Oak Creek Canyon

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Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon 02.jpg
South view, from above north terminus (Coconino Plateau)
Coconino Sandstone cliffs above Hermit Formation, [1] on west canyon wall
USA Arizona location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Oak Creek Canyon
Location in Arizona,
northeast of Verde River
Length12 miles (19 km)North–South
Width0.8 to 2.5 miles (1.3 to 4.0 km)
Geography
Coordinates 34°54′45″N111°43′37″W / 34.91250°N 111.72694°W / 34.91250; -111.72694 Coordinates: 34°54′45″N111°43′37″W / 34.91250°N 111.72694°W / 34.91250; -111.72694  
Traversed by Arizona State Route 89A
RiversOak Creek
Fall in Oak Creek Canyon Vibrant Fall Colors Along Oak Creek In Sedona.jpg
Fall in Oak Creek Canyon
Fall colors against canyon walls in Oak Creel Canyon Oak Creek Canyon In Sedona With Fall Colors.jpg
Fall colors against canyon walls in Oak Creel Canyon

Oak Creek Canyon is a river gorge located in northern Arizona between the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona. The canyon is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its scenic beauty. State Route 89A enters the canyon on its north end via a series of hairpin turns before traversing the bottom of the canyon for about 13 miles (21 km) until the highway enters the town of Sedona.

Contents

Geography

Oak Creek above Sedona West Fork of Oak Creek, reflections.jpg
Oak Creek above Sedona

Oak Creek Canyon is about 12 miles (19 km) long, ranging in width from 0.8 to 2.5 miles (1.3 to 4.0 km). The depth of the canyon ranges from 800 to 2,000 feet (240 to 610 m). However, due to the faulting that played a major role in its formation, the west rim of the canyon is 700 feet (210 m) higher than the east rim. The average elevation of the west rim is 7,200 feet (2,200 m) while the east rim elevation is 6,500 feet (2,000 m).

Oak Creek

Oak Creek, a tributary of the Verde River, flows along the bottom of the canyon, and is one of the few perennial streams in the high desert region of northern Arizona. Oak Creek is largely responsible for carving the modern Oak Creek Canyon, although movement along the Oak Creek Fault, a 30-mile (48 km) long north–south normal fault line, is thought to have played a role as well. Oak Creek has an elevation of 4,300 feet (1,300 m) just north of Sedona to 6,000 feet (1,800 m) at the northern terminus of the canyon.[ citation needed ]

Oak Creek enters more open country below Sedona. It meanders past the communities of Page Springs and Cornville, and reaches its confluence with the Verde River about 6 miles (10 km) southeast of Cottonwood. [2] In June 2006, the southern portion of the canyon, near Slide Rock State Park, was affected by a 4,300-acre (17 km2) wildfire known as the "Brins Fire". [3]

Geology

Sandstone formation in Oak Creek Canyon Oak Crk Canyon.jpg
Sandstone formation in Oak Creek Canyon

Geologic evidence suggests the formation of an ancestral Oak Creek Canyon along the Oak Creek Fault about eight to ten million years ago. [4] The ancestral Oak Creek Canyon was then filled in by gravel deposits and a series of lava flows between 6–8 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch. [4] About this time, the Oak Creek Fault became active again and the modern Oak Creek Canyon began to develop along the fault zone as a result of the erosional action of Oak Creek. [5] The normal, down-to-the-east motion of the Oak Creek Fault during the most recent faulting period resulted in the west rim of the canyon being about 700 feet (210 meters) higher than the east rim.

The spectacularly eroded walls of the canyon are formed mostly of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Exposures of the Kaibab Limestone, (the geologic formation found at the top of the Grand Canyon), and the Toroweap Formation are found only at the northern end of the canyon. The more predominant rock units exposed in the cliffs of southern Oak Creek Canyon are the buff to white colored, frequently cross-bedded Permian Coconino Sandstone and the red sandstones of the Permian Schnebly Hill Formation. Unlike all the other formations exposed in Oak Creek Canyon, the Schnebly Hill Formation is not present at the Grand Canyon. The youngest rocks exposed in the canyon are a series of basalt lava flows that form the east rim, the youngest of which is an estimated 6 million years old. [4]

Recreation

Fishing in Oak Creek, Cathedral Rock in background, 1959. Oak Creek Sedona Arizona.jpg
Fishing in Oak Creek, Cathedral Rock in background, 1959.

Oak Creek Canyon is located within the Coconino National Forest. Portions of the canyon have been designated federal wilderness areas as part of the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness. The United States Forest Service operates several campgrounds, picnic areas, and recreation areas within the canyon. Slide Rock State Park, home to a natural water slide along Oak Creek, is also located within Oak Creek Canyon. Other recreational activities include swimming and fishing in Oak Creek. There are 49 fishable miles along the creek where rainbow trout, brown trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish (channel) and catfish (flathead) can be found. Hiking the many trails leading into side canyons or up to the rim of the canyon is a popular activity for the area. The trail leading the first 3 miles (4.8 km) up the West Fork of Oak Creek, a 14-mile (22.4 km) long narrow side canyon, is the most popular trail in the Coconino National Forest. [6]

2014 Slide Fire

On May 20, 2014, at around 4 PM, a wildfire was reported just north of Slide Rock State Park. The fire was 100% contained on June 4, 2014, with 21,227 acres burned. Total personnel included over 1,230 firefighters, 50 crews, 29 engines, and 9 helicopters. [7]

After the fire, the Sedona Fire District installed nine outdoor warning sirens throughout the canyon. They are used for situations including wildfires, flash flooding, severe weather, and other emergencies. The siren system is tested yearly, in the summer months.

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Coconino National Forest is a 1.856-million acre United States National Forest located in northern Arizona in the vicinity of Flagstaff. Originally established in 1898 as the "San Francisco Mountains National Forest Reserve", the area was designated a U.S. National Forest in 1908 when the San Francisco Mountains National Forest Reserve was merged with lands from other surrounding forest reserves to create the Coconino National Forest. Today, the Coconino National Forest contains diverse landscapes, including deserts, ponderosa pine forests, flatlands, mesas, alpine tundra, and ancient volcanic peaks. The forest surrounds the towns of Sedona and Flagstaff and borders four other national forests; the Kaibab National Forest to the west and northwest, the Prescott National Forest to the southwest, the Tonto National Forest to the south, and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to the southeast. The forest contains all or parts of ten designated wilderness areas, including the Kachina Peaks Wilderness, which includes the summit of the San Francisco Peaks. The headquarters are in Flagstaff. There are local ranger district offices in Flagstaff, Happy Jack, and Sedona.

Slide Rock State Park State park in Arizona, United States

Slide Rock State Park is an Arizona State Park located in Oak Creek Canyon 7 miles (11 km) north of Sedona, Arizona, United States. It takes its name from a natural water slide formed by the slippery bed of Oak Creek. Slide Rock State Park is located on Coconino National Forest land and is co-managed by the Arizona State Parks agency and the United States Forest Service. Tall red rock formations that are typical of the region also surround the park, which contains a 43-acre (17 ha) working apple farm.

Sycamore Canyon (Yavapai County, Arizona) Landform in Yavapi County, Arizona

Sycamore Canyon is the second largest canyon in the Arizona redrock country, after Oak Creek Canyon. The 21-mile (34 km) long scenic canyon reaches a maximum width of about 7 miles (11 km). It is in North Central Arizona bordering and below the Mogollon Rim, and is located west and northwest of Sedona in Yavapai and Coconino counties.

Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Protected area in northern Arizona

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Wet Beaver Wilderness Protected area in the Coconino National Forest

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Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness Protected area in the Coconino National Forest

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Bell Rock (Arizona) Landmark near Sedona, Arizona

Bell Rock is a butte just north of the Village of Oak Creek, Arizona, south of Sedona in Yavapai County. With an elevation at its summit of 4,919 feet (1,499 m), it is just west of Courthouse Butte. Its panoramic views make it a popular landmark and tourist attraction.

Courthouse Butte Natural feature in Yavapi County, Arizona

Courthouse Butte is a butte just north of the Village of Oak Creek, Arizona, south of Sedona in Yavapai County. Summit elevation is 5,454 feet (1,662 m). It is just east of Bell Rock.

Red Rock State Park Protected area in Arizona, United States

Red Rock State Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, featuring a red sandstone canyon outside the city of Sedona. The main mission of this day-use park is the preservation of the riparian habitat along Oak Creek. Red Rock State Park serves as an environmental education facility for the public and for school or private groups, and provides limited passive recreational opportunities.

Cathedral Rock Landform in Yavapai County, Arizona

Cathedral Rock is a natural sandstone butte on the Sedona skyline and one of the most-photographed sights in Arizona, United States. The rock formation is located in the Coconino National Forest in Yavapai County, about a mile (1.6 km) west of Arizona Route 179, and about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of the "Y" intersection of Routes 179 and 89A in uptown Sedona. The summit elevation of Cathedral Rock is 4,967 feet (1,514 m).

House Mountain is a shield volcano located in the U.S. state of Arizona located between the Sedona Red Rock Country and the Verde Valley in the Coconino National Forest. House Mountain erupted approximately 13–15 million years ago on the edge of where the Mogollon Rim stood at that time. Thus, the basalt that was emitted preserved the sedimentary layers below it, including the Schnebly Hill Formation and the thin band of Fort Apache Limestone. The Mogollon Rim has receded at a rate of 1 foot per 600 years since and the current edge of the rim can be seen several miles away from the summit.

Isis Temple Landform in the Grand Canyon, Arizona

Isis Temple is a prominence in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Southwestern United States. It is located below the North Rim and adjacent to Granite Gorge. The prominence lies north of the north bank of the west-flowing Colorado River and is just north of Granite Gorge. The Trinity Creek and canyon flow due south at its west border; its north, and northeast border/flank is formed by Phantom Creek and canyon, a west tributary of Bright Angel Creek; the creeks intersect about 3 mi (4.8 km) southeast, and 1.0 mi (1.6 km) north of Granite Gorge. The Isis Temple prominence, is only about 202 ft (62 m) lower than Grand Canyon Village, the main public center on Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

Munds Mountain Wilderness is an 18,150-acre wilderness area in the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is immediately southeast of Sedona between Arizona State Route 179 and Interstate 17. The wilderness lies within the Munds Mountain and Sedona quadrangles of the national topographic map of the United States Geological Survey.

Schnebly Hill Formation Dark red sandstone, the major component of the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona

The Schnebly Hill Formation is a section of red bed deposits found at the Colorado Plateau, near Sedona, Arizona. It is a dark red sandstone, from 800 feet (240 m) to 1,000 feet (300 m) thick. It lies between Coconino Sandstone and the older Hermit Formation. It is near the Supai Group.

References

  1. ↑ Chronic, Halka. Roadside Geology of Arizona, c. 1983, 23rd printing, 321 pages, (US 89A Flagstaff to Arizona), pp. 233–236, map ref, p. 192.
  2. ↑ TopoQuest – USGS Cornville (AZ) Topo Map
  3. ↑ "Brins Fire-June 2006". U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
  4. 1 2 3 Ranney, Wayne D.R. (May 1998). "Geologic Road Log for U.S. Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon". Geologic Excursions in Northern and Central Arizona. Department of Geology, Northern Arizona University. pp. 177–179.
  5. ↑ Lucchitta, Ivo (2001). Hiking Arizona's Geology. Mountaineers Books. pp. 97–99. ISBN   0-89886-730-4.
  6. ↑ "West Fork of Oak Creek Trail". U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
  7. ↑ "Arizona Coconino National Forest, Slide Fire". INCIWEB: Incident Information System. 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
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