The Long Way
Coconino County
A small stream flows through a wooded area with trees and tall grass.
Plate I. Creek and foliage, Wet Beaver Creek. Photograph by Roller Coaster Philosophy, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A sunset view over a vast landscape with hills and vegetation.
Plate II. Sunset view, Wet Beaver Creek day use. From fs.usda.gov
A tree with exposed roots stands beside a calm river surrounded by lush green trees.
Plate III. Creek view, Wet Beaver Creek day use. From fs.usda.gov
A calm river flows through a dense forest with trees reflecting on the water's surface.
Plate IV. Wet Beaver Creek day use area. From fs.usda.gov
A small river flowing through a lush green forest with rocks along the banks.
Plate V. Creek waters at Wet Beaver Creek day use. From fs.usda.gov
A shallow, rocky stream flows through a lush green forest.
Plate VI. Wet Beaver Creek day use area. From fs.usda.gov

Wet Beaver Creek day use

Rimrock, Coconino County, Arizona. Day-use picnic site.

Details

Map. Rimrock, Coconino County, Arizona. Larger map
Where
8375 State Route 179, Sedona, Rimrock, AZ 86351. Directions
When
Open year-round, dawn to dusk.
Season
This area can be quite hot in summer, but the stream flows year-round. Please do not deface or scratch anything into the rocks.
Getting there
From Interstate 17, take the AZ 179 exit (Exit #298) and drive 2.5 miles southeast on Forest Road 618 to the picnic area on your left.
Fees
Daily $14 (covers up to 5 people); Weekly $25; Annual $50; Walk-in $4. Visitors can use a Coconino Hospitality Annual Pass for entrance or pay the daily rate at the gate. The Red Rock Pass and America the Beautiful Pass are not accepted at this site.
Access
Day use only; camping is not permitted at this site. A maximum vehicle length of 24 ft. will be enforced; no RVs, trailers, buses or other oversized vehicles. Potable water is not available at this site. Dogs must always be on a leash, and owners must pick up after their pets.
Walk-in or reserve
Visitors can use a Coconino Hospitality Annual Pass for entrance or pay the daily rate at the gate. The Red Rock Pass and America the Beautiful Pass are not accepted at this site.
Phone
928-203-0624
Website
fs.usda.gov
Managed by
Coconino National Forest, Red Rock Ranger District.
Coordinates
34.66983, -111.71338.

Once listed as a campground, Beaver Creek is now a day-use site popular for picnicking and birding year round, and water play in the summer. The area has limited space and can get over-crowded on hot days and holiday weekends.

Notable Events

  1. 1932Charles Bell constructed the Bell Trail through the rugged canyon of Wet Beaver Creek; it was, and still is, used to move cattle up and down the Mogollon Rim, and recreationists use it to access the creek. hmdb.org
  2. 1970An October 1970 flood caused significant erosion of large rock debris which accumulated in the channel, and the Army Corps of Engineers cleared rocks and debris from Beaver Creek after the Presidential Disaster Declaration. yavapaiaz.gov
  3. 1984Congress designated the Wet Beaver Wilderness area, which now totals 6,178 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. beavercreekhistorical.com

People

  • Charles Bell, constructed the trail through the rugged canyon of Wet Beaver Creek (1932).
  • Harriet Pruitt, Lake Montezuma resident whose narrative of the creek's flood history the county slides quote (1962–2005).

Sources

  1. fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/beaver-creek-day-use-picnic-site
  2. beavercreekhistorical.com/about.html
  3. azgs.arizona.edu/crack-wet-beaver-creek
  4. fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/groups/wet-beaver-wilderness
  5. yavapaiaz.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/2/resident-services/flood-control/documents/public-meeting-slides.pdf
  6. hmdb.org/m.asp?m=187583