The Rio de Flag and its Tributaries (Tour)

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1. Arizona honeysuckle, Lonicera arizonica

This is probably the largest population of this lovely native plant in the City of Flagstaff. It spreads by runners and it blooms in June, covering the northeast-facing slope with red blossoms. The flowers appear clustered in a starburst pattern, unlike the paired pattern of domestic honeysuckle flowers. It is OK to pluck a blossom or two and bite into the base of the blossom to enjoy the sweet taste. But be careful to avoid the poison ivy that is intermixed with it.

2. Birds of Sinclair Wash; Trail junction to Willow Bend

As in most of Flagstaff, the most common year-round bird species in this canyon are pygmy nuthatch, white-breasted nuthatch, mountain chickadee, Steller jay, house finch, northern flicker, and hairy woodpecker. From May through August, common breeding birds include Black-headed grosbeak, house wren, western bluebird, pine siskin, American robin, and dark-eyed junco. Although most of the dark-eyed juncos that breed here fly south for the winter, the Black-hooded race of dark-eyed juncos (which breed far to the north) replace them here in winter. During May-August, this canyon is one of the few places in Flagstaff where one can regularly see lazuli bunting, yellow warbler, MacGillivray’s warbler, and (in most years) blue grosbeak.

3. Trail to the Labyrinth and Sawmill Park

The side trail to the north leads upslope to the Flagstaff Community Labyrinth, Sawmill Park, and the Sawmill Neighborhood. To reach the labyrinth, take the side trail upslope and take all lefts for 1 minute. To reach Sawmill Park, stay on the biggest side trail for 3 minutes. There is a lot of poison ivy along the side trail, but none at the labyrinth or Sawmill Park. At this point, the Trail crosses over Sinclair Wash.

4. Sawmill Park

Wonderful views of Sinclair Wash Canyon and the Flagstaff Urban Trail (incorrectly labeled “Arizona Trail” on google maps). The Park has a play structure for children, picnic tables, and a wall with two murals created by local artists. The north side mural is a mosaic depicting the role of lumbering and railroad in Flagstaff’s history. The last sawmill in Flagstaff, which closed in 1994, occupied the entire area between Sawmill Road and Butler Avenue. The south side mural is a painted collage; the County can commission local artists or organizations to change the content of the collage from time to time. The current collage was painted in 2016. Sawmill Park also hosts Willow Bend Environmental Education Center. From the kids’ playground, you can access informal trails to the Flagstaff Community Labyrinth, and to the Sinclair Wash Trail below.

5. The confluence of two ephemeral washes

Sinclair Wash flows from Rogers Lake (about 6 miles away). The Rio de Flag (in the culvert under your feet) flows from the west side of The Peaks (the big mountains you see to the north, a mile higher in elevation than this location). The Rio de Flag has flowed in this channel since about 1910, when it was diverted from downtown Flagstaff. Both streams flow during spring snowmelt (8 weeks in a good snow year) and for a few hours after each summer thunderstorm. In the early 2020’s a flood control project will put the Rio’s flow into a buried concrete box at Frances Short Pond to emerge 3 miles later. When the flood control project is complete, this Rio channel will be dry, but the smaller Sinclair Wash flows might still be able to support the willows and other riparian plants downstream.

6. Sinclair Wash Trailhead at Lone Tree Road

The 5 parking places on Brannen Circle at Lone Tree Road provide the easiest access to Sinclair Wash Trail and the Flagstaff Community Labyrinth. Additional parking can be found on residential streets off of Brannen Circle. Sinclair Wash Trail is more interesting to the east because the wash has carved a 50-ft deep canyon, the vegetation is dominated by native trees, shrubs, & herbaceous plants, and unusual birds can be seen here. Some of the canyon’s plants are rare in other parts of Flagstaff, including willows, Arizona honeysuckle, and wild hops & wild grape. Please stay on the trails and help protect these rare plants for future generations. Poison ivy (photo) is one of the most abundant short shrubs in this canyon, and often grows intermixed with the other rare plants. Leaves of three – let it be!

This Tour is a Hiking Trail.

The Rio de Flag and its Tributaries

Created by Paul Beier on November 18th 2020, 1:56:17 am.

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Learn about the Rio de Flag and its tributaries in the Flagstaff area. Zoom into any part of the map, click on a pin, and learn about that location. Learn about Frances Short Pond, the seep at the Museum of Northern Arizona, the ongoing Flood Control Project, the still-visible lava flows that changed the course of Sinclair Wash and the Rio, how people re-routed the Rio through the heart of the City a century ago, Elden Spring, Picture Canyon, the I-40 wetlands, the potential use of reclaimed water for amenity flows, the underground channel in Southside.

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The Rio de Flag and its Tributaries

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