Sandys Canyon to Fisher Point Caves

Dogs Leashed

Features Cave · Fall Colors · Geological Significance · Views · Wildflowers

The run to Fisher Point from Sandy Canyon is a simple out-and-back with just enough ruggedness to be exciting. It's a moderately challenging descent into the canyon on rocky and sandy terrain. Runners are rewarded with stunning views of limestone and sandstone formations among high desert forest and meadows. The cave at the bottom of Fisher Point is a nice highlight and reasonable turnaround point for the route.

This is best as a summer or fall run. The steep parts of Sandys Canyon trail can stay icy for weeks after a snowfall.

Makes a great training run with some tech and steepness near the trailhead.

Begin from the Sandys Canyon trailhead off Lake Mary Road. Descend Sandys Canyon Trail #137 on a mix of loose rocky sections, steeper sections, and solid rock formations. The canyon's name comes from the sandy and gravelly wash in the bottom, which can get tricky to navigate, especially after rains. Some different paths diverge in the bottom, but just keep heading generally forward, down-canyon, and they all lead to the same place.

As you head down the main canyon, the surrounding vegetation transitions from Ponderosa and piñon-juniper woodlands to more open, scrubby desert plants like sagebrush. There are also patches of aspen and mixed conifer in shadier alcoves. The canyon walls are dotted with rock outcroppings, so don't forget to look upward as well.

Eventually you'll reach a broad canyon junction that appears as a large meadow with crisscrossing trails. Look across and you'll see the tall sandstone bluff with a cave at its base. This is Fisher Point, and the unnamed cave at the bottom is very much worth checking out. It's not very deep but is still spacious inside.

Return the way you came to complete this route as mapped here. If you want to explore further, you could continue on the Arizona Trail up to the top of Fisher Point for a different kind of view.