The Arizona Daily Sun has reported on the Crystal Point Trail's logbooks and route beyond the ridge. Every clear Saturday morning, somebody drives east past the point where Pinewood Boulevard's pavement runs out, parks in the lot just past the cattle grate, and climbs the 1.2 miles up to the ridge everyone calls Crystal Point. They stop at the picnic table, dig through one of the old ammo cans that have held trail logs there for more than two decades, sign their name below whoever came through last week, and head back down the way they climbed. That out-and-back route is about 2.4 miles.
Beyond Crystal Point, the trail drops through a series of switchbacks for roughly 2.1 more miles to Odell Lake, a small reservoir below the ridge.
The trail continues beyond Crystal Point
The distance you cover depends entirely on where you decide the hike is over.
| Where you stop | Round trip | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Point summit | about 2.4 miles | Ridge views, the ammo can logbooks, glimpses of Sedona's red rock in the distance |
| Odell Lake | about 6.8 miles total | Everything above, plus the switchbacks through ponderosa pine and alligator juniper down to the water |
AllTrails logs the full route as a 6.8-mile out-and-back, rated 4.6 stars across 884 community reviews, with an average completion time just over three hours. That's the number for people who go all the way down. The 2.4-mile out-and-back to Crystal Point is one option; the longer route continues beyond the ridge to Odell Lake.
Dogs are welcome on leash either way, and the elevation means even summer mornings start cool enough that a light layer earns its place in the pack.
Odell Lake and its public shoreline
Odell Lake exists because Pinewood Country Club dammed a stretch of Munds Creek with an earthen berm, and the club still maintains it. The lake's southeastern shore sits inside the Coconino National Forest, on public land, which means anyone willing to walk down from the ridge can fish or sit at the water's edge without ever holding a Pinewood membership card. The club keeps the dam up. The forest keeps the shoreline open. Bring a rod, not a scorecard.
What stays put and what rotates through
Munds Park runs on two different clocks, and it helps to know which is which.
Pinewood Bar & Grill, at 65 Pinewood Boulevard, has been serving breakfast and lunch since 1968, back when the Pinewood subdivision was still filling in with second homes for Phoenix families. The golf course at Pinewood Country Club is even older, an 18-hole, par-72 layout designed by Lawrence Hughes that opened in 1958 and is managed today by Troon. Those are fixed points. They predate this summer's visitors and remain part of the town after Labor Day.
Then there's the layer that turns over every year. The Saturday market crowd is the clearest example: vendors drive up from the Valley for a few months, set up, and head back down when the season ends. NiMarco's Pizza and Kota's Coffee House are two more places to find food and coffee in town, and Kota's keeps dog treats at the counter for the leashed hikers coming off the trail. Martino's Restaurant & Lounge built its dining rooms around a Rat Pack theme, complete with a Dean Martin room and a Frank Sinatra room, and Borracho Saloon has been the spot for live music on the nights something's booked. The grill and golf course are long-standing parts of Munds Park, alongside the seasonal places and activities.
Two Saturdays left on the market's clock
Labor Day falls on September 7 this year, which means the season that started back on Memorial Day weekend has two Saturdays left: August 29 and September 5. That closes out both the Pinewood Farmers' Market, held behind Munds Park Community Church off Munds Ranch Road, and the Munds Park Farm to Table Market at Agee's BBQ Patio a short distance away, where produce comes up from Verde Valley growers including Two Sisters' Tomatoes in Camp Verde and Heart of Gold Farm in Rim Rock. After the first Saturday in September, both tables fold up until next Memorial Day.
None of that means Munds Park goes quiet. Pinewood Players, the community theater group, has been building toward its 2026 season since spring, and the country club's daily rhythm continues on a shorter public schedule once the market crowd thins out. The visible layer contracts. The town underneath it doesn't.
The hike is a decent metaphor for the town
A Saturday in Munds Park can include a market table, coffee, a walk to the ridge and back, and dinner somewhere with a patio. The trail also continues to Odell Lake, while the town's grill and golf course offer a glimpse of its longer history alongside its seasonal markets and activities. Same trail. Same town. Different ways to experience it.
If you're spending time in Munds Park this season, whether you're up for the weekend or you've been coming for years, Karra Polder is always glad to talk through what's changing in this corner of Northern Arizona and what's staying exactly the same. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
