Oak Creek Canyon

The brilliant rock formations are a feature of the area.Big and little ranches are found throughout the country.Continued from page twelve.making the creek unfordable to some of the lodges which are a few hundred feet removed from the highway.

The Canyon is traversed for its entire length by the highway. Often the road follows the creek bank closely; at other points it is well up and affords a good view of the tumbling stream; while at other places great vistas of the high rock walls and the many flowers and ferns are most noticeable. Every inch of the way is enchanting and exciting in newness and contrast.

Oak Creek Canyon is twelve miles in length and the width from rim to rim averages about one mile. The stream bed is 1500 feet below the rim at the upper end and 2500 feet at the lower end where it merges with the rugged eastern margin of the broad Verde River Valley. The Canyon is small and compact and thus in contrast to the Grand Canyon is intimate and personal rather than overpowering and gigantic. Too, the mountain stream that emerges from the upper end of the boxed canyon from a large fault in the rocks, whose crystal clear singing waters give a lilting melody to the spectacular oratoria of the surrounding vastness, is remarkable as one of the largest permanent streams in this immense waterless and arid region. The stream is also responsible for many of the Canyon's delightful aspects since the supply of water is sufficient to support an abundance of various deciduous trees not usually found in such an altitude. while the high ridges and sides give themselves to the more arid shrubs and evergreens. The area, because of the difference in moisture and altitude, gives a great and varied display of wild flowers and trees; and animal life indicates the same marked variations as to types. Bird life includes a mixture of cool climate types, some of the dry desert inhabitants, and the water-loving species. Here is a place of grand opportunity to the nature lover, the botanist, zoologist, geologist, and sportsman. It is doubtful if many places on the northern hemisphere give a greater variety of life of the past and present than does Oak Creek Canyon in such a small enchanting area.

Undoubtedly the brilliant colored rock formations that form the great plateau through which the canyon has been carved, and which now stand revealed layer upon layer in the chasm's walls, are the most spectacular and striking feature of the area. To glimpse the gigantic red, gray, green tinted and white rock walls through the groves of pine and spruce is a scene not soon forgotten. But to see them at sundown when the deeper canyon is cast in the shadows, as the last departing rays print beautiful mauve and dainty pastel shades upon those walls, you sense the beauty of the eternal power to cast a lingering guiding light through all deepening shadows and peace that is satisfying beyond expression is yours for the night of rest that beckons.

The earliest known inhabitants of the canyon area, accord"DEEP IN THE HEART OF THE FOREST" BY JIM BURKE.

The rich vegetation is one of the charms of Oak Creek Canyon. The forest goes down to the stream except where the ground has been cleared for orchards. The enterprising photographer and the nature lover, willing to leave the surfaced roads, can explore many beautiful, untouched places for miles north and south of Oak Creek and Sedona, places seldom photographed or explored. With the exception of Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon and the Red Cliff country of Sedona are the most photographed areas in Arizona. The best pictures of this country are yet to be taken. Some of the most beautiful country nearby has yet to be photographed. You might have to pack in, but the pictures are there.

"... The hillsides were fresh and green. There was the happy noise of running water everywhere... It was all According to Dr. Edwin D. McKee of the Northern Arizona Museum at Flagstaff, were a group of Yavapai Indians who are believed to have dwelt in the caves of the walls and to have tilled the soil in the canyon floor. In later years hardy pioneers dared the steep inclines to "homestead" within the narrow valley, and in turn were followed by those who opened their homes to visitors on a commercial basis and developed the first of the guest accommodations in the canyon. It was at Lolomai Lodge that Zane Grey conceived and wrote his now famous book, "The Call of The Canyon," and "opened" the canyon with his romantic descriptions and strong-blooded portrayal of the early life of the settlers of the region. Oak Creek Lodge is near the site of the original setting and the place where the movie yersion was produced. Call of the Canyon Lodge, another interesting port of call in the canyon, perpetuates the Zane Grey title.

J. B. Priestley describes his visit to Oak Creek in his "Midnight On the Desert" (Harper & Bros.) in these words, "Here the mountains have married the desert, and their union has been most fruitful. At one moment you are among the firs and the ice-cold waterfalls, and the next moment you are looking down again on sand and cactus. It is said that on one forty-acre lot in Oak Creek you may find firs and figs, trout and cactus, mountain pines and tobacco plants, desert sand and roses. If you filmed the extravagant place, you would be accused of important and careless faking. When we ate our happy noise of running water everywhere... It was all For lunch there, outside that astonished store, the valley was filled with an exquisitely soft gold sunshine. The hillsides were fresh and green. There was the happy noise of running water everywhere. Around the floor of the canyon, very sharp and bright in the sunlight, were great twisted shapes of red sandstone, looking like ruined fairy-tale castles and mysterious monuments. It was all strangely beautiful, very remote but very friendly, like some place not quite in this world, a lost happy valley in some antique tale. I felt like saying that at last we had arrived in Avalon and must stay here forever, vanishing from the world that had known us.

Oak Creek and the Red Rock country in the extreme lower end of the Canyon are a mecca for the artist and pictorialist. The grandeur of majesty with the contrast of coloring in the great domed and cathedral rock formations have been the subjects of many paintings and myriads of pictures. What Zane Grey and Priestley have done with words, Lillian Wilhelm Smith has done with palette and brush. Mrs. Smith simply says, "This is my country. I love it all," and her canvasses portray the love and beauty which she feels.

Moving picture companies from Hollywood are on location in Oak Creek almost weekly, and many of the latest technicolor pictures will have this region for the setting.

Moving from the center of the canyon fastness toward the lower end one comes upon the wild berries and the briar strangely beautiful, very remote but very friendly, like patches and on to the fruit farms with the trees laboring under the growing ripening burden of peaches, pears, apples and plums. The old water wheel on the Jordan place lifts the water for the irrigation to produce fruit among the finest in all America. And the vast domain of the Red Rocks now appears as the valley widens in the merger with the Verde Valley and we see the nestling farms that produce the vegetable diet for a large area and population.

Approaching the Canyon from the north (via Flagstaff from U. S. 66 to Alternate U. S. 89) one traverses the pine laden plateau to the very edge of the box canyon and sees the long panorama for beauty displayed. Entering the canyon over the circuitous but safe roadway, you pass the Pine Flat Forest Camp and thence through groves of trees, large bracken ferns, and many wild flowers to the various lodges and camp sites. You will stop often, if you heed your desires, to glimpse the vistas near and far that open to you; to note a playing chipmunk or lizard as they scamper over rocks; or to examine carefully a new variety of shrub or flower that grows along the way (do not pick flowers along the roadways in Arizona, it is prohibited by state law so others coming after you may enjoy the same beauty that was there for you); or you may enjoy watching an angler land a fine rainbow trout or see it get away just as the net approaches. Too, you may most desire to look up at striated rock formations, the shady spots giving life to trees and flowers reaching towards the heavens, andsome place not quite in this world, a lost happy valley...

the cloud boats floating past the brink of your vision. At evening you will desire to camp at the inviting camp grounds with tent or trailer or go into one of the commodious lodges or cabin villages. At the fine lodges and resorts you would find a happy welcome. If you did as we did, you would find your cabin built on the very edge of the stream surrounded with trees and shrubs giving you idyllic solitude. Only the song of the stream, the wind murmuring in the trees, and the melody of the bird-calls entering into the sound consciousness of your being. At evening you would sit on the rustic porch and look out through the trees over the creek to a high jutting point of rocks and watch the changing spectrum of color of the diminishing light upon the rocks. In silence you drift to the little open-air patio and join with cabin neighbors in quiet conversation watching the full-grown moon moving across the expanse from rim to rim, bathing the canyon wilderness in a shimmering sheen of silver. Your nerves relax, peaceful and unhurried rest calls to you, and you drift away to your cabin domicile to sleep with the mountain rill murmuring a lullaby.

The morning comes. Refreshed you head for the main lodge for a breakfast of bacon, eggs, hot cakes and coffee. The towering walls beckon you to climb and the trout holes call you to try your skill again. The time of departure must come and, after your bags are all in the car, your hosts say. "come back," and you drive away promising yourself again to come back to the "call of the canyon."

“VERDE MIX” BY CHARLES C. NIEHUIS

For $2.01 you can have a nice little adventure, a trip off the beaten path of humdrum travel into the back country of Arizona!

Just catch the "Verde Valley Mix" pulling out of Clarkdale at 8:40 a.m. every day except Sunday.

This short train, made up of freight, express, mail and passengers-hence the name-goes up the Verde River Gorge to Perkinsville and climbs up out of the canyon to cross the juniper flats to Drake, Arizona. You can lay over there for lunch if you have brought one with you!

The return trip pulls out about 1:30 and gets back into Clarkdale around 3:30. The vague schedule on the return trip is because the time of leaving Drake is dependent upon connections with a bus at the junction.

Between the time you start and your return, you may-if you keep your eyes and ears open-have a glimpse of Arizona's grandeur; learn something of Arizona history, both written and unwritten; hear a few rare anecdotes and come to appreciate the character and philosophies of some of its citizens.

We climbed aboard the old caboose which had been "spotted" in front of Clarkdale station. Our sleeping bags and camping equipment were riding in the baggage compartment in the front half of the misbegotten passenger car. "We" were: Walt Flesher, Jim Beaman, and, of course, the first person singular.

Walt, a veteran of five years in the wars, had punched the German line all the way from Africa through Sicily, Anzio, Cassino, Southern France, the Siegfried Line and finally, into Austria. All the way he had promised himself one real good fishing trip 'when this is over.' This was in the Verde River and Sycamore Creek, which joins it.

Young Jim, a former 'herder' of high-flying B-29's, was the other railroading angler, and one who knows how to make a flyrod perform. He was after fun and fish.

It was our collective purpose to have a small adventure! The casualness of the Verde Valley Mix is its most charming feature. "Sure," said Pearl Turner, the conductor, "We'll drop you off at Sycamore, or any place you want to get off. Pick you up on the return trip any day you want to come out. Just have your stuff alongside the track where the engineer can see it. He'll stop."

After we got off and until we decided to come back to civilization, our time would be our own!

This is true, because there are no roads for automobiles into the Verde River Gorge from the time the canyon boxes up until you reach Perkinsville.

We had hardly pulled out of the yard at Clarkdale before we went between huge embankments of mine "tailings." This man-made mountain of fine residue from the process of refining copper ore from the mines on the foothills of Mingus Mountain represented hours on hours of back-breaking labor, tons and tons of copper, millions of dollars of development of one of Arizona's natural resources.

Beyond were spread the vast cattle ranges. In the blue, hazy distance was the sharp red line of the sandstone rocks of Oak Creek country and soon we were moving slowly up a rather steep grade to a spur line where we stopped.

The engine detached itself and backed off down the spur with a smoky chuckle.

We stood, waiting, out on the flatcar in front of the caboose and saw a cluster of brilliantly green cottonwoods at the end. This was Tapco, a sub-station of the electrical power company. The engine brought back a couple of empty