Length: 11 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate

Wilderness Area: Wet Beaver Wilderness

Journal: "Wet Beaver Creek"

From Phoenix take 1-17 north to Exit 298. This is the exit for Sedona. As you exit the interstate, turn East (right). Drive 4 miles on FR 618 (paved). Turn left at the signed intersection to the trailhead. The trailhead is 1/4 mile down a good dirt road. This trail is accessible in a sedan.

Trail Description:

From the trailhead, the Bell trail heads east on a closed road. The going is easy as you follow along the north bank of perennial Wet Beaver Creek. After 1.5 miles the White Mesa Trail #86 forks off to the left. Stay right for the Bell Trail. After 1.9 miles the Apache Maid Trail also forks off to the left. Stay right. One tenth of a mile later, the Weir Trail branches off to the right. The Bell Trail goes to the left and immediately enters the wilderness.

From the wilderness boundary, the Bell Trail gently climbs up and along a high shelf over looking the creek. It then descends to Bell Crossing (3.5 miles from the trailhead).

Crossing the Wet Beaver creek requires some rock-hopping or wading. (Long legs help). Once across the creek, the Bell Trail begins its 2 mile ascent to the top of the Mogollon Rim. Although the trail switchbacks several times, the majority of the ascent is a long, straight, and rocky.

Once the trail reaches the rim, the trail exits the wilderness and becomes more difficult to follow. There is even a sign discouraging use past the wilderness boundary. We turned around at this point (5.5 miles). If you were to continue on, the trail eventually ends at FR 214 after 11 miles from the trail head.