Fisher Point via Sandys Canyon Trail, AZ

Overview
Here is an out-n-back hike along Sandys Canyon Trail to the cave at the base of Fisher Point Vista.


Hike
This is one of my favorite hot-weather hikes. It's toasty but still much cooler in the Flagstaff area this time of year, and this is a lovely, low-maintenance hike that's an easy ramble.It's a quick 100-foot drop into the canyon and then completely flat the rest of the way. This canyon is technically Walnut Canyon, and I'm sure if you kept on going, you would eventually run into Walnut Canyon National Monument.

You will cross paths with the Arizona Trail and walk on the AZT for a little while. The trail curves to the right after about 1.85 miles, and you'll see an enormous jutting rock with a shallow cave. Welcome to Fisher Point. The cave is a nice place to sit and take some shade. Beyond here, there be dragons. The canyon narrows, and you find yourself walking in the bushes. There is another cave about a half-mile from the first one, and it's on the right. This one is deeper and dark. The air is very cool, you'll notice. There is graffiti etched on the walls inside the cave, I took photos of the graffiti, but I doubt they can be posted here, as the messages were quite raw. So, people, if you've got an urge to write graffiti on a natural object like a cave wall, please say something profound, not profane, or at least write something nice.

The trail goes on from here. It goes on and on and on. We stopped at about 3.5 miles, as I would not make it back with enough water. This is such an easy walk; one could keep going and see where they end up!

2003-07-02 Desertboots