Overview

The Middle Oak Creek Trail provides a pleasant walk across Red Rock Valley into Oak Creek Canyon, connecting to the regular Oak Creek Canyon Trail after 1.5 miles. For people who don't want to drive the entire Scenic Loop Road to get to the Oak Creek Canyon Trailhead, and for people who just don't want to pay the entrance fee, the Middle Oak Creek Trail provides alternate access to hiking and rock climbing areas along the Red Rock Cliffs.

Presented here are photos of the return because trails always look different on the way back. For a detailed description of the trail, including directions, GPS coordinates, and photos, see Middle Oak Creek Trail.

Descending the Oak Creek Canyon Trail, the trail junction with Middle Oak Creek Trail is confusing because of poor signage, multiple trailing, and multiple trails that go in different directions.

Link to map of the confusing trail junction.

The Hike

On the Oak Creek Trail heading out of the canyon, the trail drops onto the bajada below the escarpment where most of the vegetation consists of low-growing shrubs. There are, however, a couple of isolated Utah Juniper trees and a Singleleaf Pinyon Pine that stand out on the landscape, and these trees are useful for finding the proper junction onto the Middle Oak Creek Trail. The trail junctions seem to keep changing, so follow the trees.

Descending out of Oak Creek Canyon, the trail arrives at the Knoll Trail sign, which is opposite the first isolated Juniper. The trail continues west to the second isolated Juniper, from which point, three more trees are visible ahead in the near distance. In this view, the Middle Oak Creek Trail passes just left of the isolated Pine, and then it passes a few yards right of the pair of Junipers.

Passing these two Junipers, the Middle Oak Creek Trail bends right and climbs onto a low ridge. From there, it is easy to follow the trail to the trailhead, which is visible in the distance to the east. Note that the Oak Creek Canyon Trailhead is also visible to the northeast, but don't go that way.