West Fork remains closed until October
SEDONA — The temporary closure of Oak Creek that has been ongoing since July will be lifted on Thursday (Sep. 17, 2026), allowing for the public to access the creek and nearly all recreation sites along Oak Creek.
Under a new forest order, the West Fork watershed, its trail, and Call of the Canyon will remain closed until Oct. 1, 2026, since that specific watershed had a higher percentage of fire damage and still poses a higher flooding risk.
Oak Creek has been closed to the public since the start of the Pocket Fire in June and remained closed after the fire danger was gone, out of an abundance of caution prior to monsoon so that if any flash flooding occurred no one would be injured or caught in it.
As the first part of monsoon season moved through the area in July and August, those storms washed ash, sediment, and burned material through the Oak Creek system. Subsequently, those events have greatly reduced the danger of sediment and log dams developing.
Those storms have also helped in the rapid regrowth of grasses and successional species within the Pocket Fire burned area, which means progression toward greater stability and further reduction of potential runoff and flood risk within Oak Creek.
Additionally, a Burned Area Emergency Response team has determined that only a small percentage of the Oak Creek watershed actually burned in the Pocket Fire, so the flood risk is now equal to what might occur during a normal monsoon storm, not any different to any year when there was no fire.
Though much of the risk has been abated, visitors to Oak Creek should stay informed of monsoon storms and check the weather before swimming or recreating in the creek, as risks always exist and are never wholly diminished.
The Pocket Fire Temporary Area and Trail Closure remains in effect until Oct. 1, 2026, meaning the following trails are still closed until that date: Bear Sign, David Miller, Dry Creek, HS Canyon, and Secret Canyon trails.
Many trails in the Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness are now open, but have been impacted during monsoon, so hikers should be prepared for trails that may have been washed out and possibly disappeared. In such a remote landscape, the area is rugged and can be very disorienting when trails have been washed out and cannot be easily identified and followed.
Officials will continue to monitor conditions of Oak Creek, West Fork, and areas in and around the Pocket Fire burned area. Visitors should remain informed and vigilant when seeking to recreate around areas of the Pocket Fire.