Kelly Pocket Canyon

Dogs Off-leash

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Geological Significance · River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Popular with mountain bikers, who may be riding downhill at high speed.

Park by the side of the road at the start of trail marker and head downhill to the wash. Cross the wash and head up the canyon. It's an easy and gentle uphill path lined with dense vegetation between sandstone walls. Early summer is an especially good time, when regionally rare wildflowers are on display.

The path is generally easy to follow, but fades into slickrock at points in the canyon. Just keep turning upstream to find it again. At one point there is a short, easy scramble down to the canyon floor. Fainter social trails diverge in different places, providing options for further exploration. If you continue all the way to the head of the canyon, you'll emerge at Forest Road 237, where you can either turnaround or make a loop with the road to get back to your car.

Dense and diverse flora thrives in the cool canyon bottom.