Dozens of frightened campers were stranded in the Arizona mountains after violent floodwaters destroyed the only bridge linking their campground with the outside world.
About 65 people became trapped as surging currents swept trees and debris downstream.
The crisis unfolded at Cave Springs Campground, roughly 30 minutes north of Sedona, when heavy rain caused Oak Creek to burst over its banks. The usually scenic mountain retreat was quickly transformed into a hazardous flood zone.
Visitors who had arrived for a quiet getaway were suddenly cut off, unable to use the only road leading out as fast-flowing water and fallen trees blocked the route.
The rising creek overwhelmed the campground’s sole access bridge, preventing campers from driving away and stopping emergency vehicles from reaching those stranded on the opposite bank.
Officials said approximately 65 people remained trapped inside the campground while emergency food supplies were being arranged and authorities waited for the floodwaters to recede.
Steve Branch, a visitor from Denver, was among those caught in the sudden emergency. He had arrived the previous evening expecting to stay at the popular campsite for just one night.
By morning, however, he discovered that leaving as planned was no longer possible.
Dozens of campers were stranded in the Arizona mountains after raging floodwaters engulfed the only bridge connecting their campsite with the outside world
Floodwaters surge over the only bridge out of Cave Springs Campground near Sedona, Arizona, leaving 65 campers stranded as fallen trees and debris block their escape
‘Well, it looks like we can’t get back across to where your side is,’ Branch told Fox 10 Phoenix during a telephone interview conducted across the flooded creek.
“We came in about five o’clock last night and everything was fine,” he said. “We were leaving this morning.”
Rainfall during the night dramatically altered the area, submerging the bridge beneath rushing water and a tangled mass of debris.
“It looks to me like we’ve got a couple of trees that have gotten stuck on the bridge and there’s not much way across that bridge,” Branch said.
The obstruction made the flooding even more dangerous as branches and fallen timber piled up against the bridge and restricted the water’s flow.
Video from the scene showed muddy floodwater racing across the access route, while logs and other debris remained wedged around the bridge.
Campers stranded on the far side of the creek had little option except to stay put and wait for conditions to improve.
Even workers accustomed to the area’s unpredictable weather were shocked by how quickly and forcefully the flood developed.
Campers look helplessly across Oak Creek as powerful currents block their departure from the campground after heavy rain. One person can be seen calling for help
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Yellow caution tape marks the submerged crossing, where rushing water and fallen trees have blocked the only exit from the popular campground
Edgar Cano, a seasonal worker who has spent years near the campground, said he had never seen conditions quite like those faced by the stranded visitors.
‘I pulled up to the bridge where we exit, and the water is running like I’ve never seen it in 25 years,’ Cano told the station.
He described how the combination of rising water and debris had effectively turned the bridge into an impassable barrier.
‘Branches, wood that is stuck at our bridge and is creating somewhat of a dam there,’ he explained. ‘And along with the water level being high, you can’t get over or across to the other side.’
The flooding also disrupted outdoor enthusiasts enjoying the creek, with kayakers forced to abandon their plans as conditions rapidly deteriorated.
Thomas Herring had been paddling along the waterway when he noticed the current growing increasingly powerful.
‘We’re just down here kayaking,’ Herring said. ‘The river came up very quickly. A lot of wood moving around. Things quickly got dangerous, so we decided to take out for the day.’
Another visitor, Justin Gallen, said the flooding was not necessarily at its most extreme level but was still powerful enough to cause significant disruption.
‘It’s not like super high flood stage, but it’s high enough to move a lot of debris around,’ he explained.
Four stranded campers survey the swollen creek as authorities coordinate emergency food supplies while waiting for the dangerous floodwaters to recede
The incident unfolded in one of Arizona’s most scenic mountain destinations, where visitors are drawn to the cool waters of Oak Creek and the wooded surroundings of Oak Creek Canyon.
Cave Springs Campground sits along the creek north of Sedona, offering a popular escape for campers seeking a break from the desert heat.
But the same narrow canyon and waterways that make the area so attractive can also become hazardous when heavy rain sends water rushing through the landscape.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it had established contact with the campground host and was monitoring the situation.
Officials said they were coordinating with several agencies to arrange a food drop for those stranded behind the flooded crossing.
The operation was intended to ensure campers had access to supplies while the water remained too high for vehicles to safely use the bridge.
There were no reports of anyone being injured.
