Schuerman Mountain Trail, Sedona Area, Arizona

Looking for a nice, relatively easy, family friendly hike to do while visiting Sedona that is actually almost completely devoid of the crowds and pink jeeps you have come to expect? Schuerman Mountain may be just the hike for you.

Located over in West Sedona right next to Sedona Red Rocks High School is a neat little hike that will take you into a rare Desert Grassland habitat and offer beautiful views of Bear Mountain and other scenic areas of the Sedona area.  The trail leaves from a small parking lot just behind the high school and near a large area of solar panels. The trail climbs up the slope through typical semi-arid scrub vegetation of the area. But, reaching the top of the mesa, the ecosystem shifts into a rare desert grassland.

Desert grasslands used to be one of the most abundant ecosystems of the region, fueled by light winter rains, but heavy monsoons in summer. However, ranchers long ago overgrazed these areas, resulting in bare ground or a conversion to hardier shrubs, cacti, and yuccas in most of Central Arizona. Where cattle still run, there is virtually no grass to be found and the soil has been so degraded and eroded they probably will not return. This is obvious off I-17 on the way past Cordes Junction until Camp Verde.

While I do not know the history of this particular mesa, there was no evidence of cattle grazing I could see, thus is appears as though this site has avoided the wrath of so many hooves and teeth. As you hike across the summit you approach some interesting columnar basalts associated with the House Mountain Shield Volcano, located not far away across the Oak Creek basin. That hike is detailed here.

As you head out to the edge of the mesa, you can look out across the area including down into the basin where Oak Creek winds its way around various red rock mesas and pinnacles. In spring, the lime green colors of cottonwoods and sycamores contrast greatly against a backdrop of dark gray-green junipers and brownish-red rocks.

As you down and out into the Verde Valley realize that the summit of this mesa would have been near the shoreline of a great lake that filled the entire basin a few million years ago. On the way back and just before you descend back down to the high school, be sure to take the short side to the left to another view point. 

From here you can look across most of West Sedona, including down into Dry Creek, out across to the summits of Mount Wilson, with some of the canyons dissecting into the Mogollon Rim also visible such as Long Canyon, Brins Mesa, and the Teapot.

This is a great short family hike to do almost any day of the year while visiting Sedona.

Fisher Point - Walnut Canyon Trail, Flagstaff, AZ

On a near 70-degree early-April day in Flagstaff, we decided to head out to access the upper point of Walnut Canyon and Fisher Point. Previously, we have accessed Walnut Canyon via Sandy's Canyon, which I wrote about HERE. We also accessed the canyon rim of Walnut Canyon via Campbell Mesa and of course at Walnut Canyon National Park.

Today, we accessed it via Fisher Point by taking the dirt Herald Ranch Road, which branches off of Butler Avenue right off of I-40. At the end of the road, after passing a number of nearly "off-the-grid" homes back in the forest. From here, we hiked down an closed US Forest Service Road until reaching the "Loop Trail". Turning left here, we came up to the Arizona Trail. Once you park and walk down the dirt track, the area to Fisher Point and the canyon is well signed.

Upon reaching the edge of Sandy's Canyon (which is actually the name for that portion of Walnut Canyon), you come to the Arizona Trail, the 800-mile route from Utah to Mexico across the entire state. Here you can turn right and head down into the canyon or turn right and reach the scenic viewpoint of Fisher Point in 0.5 miles. On the way up to Fisher Point, there are some really spectacular views of the landscape, including the San Francisco Peaks, Kendrick Peak, and the observatories on Mars Hill.

Upon reaching Fisher Point, you can look up Sandy's Canyon. Looking down the canyon is a little more of a challenge due to the steepness of the slope and the vegetation. However, if you follow some of the game trails, you can get a peak down canyon as you can see above.

After climbing Fisher Point, then we backtracked and then descended into Sandy's Canyon. At the bottom of the canyon, we once again admired the cross-bedded Coconino Sandstone and then continued down Walnut Canyon to check out the caves and other features.

The canyon used to have an active year-round flowing stream that was used by the Sinagua peoples at Walnut Canyon National Monument. However, when Lake Mary was created to supply Flagstaff with its drinking water, the stream dried up. Today, it is overgrown with willows and aspens, while the rounded stream rocks can be seen in places under a thick layer of grass.

Amazingly, despite weeks of temperatures in 50's and even 60's, there were still some patches of ice and snow in the canyon. Hilina enjoyed "ice skating", doing pirouettes and spins. Anyways, what a wonderful spring day in Flagstaff.

The Emergence of Spring in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona

Spring is coming on strong in Northern Arizona. The temperatures have risen into the low-60's in Flagstaff. Buds are beginning to appear, but plants are hesitant to sprout in March or April due to the still cool temperatures at night and the ever-present risk of a freak snow storm. But, down in Sedona, it is now in the low-70's and things are a good month more advanced.

New sprouts of an Arizona Ash

We went down to hike Oak Creek Canyon to see how things are progressing. It was a cloudy, but warm day, and the new lush growth in the riparian vegetation was quite nice.

We hiked the Huckaby Trail again from Midgley Bridge to Schnebly Hill Road. You can see a full description of the hike here: Huckaby Trail Description

The box-elders, ash, cottonwoods, alders, and willows are all bursting forth right now. The Sycamores are always the last. A few wildflowers are sprouting up, many of the manzanitas, condolyias, and other shrubs were in bloom. It was just a pleasant day strolling along Oak Creek Canyon.

There used to be homesteads along stretches of the canyon. Where old fruit trees remain, there were blooms of pink and white. In the open patches that used to be yards, purple locoweed was flowering.

A stray fruit tree in bloom.

Beaver Action

Hilina looking for aquatic insects along the creek

A willow in bloom

Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida

Big Cypress National Preserve is a 720,000 acre unit of the National Park Service located just northwest of Everglades National Park in South Florida. It contains many of the ecological subunits that are present in Everglades National Park, but is more freshwater based, with more extensive pinelands and cypress strands than its southern neighbor. It is home to the critically endangered Florida panther, as well as, habitat to dozens of wading birds and numerous endemic plant species.

Cypress stands support lush growth of epiphytes like Spanish moss and bromeliads

When Everglades National Park was established in 1947, Big Cypress was intended to be includes as part of the park. But, the federal government was unable to acquire the land at the time to make that a reality. But, being aware of its significance in terms of wildlife habitat and flow of water, citizens continued to push for the area to be protected. Finally, the preserve was set aside in 1974. However, as a National Preserve, it does not have exactly the same level of protection as a national park. The area still allows hunting and other traditional uses for the land.

A huge flock of white ibis within the cypress near Loop Road

The Tamiami Trail (SR-41) cuts the Big Cypress into two pieces. The main visitor center is located right off the highway. There are two well-maintained dirt roads that allow visitors to see different ecotypes of the park. The 25-mile Loop Road leaves from Hwy 41 to the south, making a triangular path into beautiful cypress strands, and past a tropical hardwood hammock, before re-emerging onto Highway 41 a little further west.  The Loop Road passes by the southern terminus of the 1,100 mile Florida Trail. Here, the trail is a straight line water-filled ditch. So, be prepared for ankle-deep to waist deep water in this section. 

Alligators lounge near the culverts. They are docile, but just be aware before hanging over the edge.

All along the Loop Road are thick cypress stands absolutely full of wading birds. We saw lots of white ibis, endangered wood storks, little blue herons, snowy egrets, white egrets, and green-backed herons. Any place where a culvert allows the water to flow under the road, there will be an opening in the trees allowing better views of the birds. At one opening, we saw a block of some 30+ ibises. But, be aware as you walk up to the edge of the road, as there are often alligators hanging out in the culvert.

An endangered wood stork

As you head west, look for the Tree Snail Hammock located across the street from the Big Cypress Environmental Education Center. The 1/4 mile loop trail takes you through a beautiful tropical hardwood hammock containing mahogany, gumbo limbo, Jamaica dogwood, and Spanish stopper. We did not see any of the colorful namesake liguus tree snails (and I certainly was looking), but apparently they are present. During the dry season, they are high in the canopy in estivation mode to conserve water.

Do be aware that the most common place to see mosquitoes in South Florida during the cooler dry season is within these hammocks. We did see and hear a few of them, but it wasn't anything too annoying.

Palm trunk and large ferns within the Tree Snail Hammock

There is also a loop you can take north of Hwy 41 to see some different ecotypes in Big Cypress. Near the western border is the Birdon Road (841) - Turner River (839) Loop.  This 16.4 mile loop will take you past Florida slash pine rocklands, sawgrass prairies, cattail filled marshes, and dwarf cypress sloughs.

Sawgrass prairies and Florida slash pine stands

The Turner River Road heads north from Highway 41 along a canal dug to supply material to build the road. This is called a "borrow" pit, as they borrowed the dirt for road building. All along this route you will see countless alligators lounging on the opposite bank. There will be some side routes leaving from the main road to access some off-road areas and horse trails. Continue until reading Wagonwheel Road and turn left. If you continue north, the road will go to an old campground and actually will cross under (but give no access to) Alligator Alley (I-75). Continue on Wagonwheel Road until reaching Birdon Road.

Turn left onto Birdon Road where the route will pass numerous pine stands with Florida sabal palms rising up within and along their margins. It will also pass some nice examples of sawgrass prairies. Be on the lookout for a variety of forest bird species, as well as, numerous raptors like red-shoulder hawks and vultures soaring overhead. Big Cypress is wild Florida at its best. But, do make sure you go in the dry season of winter. Beyond the unimaginable drone of millions of mosquitoes in summer, its daily thunderstorms may makes these dirt roads impassable during torrential downpours.

Snowy egret and wood stork in the cypress strand along Loop Road