Arizona Campers Stranded as Floodwaters Submerge Bridge
Around 65 people were cut off from the outside world after Oak Creek surged over its banks, inundating the only access route to Cave Springs Campground.
Dozens of campers found themselves stranded in the Arizona mountains when floodwaters surged, submerging the sole bridge connecting Cave Springs Campground to the outside world. Approximately 65 people were left trapped as powerful currents swept trees and debris downstream.
The dramatic events unfolded about 30 minutes north of Sedona after heavy rainfall caused Oak Creek to overflow its banks, transforming the normally tranquil mountain retreat into a hazardous flood zone. Campers who had arrived for a peaceful getaway discovered they were cut off from civilization, with the only road out blocked by fast-moving water and a accumulation of fallen trees.
Authorities confirmed that officials were working to arrange emergency food supplies while awaiting a decrease in water levels. Among those stranded was Steve Branch, a visitor from Denver who had arrived the previous evening for a one-night stay. He reported that the overnight rainfall had drastically altered the landscape, leaving the bridge submerged and impassable.
"Well, it looks like we can't get back across to where your side is," Branch told Fox 10 Phoenix in a telephone interview. "We came in about five o'clock last night and everything was fine. We were leaving this morning."
Footage from the scene depicted muddy water rushing across the access route, with logs and other debris accumulating around the bridge. Seasonal worker Edgar Cano, who has spent years in the vicinity, stated he had never witnessed such rapid and forceful flooding. "I pulled up to the bridge where we exit, and the water is running like I've never seen it in 25 years," Cano said. He described how the rising water and debris had effectively created an impassable barrier.
The flooding also impacted outdoor enthusiasts on the creek, forcing kayakers to abandon their plans as conditions deteriorated rapidly. Thomas Herring, who had been kayaking on the waterway, observed 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."