The Amazing Supai Pools of Woods Canyon - Sedona, AZ ***Please read the WARNING below***
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มิ.ย. 2023
- The Amazing Supai Pools of Woods Canyon - Sedona, AZ **Please read the WARNING below**
**WARNING** This is a punishing off trail 'hike'. I cannot stress enough how physically and mentally demanding this was for us (except Nick because Nick is a freak of nature). Nick heard about this from a local legend who said "Don't underestimate it." This local legend is well known for understatement. So when he said 'don't underestimate it' that means 'this place could likely kill you, or at the least you may have to spend the night, call for help or just live there because you can't get out.' At one point, I wished I were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and only had to climb up the Bright Angel Trail instead of being where I was and completing the loop we were on. It's rough. It's beyond rough. The pay off is worth it (for me, anyway), but the cost is very, very, very high.
Our trip wa about 9 miles, 1848 ft of elevation loss (then gain) and it took us 11 hours truck to truck.
If you attempt this take that into account. It's quite possible that it may be the hardest thing you've ever done.
So on to the write up;
I've heard about this place for a while. It's almost like a myth or tall tale. This amazing oasis hidden outside Sedona that no one knows about. Gorgeous supai pools and tall canyon walls. It's spoken about in whispers late at night over a campfire. The story changes slightly depending on who is telling it, but two things always stay constant;
1. They want to go back.
2. The hike SUCKS. (In case you want to be optimistic, yes, there are several ways to approach the area. But you haven't found a hack. The hike SUCKS from ALL of them.)
Now that I've done it myself, I find both of these things to be true. The 'hike' in either involves miles of brutal bush whacking or less miles of brutal bush whacking and some rappels. We went with the rappels.
Once you reach Woods Canyon itself, it greets you with a never ending field of boulders. I was displeased with these boulders. Little did I know that later I would be wishing all of the terrain looked like this.
After a bit, you come up on a Native American ruin, tucked high on the canyon wall. It appears that it has been untouched since someone engraved a date from the 1800's on a rock in the alcove. There are shards of pottery, corn cobs and plenty of thatch. (Or so I was told since I was too worn out to get up to the ruins.)
After that, you come up to the meat and potatoes. The fabled oasis itself. Red rocks with multiple deep pools. These include what appears to be water slides if you were to catch the flow just right. (Of course if it were flowing that much, you might find yourself washed out dozens of miles downstream, so don't take my word on that.) The terrain switches between open swimming holes and narrow chutes. The pools have fish and some are pretty deep. I saw waves (from the wind) on one that I would estimate at about 1' tall. It is absolutely incredible.
Take a break here and relax. I nearly dozed off in the shade while waiting for the rest of our party to catch up.
Then it's back to it. The canyon doubles down on the boulder hopping. The boulders increase exponentially in size up to the size of a small car, requiring you to constantly watch your step as you slowly make your way up canyon. Breven likened it to doing squats in gym class....for 8 hours straight.
When you think it HAS to get better, Woods Canyon says 'hold my beer'. The canyon narrows and there are a few (I think 3?) swims. I didn't bring a tape measure, but they were fairly long. They were actually fun, but very cold.
Then it's back to the boulder hopping. This is where I was desperately wishing I was back at the normal sized boulder field when we first entered the canyon.
And when you think it can't get any worse, it does. The exit drainage never seems to get any closer and Woods Canyon throws more obstacles at you in the form of even larger boulders, pools and some 'waterfalls'. Not really waterfalls, but...well, you see them in the video. Luckily we were able to get around these without swimming since it was getting late in the day and we had just gotten mostly dry from the previous swims.
Eventually you hit the side drainage. Although the boulders became smaller, the drainage was absolutely filled with poison ivy. I kinda felt Woods Canyon was just being spiteful at this point.
Anyway, then we were at the truck and heading home. Did I mention the roads? They also suck if for nothing else than for the sake of consistency.
If you decide to try it, don't say I didn't warn you.
Music by Epidemic Sound:
Eine Kleine Nachtmusic (or something like that.)
Will Harrison - Baptized and Buried
Dusty Decks - Crate Concerto
Music by Artlist:
Brooklyn Classical - Habanera Bizet
The Hunts - Far
Yehezkel Raz - Icicles
Israel Wasserman - Too Far
Wow. Personally I'm glad there are areas that are just too damn hard for the vast majority of people to get to. If this was easy, it'd be over-managed, trashed, graffitied, and looted. Great video showcasing a corner of Arizona most people haven't heard of, didn't know about, probably won't go there, but thankfully it exists.
Yeah, I think that the chances of this place being crowded are 0. Waaaaay too difficult to get into and out of.
The blacks ruin everything.
Man I miss Sedona. I remember when there was just one stop sign in the village and just one stop light in Sedona . Where the Flicker Shack was.....when there was no parking lot for West fork or Wet Beaver Creek....when you you got to the "crack" at wet beaver, and there were beautiful hippie girls and kind people there, now it's just enviro yuppies in north face / Patagonia gear ......ugh. Thank you for showing some bushwhack adventure where the enviro yuppies won't dare to go!
Tips to avoid the crowd: climb things most people can't, get up super early, stay out super late, use a rope and/or backpack. Can't imagine what it must have been like.
Wow Jerry, what a beautiful canyon! Thanks for sharing another great video. Cheers...
I was just at the upper end of Woods Canyon last weekend, exploring some of the roads west of I-17. There was a place labeled "Robbers Roost". I walked down a very short distance to an overview and said "hey there's a water pool down there". Luckily I'm old enough and out of shape enough to know that I couldn't make it down there. Glad to see what it is really like (and glad that I didn't attempt it). Beautiful canyon, thanks for sharing it with us.
Great video and great review. THANKS for taking us along. Loved the ruins!
Great video! Brought back a ton of good memories. Did the entire 14-mile canyon backpacking from I-17 to 179 over seven days. Used a toy raft to shuttle ourselves and our backpacks thru the “liquid ice” slot canyon. Jealous you got inside the ruin. Congrats! We tried climbing up a log ladder but no go. Had to photograph it from below. Best memory… inside a lower alcove we found an abandoned Apache camp, probably from the 1870s, with a couple of intact wikieups and several large metates. Thanks for sharing this video!
That place is so rugged. Have you checked out Sycamore Canyon? From what I've seen it's about as rugged and remote as Woods. Maybe not quite as pretty.
Hiked to the stone cabin and back one day but never spent much time further in
@@JerryArizonayears ago I did Sycamore from the bottom up. We hiked along the creek to the spring, which was where the water ended, and hiked up out of the canyon to the ruins. It. Was. BRUTAL
Another beautiful day in Paradise. Thanks for sharing it.
Sat on the Mogollon Rim eating Dots this weekend and said "I blame Jerry Arizona for this."
This cracks me up.
What an awesome hike guys, just loved it. Thanks for the entertainment, more please !!
Thank You for taking us along your trips!
Wow..that's amazing.... Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts. ❤🎉
I loved it Jerry 😍 Wild and bold only left me in imagination of how you guys pulled it off. Great work, keep inspiring 🙏 🙌👏
Amazing video and wonders of the canyon
love the moonjuice colabs. thank you for introducing him to me! (i need all the arizona exploring vids i can get)
Love your adventures and love to see all the beauty through them. Sure wish I was younger. Would love to do what you have!! Thank you for sharing!😎
Dude. The video looks so good, it hides the pain from such a grueling day! Awesome time.
Did I ever tell you that you're too positive?
@@JerryArizona oh, I know I’m lying to myself… that’s how I convince myself to do this crazy stuff!
I don't always read descriptions before watching videos. I'm glad I did on this one. You had me laugh a few times and you described well, I could just imagine being there. OK now its time for your video.....yeee haw... Mitch W. in Papillion Nebraska👍👍
Great video and accurate review Jerry. I've done Upper Woods several times. Every time I come back with poison ivy. Its still worth it. I love bouldering. I love the solitude. Never seen anybody else in this canyon. Never made it to the ruins - the mandatory ice water swims always stopped me. You need a floaty and a wet suit if you want to go all the way through, which is probably a two day adventure.
Man, the good part is downstream from the swims! There looked to be some decent swimming holes upstream from there though. Great place to go to be alone for sure. And for as hard as it is, no chance of getting crowded.
I kept thinking to myself "that is poison ivy behind him; in fact all of that green stuff is!" haha.
So wicked cool that within 1 hike you get like completely different scenery, completely different terrain, colors, stuff to do. You get the whole lot!
Driven past it a million times and no idea it was even out there. Gotta say I love AZ.
thats gnarly great video
Very Cool! Thanks for making the video Jerry. I'm getting the vibe those rope release mechanisms are kinda hit or miss. Very cool ruins. Glad they are kept that way. That must have been a difficult existence. On the bright side, What a view They had!.
This one just got pinched in a crack in the rock. Rope sticks are the bane of canyoneering. The ruins were incredible. I said the same thing about the view. Especially when the creek would be raging after a flash flood.
Fantastic review!
Very cool adventure Jerry. Love that backcountry stuff.
This was about as back country as you can get!
Wow so gorgeous. So brutal. Thanks for the warning!
Parts of this remind me of hiking up Sabino canyon in Tucson. Beautiful and magical.
I'm gonna have to check that one out. Haven't hiked much by Tucson.
Awesome. !! Challenge excepted. Another great video.
Seriously man, it's brutal. The more I think about it the more I think it's the toughest thing I've hiked. Plan accordingly.
Amazing... I could live back there... its soo peaceful.
There were a couple of moments on this trip that I thought I might have to live back there....Such a hard place to access.
Truly amazing hardy ones!
Excellent video Jerry. My wife and I do a lot of the canyons that you and Nick do, it's such an incredible hobby.
Excellent video as always. Maybe one day we will catch you al out in a canyon!
Thanks. And good point. Didn't even think about it at the time as it was a spot close to the highway and there were roads all over. But it's fixed now.
Wow indeed! 👍👍
Totally beautiful scenery.
Great video…kinda like watching an “adult “ version of Goonies…only things missing were being chased by the Fratelli’s; Sloth yelling down the canyon “Hey you guys,”; and Nick deploying the “Pinchers of Peril” descending into the canyon. Enjoyed this one a ton. Native American ruins look to be in great condition…reminiscent of Dana Hollister Bears Ears vids.
This one was definitely an adventure. More than I was expecting.
Wow Jerry, this video (like many others you make) are professional grade. Superior editing and music selection. Oh, and bad ass enough that I know better than to attempt canyoneering like that. At 74 I'm beginning to think anything that requires roping up is no longer in my wheelhouse. So I really appreciate you taking me along vicariously on your "hikes" that I know better than to be doing.
Thank you! Glad to take you along.
Amazing.... 👌
That was awesome
Great video, and I enjoyed reading your warning. Happy to see there are places around Sedona that aren’t too busy. I wonder, is there ever a time of year when the water isn’t ice cold up there?
I'm thinking those narrow sections stay pretty cold. They don't see a lot of sunlight. The rest was good since it was mostly in the sun.
When I see ancient dwellings like that I try to imagine what it must have been like 500 years ago....living in that canyon.....with women and children.....depending every day on what you could find or hunt to fill their bellies......I'm amazed!! In closing I did make a solo trip from Reyes Peak all the way down to Fillmore, CA. where I had to float my pack through 2 very narrow spots....on my way to the mouth of the Sespe River in SoCal. I never possessed the skills or self confidence to do "hikes" like this one!
I can't imagine how tough those people were. I can barely climb up to half of the ruin sites I visit. They not only lived there daily, but they also somehow carried all those rocks up to build the structures. Absolutely amazing.
Best. Hike. Ever. Ha ha! Thanks for taking one for the rest of us so we don't have to. The moment you start bushwacking you know you've done something very wrong.
Beautiful. Also absolutely brutal.
I love your videos man. Music choice always fits great with the moment.
Dear Jerry, you certainly didn't need to WARN me about this place!!! 😳Trapsing along the boulders was just enough. But, the Boulder Salesman routine was mint!🤣 So glad you survived! Excellent video!
I was afraid someone would see this and try it without realizing what they were getting into. This one is brutal.
@@JerryArizona My humor can be too dry sometimes. I was being facetious because, for me, I saw enough in the beginning to warn me away! But, with the way so many people are today, you have to give warnings for the simplest things! Glad you survived that and with your humor intact!
I'm too old to Repell now, but I enjoyed sitting on my couch and going with you..
LOL, you guys are hilarious 😂, what an awesome adventure
Born and raised in Flagstaff...makes me homesick east pocket was one of my favorite places to kick it!
It's a great spot, for sure.
I'd love to join in! If you and Nick ever decide to put your adventures on MeetUp, I'll be signing up faster than a cheetah on a caffeine high!
So cool! Try climbing in and out, up and down in old mines. Where there is no light except that tiny little beam that you provide. Where you never know what's beyond your beam or around the next bend. Maybe a false floor that could give out on you. Or worse, a pack of wild pigs comes storming out at you. Or maybe, just maybe, bats get tangled in your belfrie . Yep, it could be worse🙂 As always.........loved it! Enjoy your taco.
I'm definitely not going into any old mines. That doesn't sound awesome at all.
Epic SW hike.
Looks a lot like the Walnut Canyon hike I did in 1989. I think a lot of that hiking trail is off-limits now.
We've been looking into checking Walnut Canyon out. There is a section you can hike into just off the AZT.
Oh to be young again.
Enjoy today!
Live for today!
Today will never come again!
Beautiful place glad you folks showed as i would never see it in real life, (to old to do a trek like that)
Glad to know the average tourists can't get there. Excellent trip!
The description is not a lie! I did it on a 90⁰ day, got sick and dehydrated and had to spend the night on a rock pile there til the body cramps went away...it was a butt kicker!
Haha! That's not surprising. Toughest hike I've ever done. Glad you eventually got out.
I am so jealous.
❤
That is not a hike, that is canyoneering!
Awesome video. Wish I had the skill to do that.
I didnt know people actually like dots. 😂
I use Dots to bribe Nick to help keep us alive.
Any way into this area without rappelling/climbing? Great video, awesome canyon! Thanks Jerry👍
You can come in from the other (north?) side of the canyon supposedly. A couple of my buddies have done it....but they are animals. I think I heard of this place when I asked them 'what's the toughest hike you've ever done?'. They said it was the worst bush whacking they've ever done (which is saying a lot.) There's really just no easy way in and out of this canyon.
Years ago we came down from i-17 and out to 179. It was a multi-day trip but no climbing or rappelling. Just swimming and boulder hopping.
it is sad to see where the river used to be and how it has dried up so much. hence all the boulders.
The river was an enormous gushing torrent from snow melt sometime after an ice age era. There have been many of those. The current came through and ripped the landscape apart, hence all the boulders. Same with the Grand Canyon. Just my uneducated opinion.
Your videos crush. I just did the Wave last week and followed much of your guidance. I’m local to Phoenix - how do I get connected to the canyoning community? I want to get off the trails and be in the wild like you guys.
Join some canyoneering Facebook groups. There are a few for AZ. You can also reach out to Arizona Rock and Canyon Adventure. They offer classes and are the best around. Not cheap, but how much $ is it worth to learn how to hang on a rope hundreds of feet off the ground?
Defining "The Journey is the Destination"
wow, lovely spot, lonely tho
Hello you ❤️🤗❤️
Your videos are making my girlfriend and I want to get back into repelling
Hi Jerry , I plan to go to Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, I’m wondering do you usually hang your food bad on a tree near the camp overnight, ‘cause mice can chew down the hole in the tent and even bag smelling the food
It's a mixed bag. Sometimes I get lazy and just put it in the tent. Sometimes a bear canister is required. Usually, I'll use some paracord and hang it from a branch. We do have bears out here so it's advised to get it further from camp, but to be honest I get lazy sometimes. Eventually that will change when I end up with a bear or other unwanted visitor, most likely....
Wow, Jerry! You sure know how to punish yourself. Not a route to take during Monsoon.
All that was once wood all mountains and hills were once gian trees that meens the whole earth was once organic it grew and it petrified
How to come back?
Are jet packs allowed in this area?
Jet packs are allowed everywhere! Or at least they should be. Not really sure how anyone would stop you if you had one.
You both are one of the most dope couple I came across on youtube! Your wife sounds so calm energy and you sound like wild spirit made for each other. I am going to share your vids with my GF
Thanks! Tina used to be (and sometimes still is) way crazier than me. You get older and realize stuff can kill you, it sometimes slows you down a bit.
Awesome and kickass....plus a hot babe in this video! This channel deserves a million subscribers! Timmy C Arizona
I was waiting for you to get to your destination, then you're at the truck.
Haha! Nah, the 'destination' was the supai pools. Unfortunately, it's such a tough, long and slow hike, we basically had to keep walking so we didn't run out of light.
@JerryArizona
I definitely want to go there. I need a great rope crew like yours, to improve my repelling skills. Great video
Jerry…Nobody does it better. Period.
How do you get out😊
We climbed and swam through a 7~9 mile long boulder-filled canyon. Absolutely brutal. Worth it, but I do not think I'll ever convince myself to do it again.
I looked at this hike years ago. I believe there might be an access point off the Hot Loop trail from the top of Schnebly Hill road. You'll need a 4x4 to get you closer to the trail. If you don't pick the right line, you will be cliffed out. The bushwhack could be brutal so carry a pint or two of extra blood. If you make it to the bottom about a mile to the ruins.
All of that sounds right. A couple of my canyoneering buddies went in that way. They aren't the type to complain and are pretty tough and both said it was the most brutal bushwhacking they've done.
People die all the time in survival situation, especially in cases with limited/poisoned Dot supply; Sunscreen also destroys Coral Reefs something to consider while hiking in AZ
Good tips! Sunscreen poisoned Dots are the bane of the outdoor world.
With a boulder on my shoulder feelin' kinda older?
Bruuuuce!
Well I'm out, but my friend is pretty nuts (she ran white rim trail in a day) ; she might do it..
p.s. video didn't look half as bad as your description.. I expected to see more car sized boulders stretching for miles.. actual whitewater.. pin sections.. more actual bush whacking rather than what looked like knee-high bushes over a boulder field
I guess with rapping it looks high commitment, sounds like a pretty type 2 hike overall, if the video was like your description it sounds downright dangerous lol..
i guess 6-or-7-pitch lead climbing a mountain shocks me more or class 4 whitewater, but this is just me really missing the outdoors!!!
We were out there for about 11 hours for an 8 mile hike. So it was sloooooow. For the reasons I put in the description. If I'd put all the footage of that slog through the boulders, it would be, well, 11 hours long. Toughest 'hike' I've done. Most of the bushwhacking was on the way in. If you come in other ways, I've heard its much, much worse.
Don’t tell the flat landers! If they come the place will be littered with pampers and Bud Light cans!
I'm thinking this is too rugged and remote for the crowds. That's why I put all the disclaimers in. Not to mention we used ropes to access it.
I want a date with Nick. He is nice ❤
I guess Nick is alright. Unless he's being a jerk. I'm not even sure where he is right now. Probably kayaking off some waterfall in Central America or something....
Less a hike, more of a repell............
This is the second comment like this....did I say it was a hike? I do canyoneering and hiking/backpacking and don't see where I said this was a hike. (Not trying to argue; I'm genuinely curious since I didn't intend to mislead.)
WOW! Anyone even considering doing this be sure to account for monsoon rains. I'm guessing it could be fatal with flash flood & torrents. Just guessing.....
Insanely enough, there are people who kayak this when it floods. No thank you.
Jerry - Pants, not Shorts👍
legit legit legit
You give my name a bad name for swimming like that.
In my defense, I was holding a camera in one hand.....
I'm gonna guess that your favorite NFL team are the Cardinals, your favorite MLB team are the Diamondbacks, your favorite NBA team are the Suns, and your favorite NHL team are the Coyotes.
Actually, I don't really watch sports. Too many hobbies and chores, not enough time.
The indians had a beautiful home.
Right? Imagine that view every day.
Jerry, not cool driving offroad where there isn't a track.
Cry about it
Steve, hopefully they got off trail by accident. Driving off an authorized road/trail is a good way to get our public lands shut down to motorized recreation. As I noted in a previous comment, I was just up there last week, and there are definitely places where you can loose the trail.
@@kcreeves199 thanks for a reasonable response. My point is that Jerry has over 27k subscribers. Some less responsible people might see this video and say Jerry did it why can't I?
You make a good point. I hadn't even thought about it at the time.
just beautiful!
Desecrating every last corner of the globe - humans. Soon to be reached by a Highway with Gas Stations, McDonald's and Trash.
GOOD OLE INTERNET!
DESTROYING THESE PLACES, 1 VIDEO AT A TIME!