Maxwell Trail No. 37
Happy Jack, Arizona
| Address: | Unnamed Road, Happy Jack, AZ 86024, USA |
| GPS: |
34°33'38.6"N 111°23'42.5"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Arizona |
| Hike Difficulty: | Advanced |
| Trails/Routes: | 1.0 mi |
Hike and Swim
The Maxwell Trail leads over the Mongollan Rim down the canyon into West Clear Creek. Although still somewhat steep, it is an easier hike than shorter neighboring Tramway trail, which shares its trailhead. From the parking lot, be sure to take the trail from the northwest corner. The trail officially ends at the creek, although it is possible to play in and explore the creek for fish, small caves, and swimming holes. Be sure to bring water shoes for the bottom if you don’t want your hiking boots to get wet!
There is poison ivy in the area, so take care to stay on the trail to avoid the plant. Be sure to bring plenty of water for the hike down, and some water treatment if you plan on refilling from the river.
More Information
Coconino National Forest : Recreation
Find and Discover Recreation Sites and Trails in Coconino National Forest
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreationMaxwell Hiking Trail, Flagstaff, AZ: to West Clear Creek swimming
★★★☆☆ A string of crisp, clear swimming holes dot West Clear Creek - at the base of AZ's Maxwell Hiking Trail. Just South of Flagstaff in a pristine canyon.
https://www.azutopia.com/moderate-hikes/maxwell-hiking-trail/Mogollon Rim R.D.
The cool ponderosa pine forests atop the Mogollon Rim here offer many opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, and back-road travel. In winter, pullouts along AZ 87 and County 3 will be plowed for people to play in the snow. The region centers on Clints Well, where County 3 meets AZ 87. Mogollon Rim Ranger Station (HC 31, Box 300, Happy Jack, AZ 86024, 928/477-2255, www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon.–Fri.) is on the right northeast 9.5 miles from Clints Well on AZ 87; from Winslow, head 43 miles southwest on AZ 87.
https://www.arizonahandbook.com/mogollon_rimRD.htmMogollon Rim | West Clear Creek | Maxwell Trail
For our first backpacking trip since my shoulder injury we chose a low-key trek to the east end of West Clear Creek.
https://www.desertlavender.com/northern-arizona/west-clear-creek/maxwell-trail.phpBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Happy Jack, Arizona
- Head northwest toward Lake Mary Rd (0.2 mi)
- Turn left onto Lake Mary Rd (7.9 mi)
- Turn right onto Forest Service Rd 81 (1.4 mi)
- Continue onto Forest Service Rd 81 (1.3 mi)
- Continue onto Forest Service Rd 81E (4.2 mi)
- Continue onto Forest Service Rd 318 (1.1 mi)
- Turn left (0.6 mi)
Other Swimming Holes and Hiking Trails Nearby
Tramway Trail No. 32
Happy Jack, Arizona
1.5 miles WA steep, rock-scrambling descent through the Mogollon Rim to West Clear Creek, with deep fishing and swimming holes waiting at the bottom — not for beginners.
Hike, Rock Climb, Swim
Bearfoot Trail
Strawberry, Arizona
11.8 miles SWBearfoot Trail (#13) is a mellow, shady Mogollon Rim hike and mountain-bike ride linking Strawberry to Pine Creek, near Pine, Arizona.
Hike, Mountain Bike
East Clear Creek
Happy Jack, Arizona
13.2 miles EA Wild and Scenic river winding through the Mogollon Rim with canyon views, cliff-scaling canyoneers, trout fishing, and deep swimming holes for a full adventure day.
Canyoneer, Hike, Swim 0.8-1.8 mi
Kinder Crossing Trail #19
Happy Jack, Arizona
14.0 miles EA short but steep 0.75-mile hike dropping 500 feet to beautiful East Clear Creek — high-clearance vehicle required on FR 95T, no motorized vehicles past the trailhead, closed in winter snow.
Hike, Swim 0.1-3.8 mi
Fossil Springs Trail No. 18
Pine, Arizona
14.5 miles SWA 4.75-mile desert canyon trail to the springs and an old dam in the Fossil Springs Wilderness — little shade and a brutal uphill return make summer visits genuinely dangerous.
Hike, Horseback, Swim 1.1-4.6 mi
Fossil Creek Dam (Toilet Bowl)
Pine, Arizona
14.5 miles SWA waterfall over an old Fossil Creek dam with a spinning natural rock slide that launches swimmers into the main pool — plus a shallow cave for shade on hot Arizona days.
Dive, Hike, Swim 0.2-0.6 mi
Ellison Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
15.5 miles SEFour waterfalls, multiple swimming holes, and trout fishing along Ellison Creek near Payson — the most popular stop is a short walk from the parking lot.
Dive, Hike, Swim
Payson Area
Cornville, Arizona
16.0 miles SEThe Payson area northeast of Phoenix offers numerous swimming holes in the Tonto National Forest rivers, including Ellison Creek Falls, Christopher Creek Gorge, Fossil Creek, and Verde Hot Springs.
Swim 1.1 mi
Fossil Creek Waterfall
Pine, Arizona
16.5 miles SWOne of Arizona's two Wild and Scenic rivers, with a short hike from a dirt-road parking area to a deep pool at the base of the falls — watch for snakes on the trail.
Hike, Swim 3.0 mi
Blodgett Basin Trail No. 31
Camp Verde, Arizona
17.7 miles WA 3-mile riparian canyon trail through West Clear Creek Wilderness with 1,700 feet of elevation change, fishing, camping, and wading in a desert oasis — expect to get your feet wet.
Backpack, Hike, Swim
Bullpen Day Use Area
Camp Verde, Arizona
17.9 miles WA big red jumping rock on West Clear Creek, shaded picnic areas, and trails down a stunning canyon below the Mogollon Rim — a full afternoon of swimming and hiking.
Backpack, Dive, Hike, Swim 8.4 mi
West Clear Creek Trail No. 17
Camp Verde, Arizona
17.9 miles WWest Clear Creek Trail winds down a shaded canyon to cool creek swimming, fishing, and dispersed camping — bring wading shoes, because wet feet are guaranteed.
Backpack, Hike, Swim
Beaver Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
19.6 miles NWBeaver Creek is a refreshing creekside oasis in the high desert of central Arizona, where the cool, clear waters of Wet Beaver Creek wind beneath big cottonwoods and sycamores in the Coconino...
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim 7.1 mi
The Crack at Wet Beaver Creek
Rimrock, Arizona
19.7 miles NWCrystal-clear water and cliffs high enough to jump from, about 3.5 miles down Bell Trail along Wet Beaver Creek — a rewarding desert hike to a stunning red-rock swimming hole.
Dive, Hike, Horseback, Swim 0.4 mi
Clear Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
21.4 miles WA grassy creekside campground shaded by tall cottonwoods on West Clear Creek — ideal for hiking, swimming, fishing for smallmouth bass and sunfish, and wildlife watching in a desert canyon oasis.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Verde Hot Springs
Camp Verde, Arizona
22.7 miles SWNatural hot spring pools beside the Verde River — the remnants of an old resort — reached by wading upstream from a dispersed camping area with no amenities near Sedona.
Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 1.1-3.5 mi
Horton Springs
Payson, Arizona
22.9 miles SEA spring on the Mogollon Rim where water emerges dramatically from the mountainside — hike the easy Horton Creek Trail through wildflowers and maples, splash in the cold creek, and camp near the spring.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
23.1 miles SEA 9-site first-come-first-served campground at the junction of Tonto and Horton Creeks — with vault toilets, drinking water, and trailheads for Horton Spring and the Highline Trail nearby.
Camp, Hike 0.8 mi
Promontory Butte
Payson, Arizona
23.8 miles SESpectacularly scenic views from the edge of the Mogollon Rim, reached via old forest roads — a remote destination said to offer the best vantage over the forest below.
Hike 0.4 mi
Christopher Creek Gorge
Payson, Arizona
25.8 miles SECold, clear swimming holes and rappellable waterfalls in a canyon just outside Payson — cold year-round, with a wetsuit recommended in cooler months.
Canyoneer, Hike, SwimNearby Campsites
Beaver Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
19.6 miles NWBeaver Creek is a refreshing creekside oasis in the high desert of central Arizona, where the cool, clear waters of Wet Beaver Creek wind beneath big cottonwoods and sycamores in the Coconino...
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Beaver Creek Dispersed Camping
Rimrock, Arizona
20.6 miles WThis free dispersed camping area sits on the cliffs above Wet Beaver Creek in the Coconino National Forest of central Arizona, in the red-rock and juniper country near Rimrock and Camp Verde, not far...
Camp 0.4 mi
Clear Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
21.4 miles WA grassy creekside campground shaded by tall cottonwoods on West Clear Creek — ideal for hiking, swimming, fishing for smallmouth bass and sunfish, and wildlife watching in a desert canyon oasis.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Verde Hot Springs
Camp Verde, Arizona
22.7 miles SWNatural hot spring pools beside the Verde River — the remnants of an old resort — reached by wading upstream from a dispersed camping area with no amenities near Sedona.
Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 1.1-3.5 mi
Horton Springs
Payson, Arizona
22.9 miles SEA spring on the Mogollon Rim where water emerges dramatically from the mountainside — hike the easy Horton Creek Trail through wildflowers and maples, splash in the cold creek, and camp near the spring.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
23.1 miles SEA 9-site first-come-first-served campground at the junction of Tonto and Horton Creeks — with vault toilets, drinking water, and trailheads for Horton Spring and the Highline Trail nearby.
Camp, Hike 1.1 mi
Christopher Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
26.6 miles SEA creekside campground east of Payson with swimming holes, small waterfalls, spring trout stocking, and cross-country skiing in winter — open for day-use and overnight camping spring through fall.
Camp, Canyoneer, Cross-country Ski, Hike, Swim
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
28.9 miles SEHellsgate Wilderness hides deep canyon pools possibly separated by impassable falls in a remote 37,000-acre preserve — a true adventure for spring and fall explorers.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Chavez Crossing
Sedona, Arizona
29.2 miles NWA campground on Oak Creek in Sedona's red-rock canyon, perfectly placed for cool water play, sunsets over Munds Mountain, and access to nearby swimming holes.
Camp, Hike, Swim 4.0 mi
Woods Canyon Lake
Payson, Arizona
30.0 miles SEA trout-fishing lake near Payson with a scenic loop hike and Mogollon Rim views — swimming is not recommended, but the scenery and fishing make it well worth the visit.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Aspen Campground
Payson, Arizona
30.3 miles SEA large, popular campground near Woods Canyon Lake in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest — note that Rim Road closes in winter, so the site is inaccessible during that time.
Camp
Sinkhole Campground
Payson, Arizona
34.0 miles SESinkhole Campground sits in cool ponderosa pines atop the Mogollon Rim, a short walk from the trout waters of Willow Springs Lake.
Camp, Hike, Mountain Bike
Haigler Canyon Campground
Payson, Arizona
34.1 miles SEA 2007-built campground along Haigler Creek with 14 overnight sites, trout fishing stocked April through late August, and chiseled canyon swimming holes nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim 0.1-0.7 mi
Cave Springs
Sedona, Arizona
35.8 miles NWAn 84-site campground on Oak Creek in Sedona's canyon, with picnic tables and natural tree shade, close to Slide Rock, swimming holes, and the Coconino National Forest.
Camp, Hike, Swim
