2011 7-9 Sandy's Canyon to Fisher Point

Length: 8.4 miles

Duration:3 Hours 3 minutes

Vertical Up:3176 feet

My track log at EveryTrail




Today’s hike was another hike with the Anthem Hiking club. After a 2 ½ hour drive up to Flagstaff with a van full of people (12 of us) we pulled into the Canyon Vista Campground just south of Flagstaff. This is where the trailhead is located. It was nice to see the folks in the campground roughing it in their 60 foot motor home with their DirecTV dish set up. Is that really camping? There is day parking in the back of the campground. After a quick bathroom break, we got set up to hike.





From the trailhead, you get a great view of the San Francisco Peaks and the cliffs of Walnut Canyon. The trail starts out flat and after about ¾ of a mile you start a descent down into Sandy’s Canyon. The first thing I noticed on this portion of the hike was that I was able to keep up with the hikers that used to fly past me. Inside I was feeling victorious that the last two months of workouts are paying off.




The hike flattens out for a 1 ½ mile flat hike through Sandy’s Canyon. The cool breeze, fresh air and smell of the Ponderosa Pines were overwhelming though the canyon. I was really enjoining myself.



The hike through the canyon crosses paths with The Arizona Trail. As you approach Fisher Point, you take a left turn and begin the ascent up to the top of Fisher Point. This is where I realized that we were at 6500 feet. As the altitude began to take its toll on me I began to drop back from the front group of hikers. The ascent up to Fisher Point is about a mile long and 700 feet up. Interesting contrast on this trail between a properly managed (thinned) forest on one side of the trail vs. a untouched forest on the other. It really shows the need for forest management. I can only imagine what a fire would do to this place.



At the top of Fisher Point we took time out to eat a snack and explore around a bit. Of course the group had to point out where one of the members slipped and fell (almost off the cliff) a few years back. The typical jokes and ribbing were dispensed.


After finishing up our snack, we hauled ass down from Fisher Point. We were really moving, almost jogging down the path. Back down at the bottom we voted to continue deeper into the canyon to look at a couple of caves near by. The first cave was a shallow cave in the side of Fisher Point. It was real interesting to talk to a guy in the club about the rock. This rock was actually a sandy beach 80 million years ago.





Hiking deeper into the canyon (though batches of Poison Oak) we came up on the second cave. This cave was actually a split in the mountain. It was about 150 feet in the side of a mountain and as high as 100 feet in some points. It was also 20 degrees cooler in there. These pictures really do not do it justice as we were walking in pitch black. Of course one of the more jovial members of the group took the opportunity to scare the bejesus out of us with some well-timed animal noises. If I am judging how scared he made me on a scale of 1-10, I would give him a 27.







After a bit of a break enjoying the cool temperatures in the cave, we began the hike back. Again, it was very enjoyable to hike on flat land and take in the smells of the forest.



I must say I really enjoyed this hike and really needed a break from a stressful work week. There are some really cool people in the group and the van ride home was full of stories and joking around. I can’t wait for my next hike with the Anthem Hiking Club.