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Kiddie ride by mt98dew Overview
Disneyland likes to claim that it is the “Happiest Place on Earth”. However outdoor enthusiast may want to offer an opposing theory. Sedona! Sedona has it all for those who like to “ride” the courses of Mother Nature. From 15-mile, jaw-dropping nature immersions to kiddie-friendly 1-mile toe dippings. Sedona is so “happy” that Disneyland borrowed one of Sedona’s main attractions: Thunder Mountain. The Middle Trail is no Thunder Mountain. It is definitely a toe-dipping and as part of the Bell Rock Vista TH system of trails, it acts as a bisector for the Big Park Loop Trail. The TH has bathrooms, a comprehensive map of all the trails in Sedona, a shaded awning, a bike station, and enough parking for about 40 cars. This may sound like a lot, but the lot fills up fast, even on the weekdays. This is a pay-to-use TH. Passes can be purchased on-site. If you plan on making Sedona a repeat destination, I highly recommend getting an annual Red Rock Pass or an annual National Parks “America the Beautiful” Pass. Both work.
The Middle Trail is an interior trail, so some additional hiking is required. From the Bell Rock Vista TH, there is only one obvious trail, the Bell Rock Pathway, that takes off to the east near the shaded trail map. (Note: If you cross 179 at this TH, you can also access the Slim Shady Trail). Initially, this pathway is cordoned, so there is no question where the trail is. At about 0.08 miles, the trail splits. Continue heading east for a short distance to reach the Big Park Loop Trail. Following the Big Park Loop, either direction will get you to the Middle Trail, but CCW is the quickest route. After negotiating a decent-sized wash, you will reach the signed juncture for the Middle Trail in about 0.5 miles. The Middle Trail will take off in a northward direction, hiking directly towards the Courthouse. This is probably one of the best reasons to take this trail. The views of the Courthouse are impressive, and this trail brings you almost to its base. The trail is a single track, composed of hard, compact red clay, and will have the occasional embedded sandstone that Sedona is known for. This trail is very flat. You will begin to gain a little elevation as you start to hike along the slope of a very mild hill. It is so mild you aren’t even aware that the terrain gradually falls away on the western side. The trail becomes a little trench-like as you near the end, but that is the biggest annoyance that this trail offers. This trail ends at 0.46 (about 1 mile from the TH) when it reconnects to the Big Park Loop. Note The Middle Trail is open to bikers; however, this trail is adjacent to trails that tie into the Red Rock Wilderness area, which will restrict some biking routes. Synopsis Honestly, this trail doesn’t offer a whole lot. When heading north, you get some great views of the Courthouse and Bell Rock, but most of the trails in this area offer similar views. This trail is ideal if you want to split up the Big Park Loop or use it to access the Rector Connector (a cool trail that cuts between Bell Rock and the Courthouse), or if you just want to change things up. This trail is probably most often used by the locals for that exact reason. This is definitely a “kiddie ride”, but with Bell Rock and the Courthouse in front of you, the big rides aren’t far away.
Check out the Triplog. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your hike to support this local community. One-Way Notice This hike is listed as One-Way. When hiking several trails on a single "hike", log it with a generic name that describes the hike. Then link the trails traveled, check out the example. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
