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Parsons Trailhead

Trailhead on Sycamore Creek on Parsons Trail in Coconino NF near Clarkdale, AZ

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The hike up the Parsons Trail is a pleasant stroll along a cool, clear desert stream set in a magnificent red rock canyon. The trail leads through the lower reaches of this wilderness through a riparian area rich in plant and animal life. Songbirds flit through the tall cottonwoods and thick mesquite bosques. At a number of points additional springs flow from the canyon walls through gardens of columbine and watercress. Colorful cliffs that are a unique mix of dark columnar basalt, red sandstone, and buff colored limestone enclose the lush green of the oasis. The trail leads 4 miles to a large pool called Parson Springs where it surfaces from the underground course it has followed through the majority of the canyon. Up the canyon from the spring, water flow only occurs during snowmelt and after summer monsoons.