Waterfall Hike Near Phoenix: Fossil Creek

Who knew that this beautiful waterfall hike existed in the desert?

This is one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done.  However, there are some things I wish I knew.  For example, you will not get ANY cell phone reception there.  There’s also two ways to get there; one which is a short, easy hike, and one which is a difficult, ~10 mile hike.  And because there is no road to connect the two, you must decide if you are going to leave Phoenix on Hwy 17 or Hwy 87.  Two completely different directions!

In this post I will be talking about the following:

• The Easy Hike
• Best Time to Go
• Type of Car Needed
• Parking

The (Easy) Hike

Today I will be talking about the easy hike.  Although I prefer a hard hike, I unfortunately hurt my knee while hiking Flat Iron.  Regardless, I am so glad I did this hike.  It was the perfect, relaxing day swimming in the pools below the waterfalls.

The hike to the big waterfall is one mile from parking lot 1 (Dixon Lewis Lot).  The Trail is called Dixon Lewis Trail.  To find the trail head, follow the closed road until you find the entrance to the trail.  This is well marked.  From here, it is an easy hike with a good mix of direct sunlight and tree coverage.  There are two spots where the trail becomes rocky, but nothing too bad if you take your time.

The hike is beautiful and runs along the creek with numerous waterfalls you can swim in.  When you reach the big one, you’ll know.  It stands at 15-20 feet tall and has a big swimming area.  I did this hike in late March, and I thought the water was cold, but refreshing.  This is a creek and there is a current, so do not swim if you are not a strong swimmer.

You may see people jumping off the right side of the waterfall.  Due to my knee, I did not participate, but I normally would.  Be cautious if you attempt this, because it is very shallow on the sides.

Best Time To Go

The best time to go would be in the early summer when it is getting warm, and the water is refreshing.  However, you then have to deal with crowds, permits, and park hours.  It is very popular in the summer, permits are required April 1st through October 1st, and the park is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

I personally went in the last week of March.  There were only about a dozen people, I didn’t have to pay for parking, and I was able to go on a Thursday.

Getting There

As mentioned above it is near Phoenix, but the drive is still 2.5 hours.  This is because the last 17 miles are on a windy, gravel road.  When I went the road was like a washboard–constant bumps.  Depending on the car you are driving, this could take an hour to complete. There is also only ONE way to get there!  If you take the other route to Strawberry, AZ, you will have to complete a hard 10+ mile hike and it doesn’t actually take you to the waterfall (according to the Park Service).  In the past Fossil Creek Road connected Strawberry to the Dixon Lewis Trail, but it has been closed indefinitely.

To get there you need to take the route towards Flagstaff and Sedona.  This will be Highway 17 N.  You’ll exit at Camp Verde, take Highway 260 E until you turn right onto Fossil Creek Rd.  Camp Verde is the last place for food and gas.  If your map takes you to Strawberry, you are heading the wrong way!

What Type of Car Do You Need?

If you did any research on this hike, you likely read that you need a high clearance vehicle.  While I would agree it’s ideal, I believe you could make it with a small sedan; however, you wouldn’t make it to parking lot 1.  You would only make it to parking lot 4, which is about 2 miles away.   If you did attempt it with a small car, you have to take some things into consideration.  If something did go wrong with your car, you’d be in a very remote area, on a rough road.  There are also no guardrails and there are huge drop offs.  Not the best place to change a tire or request a tow truck.

I drove an old Toyota Rav4 and was able to make it to Parking Lot 1.  The smallest car I saw was a Buick Encore.

Where To Park

There are 5 Fossil Creek parking lots.  Parking Lot #5 being the furthest from the waterfall; #1 being the closest.  The distance between parking lot 5 and 1 is roughly 3 miles.  If you are looking for a short, easy hike, I recommend getting as close to the Dixon Lewis parking lot (#1) as possible.  The road gets very rough after parking lot 4.

Each parking lot has pit toilets and only a few spaces.  The Dixon Lewis parking lot has 24 parking spots and toilets.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  If you liked this post feel free to check out some of my other favorite hikes near Phoenix, such as the Wave Cave, Wild Burro Trail, and Siphon Draw.