We have lived in Arizona for over 20 years and have had Fossil Springs on our bucket list for quite some time. We finally had the chance to do this hike, and it exceeded our expectations! It has always seemed like an intimidating hike, but if you are prepared, it is very doable. I’m here to share everything we learned from our experience so that you can know what to expect and be prepared for one of the best hikes in Arizona!
Bob Bear Trail to Fossil Springs Hiking Guide
Table of Contents
- Bob Bear Trail Information
- Fossil Springs Permit Information
- Are Fossil Springs Falls and Fossil Creek Falls the Same Thing?
- Getting to the Bob Bear Trailhead
- What to Pack for the Hike
- Hiking Down to Fossil Springs
- Things to Do at Fossil Springs Falls
- Hiking Back Up the Trail
- Other Things to Do in Strawberry
Bob Bear Trail Information
- Location: Strawberry, Arizona
- Distance: 8.6 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 1,512 ft
- Rated: Difficult
- Hiking Time: Plan for about 2 hours to hike each way, and about 3 hours to spend at the water, so 7 hours total.
- Dog Friendly: Dogs are allowed on the trail, but I wouldn’t recommend bringing them, especially in the summer.
- Kid Friendly: I would recommend this trail for kids ages 10 years and older, as long as they are experienced hikers.
- Opening Hours: The trail is open year-round, but a permit is required from April 1 to October 1. During the permit season, the trail is only open Friday-Sunday. The entrance gate opens at 8 am and closes at 4 pm, but the exit gate is open until 8 pm. The parking lot is open 24 hours from October 2 to March 31.
- Overnight Camping: Overnight camping is allowed only outside the permit season, from October 2 to March 31.
- Best Time to Visit: The temperatures can reach around 100ยฐ during the summer months, making the hike out quite dangerous. The best time to go is April-May or September-October, when the weather is cooler, but it’s still warm enough to swim. Just be careful during the monsoon season as this area is prone to flash floods.
Fossil Springs Permit Information
A permit is required to visit between April 1 and October 1. Permits are released on the Recreation.gov website at 8 am on the first day of the month and are good for the following month. For example, permits for April will be released on March 1, and permits for May will be released on April 1.
Approximately 148 permits are available per day. Permits are $6 per vehicle, and you can have up to 12 people per vehicle. If there are no permits available, keep checking back, as there are often cancellations.
The parking pass will be emailed to you, and you’ll need to print it out to display in your window. You’ll also need to print a separate permit to carry with you. There were no rangers on-site to check permits while we were there, but I know they regularly patrol the area.
You can only request one permit per person per month.
Are Fossil Springs Falls and Fossil Creek Falls the Same Thing?
There is often some confusion between Fossil Springs Falls and Fossil Creek Falls. They are both located along Fossil Creek, but they are two completely different waterfalls.
Fossil Creek Falls is located near Camp Verde. You’ll drive along a dirt road for about 17 miles, then hike the short 2-mile round-trip Dixon Lewis Trail to reach the waterfall. For more information, see our Fossil Creek Falls Hiking Guide.
Fossil Springs Falls is located near Strawberry and is accessed via the almost 9-mile out-and-back Bob Bear Trail.
Forest Road 708 once connected the two trailheads, but has been permanently closed for years with no plans of reopening.
If you would like to visit both falls on the same day, the 9-mile Irving/Flume Trail is located near the Dixon Lewis trailhead and takes you to Fossil Springs Falls.
As you can see on the map, it doesn’t connect to the Dixon Lewis Trail, but the parking lots are located nearby, so you could combine both if you have the energy for it!
Getting to the Bob Bear Trailhead
The Bob Bear Trailhead is located about 10-15 minutes west of Strawberry within the Tonto National Forest. Just put “Bob Bear Trail” into your maps, and it will take you to the parking lot.
You’ll drive about 1.5 miles down a dirt road, but it is well-graded and doesn’t require a high-clearance vehicle or 4WD when the weather conditions are good.
As you’re driving on the road, you’ll notice a sign that says “Fossil Creek Access Closed”. This is referring to FR 708, the road that once connected to Fossil Creek Falls in Camp Verde. The road to the Bob Bear Trail is still open, unless otherwise noted on the Recreation.gov website.
What to Pack for the Hike
This is not your typical hike, and it is important that you are well prepared! This is a list of everything we brought and used while hiking to Fossil Springs:
- Hydration Packs: It is recommended to bring 1-2 gallons per person. We each carried 2 of these hydration packs, and they worked great. We have taken these packs on multiple backpacking and hiking trips, and they have held up well. Tip: Put the straws in the freezer after you rinse them out post-hike to avoid mold.
- Electrolytes: It’s important that you add electrolytes to your water so that you can stay hydrated in the heat. Our favorite brand is Liquid IV. It tastes good and is effective.
- Hiking Poles: Hiking poles aren’t necessary for this hike, but they are helpful to help keep your balance over loose rocks, and they help give you an extra boost on the uphill climb. We bought these poles based on reviews and have used them on multiple hikes.
- Turkish Towels: These Turkish towels are the best for water hikes. They are lightweight and absorbent.
- Portable Charger: There is no cell service in the canyon, but it’s always a good idea to keep your phone charged for maps and photos. This portable charger is similar to the one we’ve had for years and has still held up.
- Sun Protection: Pack sunscreen, SPF chapstick, a hat, and sunglasses.
- Swimsuit: I don’t like hiking in a wet swimsuit, so I just packed a swimsuit to change into down at the water, then changed back into my hiking clothes. Bring a plastic bag to put your wet swimsuit in afterwards.
- Water Shoes: The trail has a lot of loose rocks, so you’ll want to wear durable hiking shoes, then bring water shoes or flip flops to change into. Do not hike in flip flops!
- First-Aid Kit: Bring basic first-aid supplies like Band-Aids, ibuprofen, antibiotic ointment, chafing cream, hand sanitizer, bug spray, and any other medications you might need.
- Waterproof Phone Pouch: You’ll need to swim through water to get to the caves and grotto, so bring a waterproof phone pouch if you want to take photos and videos inside the caves. You can also bring a GoPro or waterproof action camera.
- Lunch and Snacks: Between the hiking and swimming, this is a full-day adventure, so you’ll want to bring a lunch and plenty of snacks. Try to pack foods that are filling and high in protein to keep your energy up. Be sure to bring a garbage bag, as you’ll need to pack out everything you pack in.
- Headphones: I like to download an audiobook, a few podcasts, or my favorite playlist to listen to while hiking.
- Pool Floats: These pool floats aren’t necessary, but they are fun! The creek has a steady current if you want to float down the stream, or just use them while paddling around the waterfall and inside the caves.
- Goggles: The water is so clear, and there are plenty of little fish that are fun to watch underwater.
- Hammock: Quite a few trees line the creek if you want to set up a hammock and relax by the water. We’ve taken this hammock on backpacking trips before. It’s lightweight and durable.
Hiking Down to Fossil Springs
Before you begin your hike, you’ll want to use the pit toilets located at the parking lot, since these are the only restrooms on the trail.
You’ll also want to make sure you download the trail map beforehand. The trail is fairly easy to follow, but there is no cell service in the canyon, and it’s always good to have a map to follow.
There are warning signs posted at the beginning of the trail that reinforce the importance of being prepared for this hike. This is a challenging hike, especially in the summer heat.
Make sure you have enough water, proper hiking shoes, and are physically able to hike around 9 miles. Keep in mind that the hike is all downhill into the canyon, which means it’s all uphill on the way back!
The hike down to the waterfall is approximately 4.3 miles and descends about 1,500 feet into the canyon. There are some steeper sections with loose rocks, but the majority of the trail is a gradual descent. I was starting to feel it in my knees towards the end, though!
The trail is mostly exposed with little shade, but it offers beautiful views over the Fossil Springs Wilderness Area.
As you arrive at the bottom of the canyon, the landscape transforms from rugged desert to a beautiful oasis filled with sprawling trees, swaying grass, and blooming wildflowers.
You’ll soon come to the first fork in the trail. At this point, the trail intersects with the Mail Trail, but you’ll follow the Fossil Springs Trail to the LEFT.
You’ll then reach a creek bed that you’ll need to cross over to continue the trail on the other side. The water is generally shallow, with rocks you can step across to keep your feet dry.
The next fork in the trail is a little confusing. You can either choose to go to the “Spring” or the “Dam”. It seems like the spring would be the obvious choice, but the waterfall actually flows over the old Fossil Creek Dam, so you’ll want to follow the trail to the dam on the RIGHT.
If you have time, the Spring side trail leads to a pretty spot where the spring naturally bubbles up from the ground.
Continue about 0.5 miles after the fork in the trail, and you’ll finally reach the Fossil Springs Falls!
We started our hike at 1 pm, which was a little later than we had planned. It took us 2 hours to hike down, so we arrived at the falls around 3 pm.
One advantage of having a late start is that we passed a lot of people hiking out as we were hiking in, and we had the falls almost entirely to ourselves.
Things to Do at Fossil Springs Falls
The trail will bring you to the top of the waterfall, so you’ll need to scramble down a short but steep trail to reach the water.
From here, you can cool off in the water, which stays a consistent 70ยฐ year-round. It is refreshing but not freezing.
You can also swim to the small cave just to the left of the waterfall, known as the “mermaid grotto”.
The “toilet bowl” is to the right of the waterfall. This used to be a popular cliff jumping spot where adrenaline junkies would jump into the swirling whirlpool, then swim to the bottom and exit through an underground tunnel. As you can imagine, it is quite dangerous and has resulted in fatalities. There is now a sign posted prohibiting anyone from jumping into the toilet bowl.
My favorite spot at Fossil Springs is just downstream from the waterfall. You’ll need to climb back up to the top and follow the trail a short way until you can climb back down to the creek.
From here, you’ll see the entrance to a water cave on the other side of the water. Once you swim inside the cave, you’ll be amazed to see electric blue water the color of Kool-Aid!
This has been nicknamed the “La Croix” cave, as it looks like it’s filled with blue sparkling water.
The cave is pretty big, and there are a few spots on the side where you can climb up and sit, or jump into the water.
Spend the rest of the afternoon swimming, cliff jumping, floating down the river, relaxing in a hammock, eating lunch in the shade, and just enjoying one of the most beautiful spots in Arizona!
Fossil Creek is one of only two designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Arizona, and it really does live up to its name.
Hiking Back Up the Trail
We spent two hours hanging out at the falls, which honestly was not enough. I would plan to spend at least 3-4 hours at the falls.
We started our hike back up at 5 pm so we could get to the top before dark.
It was so nice hiking out in the evening with cooler temperatures and the beautiful golden light.
Depending on what time the sun sets when you visit, I would plan to start your hike up 2 hours before sunset.
After reading comments online, I was nervous about the hike out. In my opinion, it wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Although, we visited the first weekend in April when it was 67 degrees. It would be a completely different experience if we were hiking out in the middle of a summer day in 100 degrees.
The 1,500-foot elevation gain is spread out over about 4 miles, so it’s mostly a gradual incline, with a few steeper sections. The steepest portions are towards the bottom of the canyon.
The top of the trail is 6,000 feet above sea level, so the higher elevation will get you a little winded at times. Our legs were stiff and sore on the drive home, but overall it really wasn’t that bad. If you are in decent shape and prepared with plenty of water, then you will be able to handle it just fine!
It took us 1 hour and 46 minutes to hike up, which was surprisingly 15 minutes faster than our hike down.
Other Things to Do in Strawberry
If you’re planning to hike to Fossil Springs, I recommend staying the whole weekend in Strawberry. There is so much more to do in the area!
We always stay at the Strawberry Inn, the cutest little boutique hotel. You can choose to stay in the hotel, an airstream, or a tiny cottage.
There are also so many great restaurants in the Strawberry-Pine area. Before your hike, stop at the Pie Bar for homemade empanadas.
After your hike, stop for dinner at the Old County Inn or Pinewood Tavern before heading home.
If you do plan to stay for the whole weekend, a few of our favorite things to do in the area include paddleboarding at Blue Ridge Reservoir, seeing the world’s largest natural travertine bridge at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, visiting the lavender farm, swimming at Water Wheel Falls, and so much more.
For more recommendations and information, see our complete Strawberry Travel Guide.
Final Thoughts
Fossil Springs truly is one of the most beautiful spots in Arizona! It does take some preparation and effort to visit, but it is well worth it.
Be sure to practice Leave No Trace Principles, and pack out everything you packed in, so that we can keep our public lands beautiful!
If you enjoy hiking in Arizona, here are a few more guides you might like:
- Salome Jug: Arizona’s Mile Long Natural Water Park
- A Complete Guide to Hiking Havasupai Falls
- Cibecue Falls: Arizona’s Best Kept Secret
- 11 of the Best Hikes in Phoenix
- 6 Hikes Everyone Should Do in Sedona
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