Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Leave No Trace video: youtube.com/watch?v=zV2TM7Jqs6k&t=2s
It's been about 10 years since I hiked to the Crack at Wet Beaver Creek. And in that time I've gained a lot of experience in the outdoors. So I had a free day and decided to go back and check the area out. After all, this is actually the place where my love of backpacking began.
So why did it take so long for me to go back here? Well, a few reasons. First and foremost, it's pretty crowded. Second, I remembered it as a slog of a hike with unremarkable scenery.
How's my memory? Good and bad. The hike is about 3 miles (each way - it's an out and back hike) to the Crack. The first 2 miles are relatively flat and pretty uninteresting, just how I remembered. But after those first 2 miles the red rocks start to rise up out of the valley and the trail becomes a lot more interesting. It also wasn't nearly as difficult as I recalled.
Then there's the Crack itself, which is a beautiful slotted section of red rocks and clear water. Perfect for swimming and worth the hike.
For those first two miles, I kept looking at the bland, unchanging scenery thinking "how can I make a video out of this?" There's only so many ways you can point the camera at a cactus before it gets boring. So I started thinking. Swimming holes are extremely popular in the dry desert of the American Southwest. People post pictures of unicorn floaties and smiling friends swimming in a natural oasis online all the time. Other people see these inviting images and think "I want to go there." So they round up their friends and go on their first hike. With little to no preparation or experience, they quickly realize there are miles of hot, dry desert between them and their destination. This lack of understanding of the outdoors leads to heaps of trash, graffiti, rescues and sometimes even death.
Now it feels like the general feeling for the crowd of new hikers is negative. The 'experienced' hikers scoff and complain about their bluetooth speakers and flip flops. I'll admit that I'm not immune to being a little elitist from time to time. So us 'pros' tend to sit and complain about crowds, wishing for the 'good old days' where you had the outdoors all to yourself.
But we aren't here to talk about my double standard....Actually, let's just pretend I'm perfect and move along....This is about my theory that if you can't beat them, educate them. You see, these are our public lands. Meaning its there for ALL of us to enjoy. Just because I have more miles under my belt than you doesn't give me the right to tell you to stay home. Also, despite my dislike of people....yuck....I've noticed that most people aren't really that bad. A lot of our daily frustrations with our fellow mankind is actually a lack of awareness. That guy at the grocery store that rudely stands in your way, blocking the whole aisle? How dare he hold you up when you're in a hurry to get home and make dinner? Maybe you should grab a can of bean dip and smack him on the side of the hea......oh. He noticed you, apologized and quickly shuffled his cart out of your way. Your rage instantly goes away as you see that he actually wasn't an entitled sub human who didn't care about anyone else. He was just preoccupied looking for the cereal that doesn't have raisins in it. Raisins really suck. I mean, why would you do that to a grape?
Sorry. Sidetracked.
Anyway, I don't think people mean to do bad/annoying things most of the time. Instead of scoffing in disgust, maybe we should consider they're not doing things because they don't care. Maybe they just don't know any better. Maybe we should try helping them by passing on our experience. After all, I wasn't born with a deep knowledge of nature. I slowly developed it over time in the wilderness. I made a lot of mistakes along the way. So why should I be angry at others for doing the same thing?
Now that I read those last paragraphs I'm not sure my example accurately proves my point. But raisins are so nasty that I think I'm just going to leave it and move along.
So that's my really long winded way of saying we all start somewhere and people (mostly) make mistakes from lack of awareness instead of malicious disregard. And since a lot of Arizona hikers start by hiking the Bell Trail to the Crack at Wet Beaver Creek, this could be a good opportunity to increase awareness. So I figured I'd use this opportunity to provide a few tips for beginners.
I also made this up on the fly which is why I forgot some basic things like......dear god, how did I forget this?....CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE YOU GO! So if you're a more experienced hiker, feel free to add your advice or tips in the comments.
Music by Artlist
Calgary - Fjordor
Areias do Tempo - Jupiter Sands
Woods & Fields - Paper Wings
Leave No Trace video: youtube.com/watch?v=zV2TM7Jqs6k&t=2s
It's been about 10 years since I hiked to the Crack at Wet Beaver Creek. And in that time I've gained a lot of experience in the outdoors. So I had a free day and decided to go back and check the area out. After all, this is actually the place where my love of backpacking began.
So why did it take so long for me to go back here? Well, a few reasons. First and foremost, it's pretty crowded. Second, I remembered it as a slog of a hike with unremarkable scenery.
How's my memory? Good and bad. The hike is about 3 miles (each way - it's an out and back hike) to the Crack. The first 2 miles are relatively flat and pretty uninteresting, just how I remembered. But after those first 2 miles the red rocks start to rise up out of the valley and the trail becomes a lot more interesting. It also wasn't nearly as difficult as I recalled.
Then there's the Crack itself, which is a beautiful slotted section of red rocks and clear water. Perfect for swimming and worth the hike.
For those first two miles, I kept looking at the bland, unchanging scenery thinking "how can I make a video out of this?" There's only so many ways you can point the camera at a cactus before it gets boring. So I started thinking. Swimming holes are extremely popular in the dry desert of the American Southwest. People post pictures of unicorn floaties and smiling friends swimming in a natural oasis online all the time. Other people see these inviting images and think "I want to go there." So they round up their friends and go on their first hike. With little to no preparation or experience, they quickly realize there are miles of hot, dry desert between them and their destination. This lack of understanding of the outdoors leads to heaps of trash, graffiti, rescues and sometimes even death.
Now it feels like the general feeling for the crowd of new hikers is negative. The 'experienced' hikers scoff and complain about their bluetooth speakers and flip flops. I'll admit that I'm not immune to being a little elitist from time to time. So us 'pros' tend to sit and complain about crowds, wishing for the 'good old days' where you had the outdoors all to yourself.
But we aren't here to talk about my double standard....Actually, let's just pretend I'm perfect and move along....This is about my theory that if you can't beat them, educate them. You see, these are our public lands. Meaning its there for ALL of us to enjoy. Just because I have more miles under my belt than you doesn't give me the right to tell you to stay home. Also, despite my dislike of people....yuck....I've noticed that most people aren't really that bad. A lot of our daily frustrations with our fellow mankind is actually a lack of awareness. That guy at the grocery store that rudely stands in your way, blocking the whole aisle? How dare he hold you up when you're in a hurry to get home and make dinner? Maybe you should grab a can of bean dip and smack him on the side of the hea......oh. He noticed you, apologized and quickly shuffled his cart out of your way. Your rage instantly goes away as you see that he actually wasn't an entitled sub human who didn't care about anyone else. He was just preoccupied looking for the cereal that doesn't have raisins in it. Raisins really suck. I mean, why would you do that to a grape?
Sorry. Sidetracked.
Anyway, I don't think people mean to do bad/annoying things most of the time. Instead of scoffing in disgust, maybe we should consider they're not doing things because they don't care. Maybe they just don't know any better. Maybe we should try helping them by passing on our experience. After all, I wasn't born with a deep knowledge of nature. I slowly developed it over time in the wilderness. I made a lot of mistakes along the way. So why should I be angry at others for doing the same thing?
Now that I read those last paragraphs I'm not sure my example accurately proves my point. But raisins are so nasty that I think I'm just going to leave it and move along.
So that's my really long winded way of saying we all start somewhere and people (mostly) make mistakes from lack of awareness instead of malicious disregard. And since a lot of Arizona hikers start by hiking the Bell Trail to the Crack at Wet Beaver Creek, this could be a good opportunity to increase awareness. So I figured I'd use this opportunity to provide a few tips for beginners.
I also made this up on the fly which is why I forgot some basic things like......dear god, how did I forget this?....CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE YOU GO! So if you're a more experienced hiker, feel free to add your advice or tips in the comments.
Music by Artlist
Calgary - Fjordor
Areias do Tempo - Jupiter Sands
Woods & Fields - Paper Wings
