The water has receded at Cave Springs Campground in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, and most of the campers stranded after heavy rain washed out a bridge have been able to leave, according to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office.
The remaining campers were expected to depart later on Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office said.
About 65 campers were stuck at a campground near Sedona on Monday after floods blocked the road.
Officials from the Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety completed a supply drop by helicopter on Tuesday, leaving extra food and supplies for stranded campers. The helicopter delivered about two days worth of food and water, and a deputy checked on campers to make sure no one needed a medical evacuation, according to Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jon Paxton.
“Everyone has been very patient, very calm,” he said.
Among those caught in the unexpected delay was Mary Haller, whose 60th birthday camping trip turned into a celebration she will not forget.
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Heavy rains blocked the bridge out of Cave Springs Campground, trapping dozens of campers for several days until the road could be cleared.
About 65 campers stuck at a campground near Sedona on Monday received a supply drop by helicopter after floods blocked the road.
Haller and her husband, visiting from San Diego, had taken their motor home to Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde before stopping for the night at Cave Springs on Sunday. The couple planned to leave on Monday morning, Oct. 12, but as they were packing up, a campground worker told them the road was blocked and no one could leave until it was cleared.
Despite being stuck, Haller said the campground is the nicest she has ever stayed at, and the stranded campers came together to help one another during the wait.
All the campers remained safe, she said, and there was no danger of floodwaters reaching the campsites.
Tanja Hooper and her husband were camping in a tent at the campground for the long weekend and took down their tent Monday morning, when a campground employee told them they would not be able to leave.
Before they got stuck at the campground, Hooper said they had a great time hiking over the weekend and enjoying cooler weather. The two are avid hikers and are aware of potential danger, she said.
Hooper and her husband are from Apache Junction and like to camp often. The two ate the last meal they packed Monday evening but still had plenty of snacks before the supply drop, she said.
She is a little stressed about missing work, but Hooper said she and the other campers are generally in good spirits.
“There is definitely some trauma bonding going on,” she said.
