Charlie's Spring Trail

Charlie’s Spring Trail is an unmarked, about 5-mile out-and-back from the wash crossing beside the Clark memorial to a small spring among red sandstone. Allow about 3½ hours for loose footing and a hands-on scramble. I’d choose it for the change from open desert to a green canyon pocket, not for a smooth marked trail.

The route begins in a broad wash of loose sand, gravel and stones. Keep with the main drainage as the canyon closes around you. A roughly 15-foot ledge is the entrance to about a quarter-mile of red sandstone narrows; descending it takes hands and feet. The walls overhang in spots, then the wash gradually widens near the spring. The return follows the same corridor, so you repeat the sandy approach.

The spring is a dense patch of shrubs, one prominent fan palm and smaller palms, shallow pools and a short stream. Water can disappear into the sand, so don’t count on a reliable refill. The best view is the sudden contrast: green palms and pools tucked below red canyon walls. If water is flowing, frame the palms and pool with the sandstone.

These red walls are Aztec sandstone, formed from dunes about 150 million years ago. Near the start, a memorial marks Captain John J. Clark, a Civil War veteran linked to the Arrowhead Trail. The walk gives you a small piece of local road history and a close look at the rock that gives this part of the park its color.

This is a rough, unmarked wash rather than a maintained trail. The ledge is the main technical move, and footing shifts between sand and stones. The park closes this route each year from May 15 through September 30 and advises against hiking above 85°F (29°C). Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet.