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CHUCK WAGON TRAIL
Sedona
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| Ice in Dry Creek: Dec. 31, 2015 |
For hikers of a certain age, the name
Chuck Wagon might conjure images of a TV dog food commercial from the
1970s. Remember the miniature horse-drawn wagon racing through a home
with the family dog eagerly in chase? That freaky little wagon
eventually disappears into a kitchen cabinet where the goodies are
kept neatly out of sight. Unlike in the ad, the goodies on
Sedona's Chuck Wagon Trail are by no means hidden. The amusingly
twisted route on the west end of town rolls through russet cliffs
above and through Dry Creek. On the high points, views of Capitol
Butte, Mescal, Doe and Bear Mountains, Cockscomb and the Grassy
Knolls stand out over gullies painted in a million shades of green by
cypress, juniper and yucca. The trail was originally blazed by
mountain bikers and was recently adopted into the Red Rock Ranger
District system. With the exposure of this swooping beauty-of-a-trail to foot travel, a typical hiking experience includes
sharing the path with lots of swift-moving bikers followed by trekkers (some with dogs) in hot
pursuit of the goodies.
Another feature of note on
this trail is the crowds. But don't despair, most of them are going
to Devil's Bridge. In addition to its standalone awesomeness, Chuck
Wagon Trail also provides a way for hikers to avoid the
kidney-jarring drive on Dry Creek Road to access the immensely
popular, 0.8-mile Devil's Bridge Trail. A map at the Dry Creek Vista
Trailhead shows how to use spur paths for either a road walk or trail
hike to the site.
In addition to the requisite
Devil's Bridge pilgrimage, there are dozens of ways to link Chuck
Wagon Trail into a day of hiking. Here's one option:
From the Dry Creek Vista
Trailhead, follow Chuck Wagon trail 4.8 miles to where it ends at
Long Canyon Road. Cross the road and pick up Long Canyon Trail
heading left. At the 0.3 mile point, turn left on Mescal Trail, hike
0.2 mile, cross the road and follow the signs to the Chuck Wagon
junction. Turn right and retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
LENGTH: 6.6 mile loop (as described
here)
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 4,480' - 4,680'
GETTING THERE:
Dry Creek Vista Trailhead:
From the State Route 179/89A traffic
circle in Sedona, go 3 miles west (left toward Cottonwood) on 89A to
Dry Creek Road (Forest Road 152C). Turn right, go 1.9 miles to Forest
Road 152, turn right and continue 0.2 mile to the trailhead on the
left. Roads are paved and sedan-friendly dirt. No fees.
Alternate access points:
Mescal Trailhead:
From the State Route 179/89A traffic
circle in Sedona, go 3 miles west on SR 89A (left, toward Cottonwood)
to Dry Creek Road (Forest Road 152C), turn right and continue 2.9
miles to Long Canyon Road (Forest Road 152D), turn right and go 0.2
mile to the trailhead on the right. No fees.
Long Canyon Trailhead:
From the Mescal Trailhead, continue
another 0.3 mile up FR152D to the on the left. Trail begins across
the road. No fees.
INFO:
MORE PHOTOS:
