Time Your Trip To This Secret Canyon Right And Witness One Of Arizona's Best Waterfalls

Many people may not realize that in addition to spectacular deserts and canyons, Arizona is home to some stunning waterfalls. One of the most magical of these is Sycamore Falls, a seasonal waterfall in Sycamore Canyon between Flagstaff and the small town of Williams near Sedona. The hitch here is that to catch a glimpse of this seasonal waterfall, you have to time your visit just right — after a heavy snowfall or rainfall in the area — otherwise all you'll see is a tiny trickle dripping over the cliffs. Optimal times to see the falls in all their glory are between December and February, when heavy snowfalls are most common, or during the spring runoff, when the snows are melting. Another good time to catch the elusive waterfall is a few days after a storm during the monsoon season, which runs from late June through September. 

In addition to checking the weather, another great way to monitor the waterfall flows was suggested by blogger Danielle Outdoors. In her post on Sycamore Falls, she recommends going to Instagram and typing in "Sycamore Falls" into the search bar. Click on the tagged or place pages and scan the most recent photos at the tops of the pages. "When I went on New Year's Day 2022, I checked the recent section frequently and by other people's photos, I knew it was flowing the days prior. Mother nature is ultimately the boss here, but this trick has helped me on multiple occasions." Brilliant! 

To reach Sycamore Falls, a 4WD is not required but is highly recommended, as the dirt road can be slippery and full of puddles after rain or snowfall. From Williams, hop on the iconic western highway, Route 66 and drive about 30 minutes to reach the trailhead parking lot. From there, it's an easy, flat half-mile loop hike to the falls area.  

The shortest route to the falls is to take a right at the first fork in the trail and then follow the loop back around to the trailhead. On the other side of the loop, if you're lucky, you'll be able to see a second impressive cascade flowing over rocks in the canyon. If you complete the loop and neither the first nor the second falls happen to be flowing, hopefully the magnificent scenery will serve as consolation. Trails around the falls (such as the strenuous 11-mile Sycamore Rim Trail) head deeper into the rugged wilderness, with beautiful canyon views along the way and potential to spot wildlife such as black bear and ringtail cats. Before leaving the area, be sure to stop in the quaint town of Williams, which serves as a gateway to the Grand Canyon. It's also the starting point for a scenic journey on one of the oldest vintage trains you can still ride today, which offers a unique way to reach the canyon.