Rustlers Wander North to Flagstaff’s Picture Canyon

October 25, 2024

Living in Flagstaff, I usually have to drive down to Sedona to hike with the Sedona Westerners. On a beautiful morning in September, the Rustlers group came to me. We met at the Picture Canyon trailhead just off Historic Route 66 on the east side of Flagstaff.

Picture Canyon is a perfect early season hike in the cool pines, so I volunteered to lead the hike. At 4.6 miles and 360 ft of cumulative elevation gain, the hike is rated easy. Many of the Sedona hikers had never hiked Picture Canyon, so it was a nice treat for my neighbors to the south.

Our group met at the parking area off El Paso Road. The port-a-potty at the upper parking area was a welcome sight for some after the drive up from Sedona. Also at the parking area, birders could pick up a checklist for the 130 or more birds seen in the Preserve. There are several well marked trails, but I picked a longer figure eight route which would not only take in the important stops but also give the Sedona hikers a chance to walk through the majestic Ponderosa pines. Our first stop was at some information boards explaining the natural and cultural history of the area.

Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve is a natural and cultural area. There is scenic beauty to behold – the scenery is augmented by petroglyphs, a pit house, the remains of an old railway trestle, and a waterfall. After all, everyone likes a waterfall.

There are cultural sites from the Northern Sinagua who lived there around 1,000 years ago. Picture Canyon is named for the petroglyphs seen etched into the basalt walls. According to the city’s website on Picture Canyon there are over 126 panels. At one of the overlooks, it was fun to watch the hikers find the panel. I won’t give away the secret. Harold Colton, the founder of the Museum of Northern Arizona, made an extensive study of the petroglyphs and surface sites in the late 1920s, and recommended that the area be protected.

We took the Tom Moody trail to the left just past the info boards and walked up a dirt road along the north side of the canyon. Along this trail there are several points of interest. The first has a fine view of the waterfall. The next is a petroglyph panel. The third is a pit house which one can see up close. Behind the chain and post fence are many other pit houses.

We then switched to the Don Weaver trail to descend into the canyon. We crossed over the Arizona Trail (AZT) to head downstream to several other petroglyph sites with information boards to help spot some of the “pictures.” Our hike continued downstream and rejoined the Tom Moody trail continuing north through the Ponderosas.

We intersected the Arizona Trail again and had to make a momentous decision - hike toward Utah or Mexico. I opted to head South. This portion took us along the equestrian bypass of the Arizona trail. We dropped into Picture Canyon again and crossed the creek and ascended to the other bank. Sometimes there are beautiful orange dragonflies flying around the water course. We turned off the AZT to walk to a viewpoint of the waterfall from the other side. This part of the rim has a long rock ledge that overlooks the creek below. This was a great place for a rest and a snack.

There is also an information board explaining a trestle bridge location. Flagstaff had several logging companies operating in their early years. Typically, a company would decide where to log and build a railroad bed into an area and run the tracks where they were needed. When they were done, the crew would pick up the rails and move to a new area.

I heard comments from several of the Sedona Westerners about how green the area is. The riparian canyon bottom is always green, and this season has had exceptional wildflowers. Winter is also a great time to visit Picture Canyon when the walls around the waterfall are covered in ice - but that is a hike for another time. Soon we were back at the parking area and said our goodbyes and thanks for a wonderful hike.

In 2008 Picture Canyon was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 2012 the City of Flagstaff bought the 478 acres for 4.8 million dollars using voter approved funds at a public auction. Previously the area was used for water discharge into the Rio de Flag canyon from the Wildcat Wastewater Treatment Plant. At that time the canyon emptied into a straight channel. Two important developments were part of this arrangement. The original meander was re-established, and Wildcat agreed to provide water year-round for the wildlife who make Picture Canyon their home – and we were happy that they shared their riparian wonderland with us.