Hi all.!!!.
The Kids are grow'd and I'm back into hiking etc.
Due to my odd rotating shift schedule I am more often off on weekdays than weekends.
I would like to find others who Day hike on weekdays...
Any takers.???.
For me the when is more important than the where.
[ and if you know where we'd be going, even better ]
Hopefully I'll have a decent pic to put up soon.
Z-Dan
Hey, let us know when ya wanna come up here. We hike every day. Today was our 160th consecutive day without missing a day--rain, sleet, snow, mud, dogs and all. Yeah. So, let us know. Doesn't matter what day.
Thanks for the reply.
Not too savy here yet, my first day on this site.
Your profile says AZ, MapQuest thinks NV.
Sooo, I'm confused, Where exactly are you.???.
I love Mapquest-I truly do. However, I have learned to take Mapquest's "facts" with the proverbial "grain of salt." Trust me, Mapquest ain't always right and sometimes you could make the case that it's more often wrong that right. But, whatever, I love Mapquest-I truly do.
Anyway, there is a certified National Monument in Arizona's Verde Valley called "Montezuma Well National Monument." Trust me, Google won't let you down on this one. Type it in and see what happens. (66,800 listings when I checked just a moment ago!)
We live in the near vicinity of this National Monument, hence the "ID" "montezumawell."
It is a short distance off of I-17 and roughly 250,000 people find there way here each year, Japanese tour busses included. It is 13 miles to the Bell Rock Trailhead and farther to the various headliner trails for which Sedona is (in)famous (and crowded).
Hope this helps. When in doubt, use Google, not Mapquest.
Thanks. I was mainly using MapQuest in order to get an idea of travel time. Looks to be about 5hrs Round Trip to Sedona for me. I'll be working nights this weekend. Next would be to find a hike to do. My next good stretch of days off will be the week of Apr 18.
Any suggestions on a good hike.???. Not too hard.
Dan
ANY hike in Sedona is great but one of my personal favorites is Boynton Canyon. It's not too difficult and about 5 miles RT. It's also a great hike to do during the week since on the weekends it's pretty crowded.
Since you live in Chandler, you are at a distinct disadvantage thinking about going to Sedona to day hike.
Personally, I kinda hate to recommend Sedona for a day hike when you are sitting in a car for 5 hours. OUCH! What you might want to consider is staying overnight to maximize the cost and time of driving up and back.
The Sedona "trail system" is, indeed, a worthy destination. If you figure the gas costs these days for a day trip, it's getting fairly cost effective to factor in an overnight stay or two.
You get more hike time and the "drive time" remains the same. I could walk you through an "pleasure hour cost analysis" but neither of us want to go there!!!
Anyway, that would be our suggestion. Options have value! Eh?
If, however, you wanted to jam down some "quality day hiking" in Sedona on a single day here is what we recommend.
Drive to the Village of Oak Creek (VOC). It's the suburb of Sedona that you first encounter when you are driving off of I-17 toward Sedona.
Plan on doing two hikes in a single LOOOOOONG day.
Here they are in no order of priority. The beauty is that you can "refuel" at a VOC eatery between hikes. Anything between a $2.49 Subway Special to Top Dollar Noshing.
Bell Rock-Courthouse Butte Loop. 4 miles. Way cool hike.
Baldwin-Templeton-Cathedral Rock Saddle. Not quite 4 miles. Way cool hike.
You get ALL of the "Sedona Experience" between these two hikes. Vistas. Vegetation. Creekside. Slickrock. Even tourists, too!
But, truly, this pair of hikes is "as good as they get" when viewed in a bigger picture perspective of what's available and what's "doable" in a time-efficiency analysis.
Sorry to be Type A--sometimes I can't avoid it.
j
PS--With ALL due respect to Trishness who is a totally relevant contributor to HAZ in ALL WAYS, I would have to warn you that if you decided to go to Boynton Canyon you need to add 60-90 minutes round trip to your drive time from Chandler. It's five hours RT to "the Sedona fringe" from Chandler and then a considerable drive time to get to the Boynton TH from Sedona. If traffic is slow, it can be a tedious experience!
I talked with a credible Forest Service "source" yesterday about the "load" at Boynton right now. How does 40 cars sound? The 20-car parking lot filled by 9 a.m. this Monday and then the drivers draped their cars along the right-of-way for a considerable distance away from the TH. And that was a Monday! Food for thought.
Holy Cannoli! 40 cars on a MONDAY???? It's because of that #%$@* monstrosity of a resort they built at the head of that canyon and now everyone goes there. It was on this hike in 2003 that I saw a woman hiking in color coordinated capri pants (designer, I'm sure) and HEELS on the slickrock with a 16 oz bottle of water in JULY!
Templeton/Baldwin/Cathedral is a choice alternate hike. I also like Broken Arrow to Chicken Point and then the hike down to Submarine Rock.
I agree that it's best to stay overnight due to the drive and get two hikes in if you can. There are some reasonable rates in West Sedona and don't forget breakfast at the "Coffee Pot" restaurant (home of 1000 omellettes~~they even have a PB&J omellette!)
Thanks for all the replies.
I'll get up to Sedona to hike with you sometime.
If anyone hikes weekdays and would like some company let me know,
I just might be off that day.
Working nights this weekend.
Dan
Hi,
I personally enjoy the short day hike up to Devil`s Bridge off the Dry Creek road in Sedona.
If you`re interested in an afternoon easy day hike, I am coming down for a 4 day hike into Havasu on Nov 1st...a Tuesday. I am thinking about a warm up day hike that day before going into Havasu on Wedensday...if your`e free hit me back and we`ll talk...I am thinking a quick jaunt into Hackberry spring in the "Supes" from the First Water Trailhead...a nice couple of hour thing to do in the afternoon with a nice canyon with a short section of narrows and a spring with trees.
Scott.....an Arizona native in exile in the rain soaked state of Washington
Dan, I often day hike in the supers. Either a loop or out and back. Also go out and clear trail occasionally for the FS. Did Angel Basin a few weeks ago and took some of my grandkids to the Dacite Mine also. They were disappointed - no bats this time.
I like to go off trail and check out side canyons and ruins (mining, ranching, indian etc.). Don't currently have a four wheel drive vehicle but drive slow around and over the rocks. Kinda like I hike. Don't power hike for the exercise but instead go to see whats behind the rocks and hills. Life's to important to speed through it.
Send me a message if you want to join up with me.
A man's body may grow old, but inside his spirit can still be as young and restless as ever.
- Garth McCann from the movie Second Hand Lions
SuperstitionGuy
I'd love to go hiking, sometime. It's been a while since I have been able to go. Which of course means that I am waay outta hiking shape.
My next "long change" is in March 18-30.
Sooo, if you're going somewhere during that time, let me know.
Route Editor
Route Scout
