Is West Fork Trail Open? Sedona's Fall 2026 Closure and Alternatives

If you are asking “is West Fork Trail open?” before a fall trip to Sedona, the answer right now is no. The Coconino National Forest has closed West Fork Trail No. 108 and the West Fork drainage through October 31, 2026, because of flood and rockfall hazards left behind by this summer’s Pocket Fire. The good news is that the rest of Oak Creek Canyon is open, the leaves are turning on schedule, and there are several very good places to see them.

We have been sending guests up to West Fork every October since 2004, so we know how many fall trips are planned around that one hike. Here is what we know as of October 8, and what we are telling our own guests to do instead.

Is West Fork Trail open right now?

No. The Forest Service’s current order, titled West Fork Temporary Area Closure - Extended, took effect September 26, 2026 and runs through 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2026, unless the forest rescinds it earlier. It covers:

The entire West Fork Trail (No. 108) inside the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness
All National Forest land within 100 feet of the West Fork of Oak Creek drainage, from Forest Road 231 at the top down to the wilderness boundary

In plain terms, that is the whole hike, from the first creek crossing to the far end of the canyon. This is a formal closure order rather than a suggestion, and rangers do enforce it, so please do not plan on slipping in from the Call of the Canyon side or dropping in from the top.

The original closure was set to end October 1. It was extended by a month, so we would not assume November 1 is a firm reopening date either. Before you drive up the canyon, check the Coconino National Forest alerts page or call the Red Rock Ranger District at 928-203-2900.

Why West Fork is closed

The Pocket Fire started in June and burned roughly 27,000 acres in the high country north and west of Sedona before it was fully contained. Oak Creek itself and most of the recreation sites along it were closed for much of the summer, first for the fire and then as a precaution against flash flooding during monsoon season.

In mid-September the Forest Service announced that Oak Creek and nearly all of the sites along it would reopen on September 17. A Burned Area Emergency Response team found that only a small percentage of the overall Oak Creek watershed had burned. West Fork was the exception: that side canyon took more fire damage and carries a higher risk of flooding, debris and rockfall after rain. A narrow canyon with one way in and one way out is not where anyone wants to be when that happens.

It is a disappointment in October, but we think it is the right call, and the canyon will be better for the rest.

What is open in Oak Creek Canyon this fall

Almost everything else. State Route 89A is open the whole way between Sedona and Flagstaff, and the drive is the main event anyway. The same bigtooth maples, boxelders, velvet ash and willows that make West Fork famous grow all along the main canyon, and Visit Sedona notes that peak color usually runs from mid-October well into November.

A few stops we like, heading north from Uptown:

Midgley Bridge, about a mile and a half north of Uptown, for the view down into the lower canyon. Parking is tight and fills early.
Slide Rock State Park, roughly 7 miles north of Sedona. The old Pendley Homestead apple orchard and the creekside path give you fall color without a long hike. Arizona State Parks lists hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with last entry at 5 p.m., and a fee of $20 per vehicle (up to four adults) through October 31, dropping to $10 in November. Entry is by vehicle only and first come, first served.
The upper canyon switchbacks and Oak Creek Vista, at the top of the climb toward Flagstaff, where you look back down the whole canyon. Go in the afternoon when the light comes in from the west.

Most of the Forest Service picnic sites along the creek reopened in September, but a few closures in the canyon predate the fire, so check the alerts page for the specific site you have in mind. Glass containers are not allowed within 300 feet of Oak Creek outside developed sites, which is worth knowing before you pack a picnic.

Fall color alternatives to West Fork

None of these is a carbon copy of West Fork. Each one gets you under turning leaves with water nearby, which is what most people are really after.

Red Rock State Park

About 5 miles of easy, family-friendly trails along a quiet stretch of Oak Creek southwest of town, with big sycamores and cottonwoods that turn a little later than the upper canyon. Red Rock State Park is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4:30 p.m., and admission is $10 for adults and $5 for ages 7 to 13. One note for dog owners: this park allows service animals only, so it is not the stop for a pup.

Huckaby and Allens Bend trails

These two Forest Service trails reach Oak Creek just north of Uptown, and leashed dogs are welcome on both. Allens Bend is short and nearly flat along the creek. Huckaby is longer, with red rock views on the way down to the water. Visit Sedona’s leaf guide mentions that the poison ivy along Allens Bend turns lovely shades of yellow, orange and red, and is exactly as itchy as it is in July. Trailhead parking in this area generally requires a Red Rock Pass or equivalent, so check the signs where you park.

Flagstaff’s aspens

If you want a wall of gold, keep driving. Flagstaff is about 30 miles up 89A, and the aspens on the San Francisco Peaks turn earlier than anything in Sedona, typically from late September into mid-October, so go soon. One more closure to know about: the Forest Service lists Lockett Meadow Road (Forest Road 552) as temporarily closed for maintenance, which affects the popular Inner Basin approach. The Snowbowl Road side of the mountain is the easier bet this year.

Lower Oak Creek and the Verde Valley

This is our home turf, and it is the part of the season most visitors miss. Oak Creek keeps flowing south through Page Springs and Cornville, where the cottonwoods and sycamores along the water turn gold in November, well after the upper canyon has dropped its leaves. Several of the wineries we visit sit right on that stretch of creek, and the vineyards themselves go yellow and russet after harvest. Our guide to Sedona wineries and vineyards covers who is where, and our earlier post on Sedona in November goes deeper on late-season timing.

When to go, what to bring, what to check

Timing: Upper Oak Creek Canyon is usually best from mid to late October. Lower Oak Creek and the Verde Valley peak in November. Flagstaff’s aspens are first and fade by mid-October.
Time of day: Weekday mornings are calmest. On weekends, be in the canyon by 9 a.m. or wait until after 3 p.m.; midday traffic on 89A can crawl.
Bring: Layers (canyon mornings run noticeably cooler than Uptown afternoons), water, shoes you do not mind getting damp, and a leash if the dog is coming along.
Weather: The Forest Service asks visitors to check the forecast before spending time in or near Oak Creek this year. If rain is falling upstream, stay out of the creek bottom.
Fees: A card and some exact-change cash cover the state parks. National Forest trailheads around Sedona generally need a Red Rock Pass.
Check before you drive: The Forest Service alerts page for closures, and the West Fork trail page for reopening news.

If West Fork reopens in November

It might. The order expires at the end of October unless it is extended again, and in a normal year there is still color in the canyon during the first week or two of November. If it does reopen, expect a rush on the first weekends, and note that Call of the Canyon, the day-use area where the hike starts, opens at 8 a.m. from October through March and has a lot that fills fast. Day use there has been $15 per vehicle for up to five people, and the Red Rock Pass and America the Beautiful pass are not accepted. Confirm current details on the Forest Service page before you go. We will update our own fall guide when the status changes.

Until then, the canyon drive, the state parks and the lower creek have more than enough color to fill a day. If you would like to spend the afternoon half of it among the cottonwoods and vineyards along lower Oak Creek, our Tour Chooser will point you to the right fit.