Slide Fire a memory, Oak Creek Canyon now open for business
Jul 10, 2014, 10:09 AM | Updated: 10:27 am
PHOENIX — Two wildfires last month and now threats of mudslides are taking a toll on residents and businesses along Oak Creek Canyon.
But a few days of bad news could be in a visitor’s favor.
“For most dates between today and the end of August, we’ve dropped our rates about 30 percent off, which for a one bedroom for two people is about $139 a night,” Chris Bosselmann said. The Junipine Resort’s manager suspects other businesses are offering similar incentives.
The resort sits about a half mile from where the fire lines stopped, but Bosselmann said from the road visitors to the canyon will find much of the forest looks the same, save for one sign. “With the early monsoon storms north and south of us, the water has taken on a brownish, blackish tint,” he said.
Although the creek will take some time to recover, he said the Rainbow Trout Farm down State Route 89A is fully stocked.
“Garland’s, Indian Market, and the Junipine Café are all open and ready to go,” he said. Forest Houses Resort is also open for business and one of the few places where creekside access is available.
It will take until at least September before all of the canyon’s creekside access and trails are open once again.
In the meantime, Bosselmann said visitors can still take a 2-10 mile drive down the highway to hike on the beautiful Bell Rock and Sedona trails.
