HIKE OF THE MONTH

HIKE of the month LOY CANYON TRAIL The first 4 miles of this beautiful trail meander along a normally dry creek bed. It's pretty easy. And then you get to the switchbacks. BY ROBERT STIEVE

Of all the hikes in the Sedona backcountry, the Loy Canyon Trail is one of the best. Nevertheless, it's never too congested, which is hard to understand. But even if it were, you'd be remiss if you passed it over, because this route offers all of the picturesque beauty that you think of when you think of Sedona, including sheer cliffs of vermilion and buff sandstone, and a lush, narrow canyon lined with scrub oaks, Arizona cypresses, yuccas, prickly pears, alligator junipers, Gambel oaks and ponderosa pines. Another hallmark of this hike is the final ascent, which climbs about a thousand feet in the last mile. It's enough to turn an easy stroll into a strenuous slog. But it's a worthy slog. The trail begins at the mouth of Loy Canyon, which is connected to the outer world by a scenic forest road that sets the stage for the main attraction ahead. From the parking area, you'll immediately cross into the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness and begin skirting a barbedwire fence that separates the Coconino National Forest from the Hancock Ranch. You can't miss the handful of buildings that serve as the home base for what's left of the ranch - in 2004, the Trust for Public Land purchased 88 acres of the original homestead for $3.95 million and donated the land to the national forest. For the first 4 miles, the easy-to-follow single-track winds along a normally dry creek bed. There's a gradual ascent, which you'll hardly notice. What you will notice is the sound of birds. Their