A beautiful out and back canyon hike, the Bell Trail takes you to The Crack swimming hole where you can cool off by jumping off red rock boulders into Wet Beaver Creek.
The Bell Trail is about 7 miles out and back and is considered easy to moderate. There is minimal elevation gain but this trail gets hot over the 7 miles. This took us about 3 hours, with a half hour stop at The Crack to relax by the swimming hole. Frankly, you could spend half a day at this swimming hole. It’s beautiful all around, and plenty of flat areas to kick back and relax. Dogs can use this trail as well.
Details:
Directions (Google Maps): To get to the Bell Trail, search for the Bell Trail No. 13 in Rimrock, AZ or click here.
Directions (old school maps): From Sedona, take Highway 179 south for about 15 miles. At Highway 17 it’ll turn into Forest Road 618 which will take you a few miles until the trailhead.
Driving Info: This is an easy and accessible drive the whole way.
Time & Weather: We did this hike in early April. The weather was cool, crisp and sunny – the perfect desert day.
Gear: Nothing special required for this hike, but if you can lug it 7 total miles then bring your swimming and picnic supplies for The Crack swimming hole. As usual, bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.
Trail Navigation: The trail is easy to follow the entire way, as you’ll be following Wet Beaver Creek until you reach The Crack.
Water & Food: Anywhere in Arizona requires bringing lots of water. This trail gets hot. We also recommend bringing snacks to enjoy once you reach The Crack at the end of the trail.
Trailhead Info: This trailhead is right at the main parking lot. It’s a large parking lot that can still fill up on weekends. There is overflow parking and an alternate trailhead that quickly meets up with the main trail. There’s also a bathroom at the trailhead.
Pictures of Bell Trail and The Crack swimming hole:
The trail starts off nice and easy, with wide trails and beautiful views looking in towards the canyon.
Looking back once you’ve hiked into the canyon a bit.
Much of the trail in winds like this, with Wet Beaver Creek below and the towering rocks up to your left.
When you reach The Crack swimming hole, you can leap off the enormous boulders. This is one of 2 main jumping areas.
Here’s the look further into the canyon, with the other jumping area down below. You can see people relaxing alongside the creek. With decent shade and the cool water to jump into, this makes for a perfect place to relax.
One the way back, here’s a view with Wet Beaver Creek cutting its way through the canyon.
Depending on the time of year, there may be blooming wildflowers among the cacti.
Purples, reds, pinks and whites all along the trail during the spring months.
This can be a popular trail with the swimming hole, so be sure to pack out all of your trash.
Sedona is full of spectacular hikes like this one. Check out our list of the best hikes in Sedona to help plan your next adventure. If it's super hot out and you want another hike with water to cool off, check out the West Fork of Oak Creek hike which crosses the creek 13 times!
