Route Editor
Route Scout
Author Full Detail Guide The Old Senator Highway was originally constructed in 1866 as a toll road between Prescott and the Old Senator Mine near present day Crown King. Today this is a 4x4 trail. A map of the route can be constructed using Google Maps by entering directions for Crown King AZ to Bradshaw City AZ to Groom Creek AZ to Prescott AZ. The result is 39.0 miles, 2 hours 27 minutes drive time. Check out the Official Route and Triplogs. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your 4x4 trip to support this local community. 2014-03-30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.
Most recent Triplog Reviews
Senator Highway - Crown King to Prescott
Crooks Canyon - Ash Creek Canyon Loop
With a 70% chance of Rain, we were all ready to get soaked on the day. Only problem, Ma Nature just decided to crank up the humidity a bit. Chums wanted to try the area Joe and I had been to before and I wanted to click off the Venezia Trail and search south of Palace Station on FR82 and Crooks Canyon.
I showed the guys Palace Station, the Palace Station Cemetery and headed down tree covered Crooks Canyon. Nice area w/ lots of camping opportunities. I still need to head further south in the future. The Elouise Mine area was posted "No Tresspassing", but it didn't appear that anyone had driven up there in quite some time.
We made a turn to the west, past the Bodie Mine area. At this point we were climbing and out of the trees, so none of us felt the urge to hike down to the area.
After 9L had us pass up the Collins Trail, we back tracked to get back on this single track. This short trail dead ends and the E Cross L Cabin Area and the E Cross L Trail. We searched around the shed and the the Cabin area. Found some old stone walls, steps and what appeared to be a pile of old lumber from the old torn down cabin. a newer cabin from the 60's (in rough shape, but has seen some use in the past 5 of years) stands just west of the pile.
Up the E Cross L now, it climbs steadily for 3 miles, up 1300', to an old forest road. Once at the top, we opted to cut a couple of road miles off by scrambling down a "steepish" slope to the Senator.
The Venezia trail does offer some pretty views as it climbs 400' up from the Senator to meet the E Cross L Trail. Anyone hiking the E Cross L trail, should either hike it, ending at the TH by Palace Station, or take the official GPS Track. The lower sections are overgrown and it's easy to see where Joe and I got offtrack last time here.
Temps for the most part were 75 - 80 with scattered clouds, so it made it real nice for hiking. Good company, good conversation, fun times.
Thanks for driving Mr. Chums
I showed the guys Palace Station, the Palace Station Cemetery and headed down tree covered Crooks Canyon. Nice area w/ lots of camping opportunities. I still need to head further south in the future. The Elouise Mine area was posted "No Tresspassing", but it didn't appear that anyone had driven up there in quite some time.
We made a turn to the west, past the Bodie Mine area. At this point we were climbing and out of the trees, so none of us felt the urge to hike down to the area.
After 9L had us pass up the Collins Trail, we back tracked to get back on this single track. This short trail dead ends and the E Cross L Cabin Area and the E Cross L Trail. We searched around the shed and the the Cabin area. Found some old stone walls, steps and what appeared to be a pile of old lumber from the old torn down cabin. a newer cabin from the 60's (in rough shape, but has seen some use in the past 5 of years) stands just west of the pile.
Up the E Cross L now, it climbs steadily for 3 miles, up 1300', to an old forest road. Once at the top, we opted to cut a couple of road miles off by scrambling down a "steepish" slope to the Senator.
The Venezia trail does offer some pretty views as it climbs 400' up from the Senator to meet the E Cross L Trail. Anyone hiking the E Cross L trail, should either hike it, ending at the TH by Palace Station, or take the official GPS Track. The lower sections are overgrown and it's easy to see where Joe and I got offtrack last time here.
Temps for the most part were 75 - 80 with scattered clouds, so it made it real nice for hiking. Good company, good conversation, fun times.
Thanks for driving Mr. Chums
2015-07-18 The_Eagle
Senator Highway - Crown King to Prescott
This is the 4 x 4 driving portion of our Prescott to Crown King adventure.
Hikes and Side trips in separate triplogs / Photosets.
Aprox Mileage to POI's from northern start of the Senator Highway to Crown King.
06.50 - Groom Creek TH
10.25 - Senator Mine
10.50 - Hassayampa Lake
15.40 - Venezia Trail #381
15.50 - Venezia - Site
16.75 - E Cross L Trail #281
17.00 - Palace Station
17.00 - Parking for Palace Station Cemetery
18.25 - Yankee Doodle Trail #284
20.25 - Goodwin - Site
20.75 - FR52 - FR67 intersection
23.00 - Arrastra Creek Trail #275
24.75 - Bradshaw Trail #216
27.00 - Blind Indian Trail #211
30.00 - Hooper - Site
32.25 - Horse Mountain Trail #212
33.00 - Towers Mountain Trail #51 / #131
35.75 - Porphry Mountain Trail
37.00 - Bradshaw City Ruins
37.75 - Bradshaw Cemetery "*"
39.25 - Turn to Crown King Road "*"
40.00 - Crown King "*"
"*" - Driving Mileage includes 1.0 mile RT on FR 192 to get to the Bradshaw City Cemetery
For the Majority of this drive (if dry), Only High Clearance is required.
There is one spot that 4 x 4 is currently required. This is video at the 4 X 4 spot.
I did a terrible job of capturing the rough part.
Video has been stabilized to make it viewable.
http://youtu.be/wQfCMDGXMOs
The trip included:
5 old Town-sites
3 Cabins
2 Cemetery's
6/7 Hike and/or Explorations
The Cherokee performed flawlessly!
Thanks for driving JJ!
Hikes and Side trips in separate triplogs / Photosets.
Aprox Mileage to POI's from northern start of the Senator Highway to Crown King.
06.50 - Groom Creek TH
10.25 - Senator Mine
10.50 - Hassayampa Lake
15.40 - Venezia Trail #381
15.50 - Venezia - Site
16.75 - E Cross L Trail #281
17.00 - Palace Station
17.00 - Parking for Palace Station Cemetery
18.25 - Yankee Doodle Trail #284
20.25 - Goodwin - Site
20.75 - FR52 - FR67 intersection
23.00 - Arrastra Creek Trail #275
24.75 - Bradshaw Trail #216
27.00 - Blind Indian Trail #211
30.00 - Hooper - Site
32.25 - Horse Mountain Trail #212
33.00 - Towers Mountain Trail #51 / #131
35.75 - Porphry Mountain Trail
37.00 - Bradshaw City Ruins
37.75 - Bradshaw Cemetery "*"
39.25 - Turn to Crown King Road "*"
40.00 - Crown King "*"
"*" - Driving Mileage includes 1.0 mile RT on FR 192 to get to the Bradshaw City Cemetery
For the Majority of this drive (if dry), Only High Clearance is required.
There is one spot that 4 x 4 is currently required. This is video at the 4 X 4 spot.
I did a terrible job of capturing the rough part.
Video has been stabilized to make it viewable.
http://youtu.be/wQfCMDGXMOs
The trip included:
5 old Town-sites
3 Cabins
2 Cemetery's
6/7 Hike and/or Explorations
The Cherokee performed flawlessly!
Thanks for driving JJ!
2014-09-03 The_Eagle
Senator Highway - Crown King to Prescott
Had to cancel the canyoneering trip to Bear canyon due to high chance of thunderstorms so went 4x4 instead seamed like a great back up plan and it was. Started at Bumble Bee and went the back way to crown king. The entire drive up we could see some nice storm clouds building up and as soon as we entered crown king the sky opened up. It rained on and off the entire drive from Prescott . on the drive back we saw that the 17 was closed so we just took a dirt road from Mayor back to Bumble Bee were the 17 was open again.
2014-07-05 DBmooner
