Casner Canyon Trail: Oak Creek Canyon's Steep, Lightly-Trafficked Climb

By The Lowdown Guide Editorial Team · Visited Spring 2026 · Updated May 2026

Trailhead: AZ-89A Near Grasshopper Point

Per the Coconino National Forest's official Casner Canyon Trail No. 11 page, the trailhead is on AZ-89A approximately 2 miles north of Sedona (25 miles south of Flagstaff) in Oak Creek Canyon — considerably closer to town than the Indian Gardens/Slide Rock stretch farther up the canyon. Park either on the west side of the highway across from a road blocked by a closed gate, or at the Grasshopper Point Recreation Area itself. Grasshopper Point is currently closed under a Coconino National Forest closure order following the 2026 Pocket Fire — see the notice above — so the highway-shoulder pullout is the option to use until it reopens.

A Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful pass is required to park. When open, Grasshopper Point is a developed Forest Service day-use area with facilities nearby, which makes it considerably easier to find and safer to stage from than an unsigned highway pullout — but with the site closed, do not count on its restrooms or facilities being available. Bring wading shoes: the Forest Service's own trail description notes you'll be crossing Oak Creek early in the hike, before the climb begins in earnest.

AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon is a two-lane mountain highway with curves, limited sight lines, and heavy tourist traffic in spring and summer. Use the designated parking areas rather than the highway shoulder.

Trail Breakdown: The Climb and Return

The Coconino National Forest publishes the trail at 2 miles one-way with 1,800 feet of elevation gain — a steep, rocky climb through scrub oak with full sun exposure in places, rated moderate to strenuous by the Forest Service. The hike opens with the Oak Creek crossing near the trailhead, then gains elevation steadily as it climbs up out of the canyon. The Forest Service does not publish a mile-by-mile breakdown of the route, so treat any sub-mile waypoint description (creek crossing depth, exact grade changes) as a general characterization rather than a surveyed split.

Return the same way for a full out-and-back of roughly 4 miles. The climb is demanding in both directions given the sustained grade and exposed upper sections — budget significant extra time and water beyond what the one-way distance alone suggests, and start early enough that the steepest, most exposed sections aren't hit during peak afternoon heat.

Season, Timing, and Safety

October through April is the safe and recommended window for Casner Canyon Trail. The specific caution for summer is not merely discomfort -- the upper slope faces full sun in a canyon that channels and intensifies heat. May through September brings ambient temperatures in Oak Creek Canyon that regularly exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit at road level; on the exposed slope, up to 1,800 feet above the creek per the Coconino National Forest's elevation-gain figure, add another 5 to 10 degrees of radiant heat from the rock surface. The climb in these conditions is where people get into serious trouble.

Spring (March and April) is the most visually rewarding window: Oak Creek is running with snowmelt, the canyon bottom is green and lush, and temperatures at trail level are comfortable for the exposed sections if you start before 7:30 AM. The creek crossing in March and early April can be knee-deep and cold -- bring trekking poles and waterproof boots or accept wet feet. By late April the creek drops significantly.

Fall (October through November) is the second-best window: comfortable temperatures, lower creek levels, and autumn foliage from the riparian cottonwood and sycamore corridor. December through February is viable for fit hikers in dry conditions but the upper slope can become icy after winter precipitation -- traction devices (microspikes) are useful in those conditions. Check the Coconino National Forest trail conditions report before any winter visit.

Related Trails and Oak Creek Canyon Context

Casner Canyon sits in the Oak Creek Canyon corridor alongside two of Sedona's most visited destinations: West Fork Oak Creek Trail (the shaded riparian canyon hike, 6.9 mi RT, heavily crowded, Red Rock Pass required) and Slide Rock State Park (swimming holes, $20-30 fee, crowds peak June-August). Casner Canyon is the quieter, steeper counterpart to both -- a genuine numbered Forest Service trail that draws far fewer visitors, though it still requires a Red Rock Pass to park like most other Red Rock Ranger District trailheads. For fit hikers who want to avoid Slide Rock's fee and crowds while getting a steep, uncrowded Oak Creek Canyon experience, Casner Canyon is the pick. For the broader hiking permit landscape in Sedona, the permits and passes guide covers all fee zones in the canyon corridor.