Kelly Canyon Trail

Route Description for Kelly Canyon Trail

The Kelly Canyon Trail meanders through its namesake canyon just south of Kachina Village, Arizona. This route offers beauty in the smaller details: geodes, caves, mushrooms, moss, and wildlife. We love it on a hot summer day when the shade of the trees is just right. You can use this route for hiking and biking.

This trail isn’t a good pick before April or after October as it can get very icy, especially since there’s so much shade. If you choose to come in the winter, we recommend bringing microspikes to make the trip easier.

From the trailhead, head down towards the wash. The trail splits at the forest road and Kelly Pocket Trail. We definitely recommend going to Kelly Pocket first, as some hikers prefer this as an out-and-back to skip the forest road altogether. Stay left and hike down into the canyon. The route follows the curvature of the canyon until you reach Pumphouse Wash. From here, it climbs the canyon wall on the forest road and returns to the loop split via the road.