Westerners' Dogies Hike Elmersville, Lime Kiln

March 14, 2026

Cool early temperatures, typical for this time of year, disappeared on a recent hike as our chosen trail led into a bright, sunshine-blessed day with very little wind. Warm clothing layers came off quickly, and even more layers were removed as the morning progressed. This mid-January Dogies hike, led by Ernie Pratt and Todd Jenkins, explored an area south of Elmersville, Sedona’s next-door neighbor to the west. This community is located off of Lower Red Rock Loop Road, approximately 1 mile south of State Route 89A.

Elmersville was named after the Elmer family who in 1928 homesteaded in the area. Back then farming was certainly more difficult as they had to haul much-needed water some distance to the farm from Oak Creek. They were growing pinto beans while raising chickens and cows. Today a housing development called Michael’s Ranch occupies part of the original homestead and another part of that neighborhood was called Jackass Flats. There was a very popular horse-riding stable developed in the area, operating until the late 90’s. This business resulted in a network of bridle paths (Elmersville spur trails) crossing the national forest lands south and west of Elmersville. Some of these paths have become system trails, some have become Jeep and ATV trails, some remain as active bridle paths. Our first objective was to climb to a vista overlooking Elmersville, sighting Bear Mountain far to the north. We then walked on relatively easy cliff-hugging trails and well-defined paths along various ridges.

Crossing the Streams

When our hiking group was confronted with a fast-flowing stream in partial flood, as periodically happens, hikers were presented with a problem. Given our respect for each other, carefully cultivated over time, none of us wanted to communally strip down and cross the fast-flowing stream. The solution was to always to retain our dignity and to go carefully around the stream, remaining fully clothed.

Often when we hike up canyons and washes, we are continually amazed at how Mother Nature seems to always provide a doable path. Sometimes the route is easy, sometimes it is technically hard if not a little scary, but part of the hiking fun is finding a safe way. There are often natural rock steps, well placed and regular, seemingly man made and they are always welcomed. Sometimes the way forward is a vertical slot caused by close-spaced fractures resulting in a scramble up a seemingly impenetrable wall. As I go up these chutes I am reminded of a Westerner Scout safety mantra “no knees or trees” leaving me and some others in the group with only a belly to slide on, flailing arms, grunts and all too short legs. The Dogies support but do not give many points for such behavior. In the end we hike on through such areas with a little help from our friends.

In the Sedona area we hike mostly on sandstone and often encounter deep, water filled, sculpted surface pockets formed in the bedrock below waterfalls and in close spaced slot canyons. They are called Tinajas which is Spanish for “earthen jar”, and they are an important source of surface water in this arid environment. Such holes attract insects and animal life; this day we did not need to drink such water, having come well supplied. When scrambling through narrow canyons we were thinking that we do not want to be in the canyon when it rains but contrarily, we were also wondering how awesome it must look when it does rain and the water rushes down? We hiked on! In this area west of Sedona, we have left behind our Red Rocks and are mostly hiking through the underlying, older Supai Formation consisting of whiter sandstones and conglomerates, fortunately all hike-able.

In past years in this area, we had observed sadly the unnecessary and purposeful destruction of the environment caused by ATVs. Seemingly every wide or flat spot along the road was marked by deep tire tracks as careless drivers intentionally burned “circular wheelies” in the soft earth. We are now happy to see that the low, somewhat decorative fencing put up by the Forest Service and Friends of the Forest is doing its job and keeping traffic on the road, allowing the land to recover.

Hiking Injury

About halfway through we did have a mishap on this hike. A hiker fell and gashed her knee. We pooled first aid supplies, had a doctor who was on the hike repair the wound with butterfly bandages, then several hikers hiked out an alternate, easier route so that she could get to Urgent Care as quickly as possible to get her knee stitched up. We never want to see anyone injured; however, hiking has some inherent risk, and it is reassuring to hike with a group that is prepared and focused on safety. The Dogies had the supplies and expertise to do first aid on the trail, and procedures in place (and followed) to get the person back into Sedona for follow up.

In the early afternoon we returned to the trailhead with the same number of hikers, albeit in two different groups at two different times, as had set out so all was well and everyone was happy. As we talked along the trail we had verbally solved some of the world’s problems, avoiding specific political discussions, discussed all our current health issues and commented knowledgeably on the weather.