Hiking Bear Mountain, Sedona AZ

The middle half of Bear Mountain Trail is shown above. The asterisk is at the end of the discernible trail (as seen on areal photographs) on a small rise just before the false (secondary) peak. The change in elevation at this point is 1400 feet. Fay Canyon is to the north (right). As the hike continues, another secondary peak will be encountered before the true peak (the change in elevation is 2000 feet). The two yellow arrows designate the two portions of the second steep section of the trail.

To see an aerial photograph of the upper part of Bear Mountain and the position of the secondary peak -- Click Here

To see an aerial photograph from the secondary peak of Bear Mountain to the true peak -- Click Here

Click on The Picture to Enlarge

Bear Mountain Trail This is a strenuous trail not suited for many hikers. It is in the desert sun with no water along the trail. The hike is a five mile round trip with a vertical climb of 2000 feet from the creek bed to the true peak (as measured on USGS Topographic Maps). If you decide to take this trail you need to leave early in the morning and plan for an all day hike. Take lots and lots of water and energy bars, along with sunscreen and a wide brim hat.
Bear Mountain is the trail where hikers have to be rescued. Two were rescued one week before these pictures were taken and resulted in the death of a rescuer. http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles /2008/10/13/20081013DPSmedickilled13-ON.html For More Information Go To: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/ hiking/recarea/?recid=55222&actid=50 Click on Pictures to Enlarge This website is not designed to provide directions or navigation of the trails but solely intended to give you an idea what you may see and experience on the hikes.
The term "Strenuous" on this trail means near vertical climbs in rock crevices.
The topographic map on the right shows the approximate location of the trail to the secondary or lower peak of Bear Mountain (Blue Arrow). The two purple arrows show the two steep sections of the trail. From the secondary peak, the trail continues to the true peak which is about 56 feet higher. View Topographic Map of Primary Peak.
The first steep section is shown on the right. It is about 30 feet in height. The lower large trail picture (bottom of the page) below also shows this first vertical climb (lower yellow arrow). Click on picture to enlarge
An aerial view of the first steep section is shown on the right. The trail outlines will disappear every five seconds. Click on the picture to view an expanded map of the lower one third of Bear Mountain trail. Click here to see a larger view of the first steep section.
The trail gently climbs and then branches to the left. The trail outline will disappear every 5 seconds.
The aerial picture on the rights shows the second steep section of the trail which was described by one hiker as being on the upper part of the trail in two sections (two arrows on the right) and about 30 yards in length. The trail outline and arrows will disappear every 5 seconds. Once you reach the top of the second steep section, you are not even half way up the trail. Aerial photographs of the remainder of the trail can be seen and accessed from the left hand page column. Click on Picture to enlarge

The large trail picture below was taken from Doe Mountain. The two steep sections described above are designated with yellow arrows. The peak seen in this picture is near the false or secondary peak and not the true peak of Bear Mountain. Click on the "Red Circles" to enlarge the area and see the hikers.