With majestic Wilson Mountain dominating the background, this colorful field of Verbena is just one of many wildflower sightings we will see on today’s hike. The following four pictures were all taken by our ace wildflower photographer, Ted Tenny.

Completed in 1998, the Huckaby Trail is one of the newest in the Sedona trail network which, to the delight of hiking buffs everywhere, seems to keep growing year by year. After less than a half mile we pass the junction with Marg’s Draw Trail and soon begin descending rather steeply on an old abandoned jeep road for a quarter-mile or so before ascending (again, rather steeply) out of Bear Wallow Canyon. H’mm — did anyone even realize we crossed another canyon? Although the guidebooks say there’s only about +- 200 feet of elevation change over the course of Huckaby Trail, they obviously neglect to include the multiplication factor. According to Ted’s trusty GPS, we actually encountered closer to +- 1,000 feet of total elevation change over the length of the trail. Dang! That’s a heck of a lot of ups and downs for such a relatively short trail folks, especially in this unseasonably warm weather. No wonder we all rush for the beer coolers after completing this hike.

Dave’s picture clearly shows two windows with blue sky behind them on either side of the center formation. It always amazes me when I see something completely new like this even though I’ve hiked the Huckaby Trail several times over the years and never had a clue these windows existed on earlier hikes.

But that’s part of the overall attraction of hiking for many of us. We never know what we’re going to run across out there no matter how familiar we might think we are with the area. Mother Nature is always throwing something new at us – either that, or we’re not always as observant as we should be.

After nearly 1.5 miles of hiking, the cool, inviting waters of Oak Creek finally come into view and none too soon. The sun is only getting higher and there is precious little shade to be found anywhere along this stretch of trail. A quick glimpse of my thermometer reveals nearly 90 degrees and it’s not even Noon yet. Suffering succotash! Is this really April, or has the calendar somehow slipped into June already?

Perhaps we should have done this hike last Saturday after all. Right now, 47 degrees with rain and snow and 30 MPH winds doesn’t sound so bad. Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks – here we come!

Shade at long last! Tall trees and shady stretches of trail beckon us onward, and the sounds of Oak Creek tumbling over rocks and boulders is even more enticing as we get ever closer to cool waters.

The second half of Huckaby Trail drops down to creek level and continues north along the east bank of Oak Creek to Midgley Bridge. Thoughts of sitting down for lunch somewhere along the creek and dangling hot and tired feet in cool water energize us and propel us forward toward our destination.

Oak Creek with Midgley Bridge in the background. [Chuck]

When you’re hot, tired, and thirsty there are few more inviting sights than trees, shade, and cool flowing water. It was all I could do to resist the urge to jump in here and get soaking wet and just let the creek flow over me for the next hour or two. Instead, we take a few quick pictures and hustle back up to the trail to rejoin the rest of the group for lunch.

Since Superhiker Bill Z. is in the lead for much of this hike, as we approach the bridge I ask him to find a good lunch spot by the creek for us. We had earlier discussed crossing the creek on the old footbridge and then looking on either side for a cool shady spot by the creek for lunch.

Midgley Bridge from the trail. [picture by Chuck]

Completed in 1939 as a vital link between Prescott and Flagstaff via Oak Creek Canyon, Midgley Bridge was named in honor of Major W.W. Midgley, local rancher and founder of the State Highway 79 Association. Huckaby Trail was named after Chief Engineer Huckaby who worked on the Midgley Bridge project and other road building jobs around the Sedona area.

Those of us who have hiked Huckaby in the past agree that we haven’t lost our minds and distinctly remember walking across a footbridge in years past somewhere along here near Midgley Bridge. But, search as we may, there is no footbridge to be found today. So where did it go?

Eventually we find the heavy steel support cables for the old footbridge, but that’s all that remains of it today.

Apparently a flash flood went through here at some point and simply washed the bridge away. Ted’s picture of a tight debris dam below is clear evidence of the brute power of periodic flash floods that sweep through Oak Creek Canyon.

No doubt pieces of the old wood superstructure for the footbridge are now wedged tightly in similar debris dams located downstream from here, although they may be totally unrecognizable by now.

Lunch is over and as much as we all hate to leave this cool and tranquil setting, the sun is only getting higher and we’re all painfully aware of the lack of shade on that long second half of the trail going back to the trailhead. Everyone got plenty of water? Then let’s move out, Trailblazers.

Does this picture even need any explanation? Just be aware of Spook Rock the next time you hike Huckaby Trail, because The Spook is always watching you and keeps very close vigil on this section of trail!

We’ll have to hold you to that one, Dave. Ted, please take a note here.

Hey, did anyone leave a cold brew for the hike leader? C’mon already! What the heck is this? All I get is half a warm beer? Makes a guy wonder if it’s all worth it.

Think I’ll just go back and sit in the creek for a while and chill out. Don’t leave without me.