Went to Sedona via, Montezuma's well, shnelby hill road, Broken Arrow, Soldiers Pass and a lot of random hiking sight seeing and offroading in between. Pics and story on SOAZ



This is Part 1. Up to about half way through Broken Arrow. I have some video on Broken Arrow that I'll upload tonight.

 

I was just in Sedona last weekend (4/6 and 4/7) for the first time. What an amazingly beautiful place. I didn't get a chance to venture up into the hills much, but it really looks like a place I need to get back to with my Tacoma. Beautiful pics you got there!

 

Thanks! Sedona is gorgeous! It was REALLY crowded this weekend, but if you know where to go you can get away from the eye sores (Pink jeeps) and the mass of people.

 

Part II is up. SOAZ
Part III will just be some videos of offroading and driving that will be up tonight or tomorrow.

 

Really like this pic. Amazing how that rock stands... and eventually falls.

 

LMAO - those pink jeeps are EVERYWHERE.

 

Yes they are. Talk about visual pollution! Pink everywhere!! hahaha!

 

wow..thats some really beautiful landscape you get to wheel in...im jealous!

 

Videos are very shaky and I haven't found a program to edit them quickly and easily with so dont mind the laughing and wind noises...
Going down

Doing it again so everyone can enjoy

Going up after da down:

 

Great pics Tim. I love Sedona; haven't wheeled there but I have done several of the trails you mentioned via mountain bike. Now you've got me wanting to go back.

Any chance you could email me a high-res version of this pic? Looks like a great desktop background.

paddlenbike@yahoo.com

 

Email sent!!
Thanks! I love that pic!!

 

You couldn't find a good campsite there? Unbelievable. Sounds like you were looking in all the wrong spots. Try one of the fantastic wilderness sites off Schnebly Hill Rd. (in between the "lake bridge" and the tree line rim). I guarantee you won't see another person within 1/4 mile+ of you...

I stumbled across a great site about 300 yds off Schnebly Hill that I keep improving on every visit...



I like the pics of the ruins. I'll have to check those out next time I'm up. Pink Jeeps are ruining Sedona trails.

 

Yep, I've camped up there a bunch of times(shnelby hill road), but I couldn't find a place to camp down in sedona or around it that wasn't packed. Shnellby is at a different elevation and different looking terrain, ya know. (also, every camping area was PACKED as we headed down shnelby into town)
BIG tourist weekend last weekend...
I was remembering places along shnelby to camp. I don't remember ever being able to be 300yards off of the road. At least not with my car. Do you have GPS coords or a google map of where that one is at. Assuming its not one you want to keep to your self. I'd love to know of a place like that to GET AWAY from all of the people!
(pink jeeps, sheesh. I know they provide a way for people to see the outdoors and probably help peoples views on offroaders, but they are an EYESORE!)

 

I drove through Sedona a couple of years ago. It was beautiful from the road.
Would like to go back and do a 4 wheeler trip or one of the (dreaded) pink jeep tours. It is really the only option for people not living near there.

Would take forever to load up my truck with 4 wheelr and needed supplies to drive out there and setup camp and then wouldnt have any time to look around before I had to head home.

Sorry you don't like the jeeps but they do offer us outsiders a glimpse into a beautiful place.

Thanks

Joel

 

I'll try to explain where my favorite site is. Pretty easy to find really, and if you continue down the trail that leads to it, you'll come across numerous other nice sites.



My directions assume you're coming south off the I-17. This map shows Schnebly Hill Rd. after it crosses that nasty "lake". As you climb the incline that curves away from the lake, you'll see a small campsite immediately to your left next to the road. Continuing past that site, you'll come to a trail that branches off to the left into the woods (sometimes it's marked, sometimes it's not). If you reach the large swath carved out for the powerlines (which is very pronounced to the right of the road in the middle left part of the map), you've gone passed this trail.

What makes this trail great is the way it limits access. There's several muddy patches you'll come across (all with easy bypasses) that usually deter the typical RV-ing morons that venture up here. You'll obviously have no problem in a HoRunner. Follow this small trail until you see a fire ring and tree stump seats in a clearing off to your right.

Continue up the trail to a bunch of cool meadows that would also make nice camp sites. I find camping in an open area kind of creepy, though...

The forest roads east of the I-17 towards Mormon Lake are also pretty cool (and VERY poorly marked). Worth exploring if you have a day to kill...