Bell Trail to The Crack
If you seek Sedona area swimming holes, you'll quickly discover that Slide Rock gets all the love. However, if you're the rugged sort who doesn't mind a vigorous hike to reach refreshment, there are more private spaces.
Perhaps the best of them is The Crack. Reaching it isn't for the faint of heart, as the last mile winds along a cliff face that has you scrambling over boulders while risking a sheer drop to the river below.
My beloved and I took off, determined to reach this serene spot on the first hot day of the year, after a winter so cold, it made the North Pole jealous. It probably wasn't the wisest choice, given that I'm in need of a total knee replacement. Then again, I'm not known for making smart decisions, and I was armed with a trusty broom handle as a trekking pole.
The first two and a half miles are a breeze. You'll start at the historic Bell trailhead, where a marker teaches you about area history. Along your way, I delighted in the first emergence of spring wildflowers — the season promises to be epic with all the wet weather we've had.
If you look carefully at some of the rocks, you'll notice petroglyphs. It makes sense, as you aren't far from V Bar V Heritage Site, where you'll find a glut of stone art and helpful guides to explain the rich symbolism. Every time I gaze at the spirals, I'm convinced the ancients understood much more about the true nature of the universe and time than we modern folks with all our science.
Look upward, and you'll see the steep cliffs from which early hunters drove their game. They then gathered and butchered their catch along the plains, securing enough meat in one outing to last the entire winter.
The road gets rougher when you reach the Wet Beaver Wilderness intersection of Bell Trail and Weir. To reach The Crack, continue along Bell Trail. You'll notice it starts to climb.
When you come around the first prominent red rock feature you see, the vertigo fun begins. This was my least-favorite part of the hike; in some sections, I grumbled and muttered curses under my breath that would make a sailor blush. Balance is not my strong suit, and walking along a sheer cliff face always makes my stomach drop. Doing so with a bum knee was not my idea of fun.
However, I soon forgot my misery when we reached The Crack at last. The water was fresh snowmelt, so I didn't take the plunge. However, other swimmers did, as you can see from the photos.
Fortunately, you don't have to complete the full eight miles — four in and back — if you want to get wet and head out early this season. The snowmelt has created several tidal pools further down the creek. At one such spot, we witnessed a pair of lovers who looked like they were exchanging private vows, so we left them to their couples' solitude.
The first part of this trail is easy, although it offers little shade. The last mile, however, qualifies as difficult. If you wear swim shoes, ensure they have good grips. A pair of trekking poles (or a repurposed broom handle) can help you with balance.
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