Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: May 19, 2024
Our goal: the big arch at the end of the trail. Easier said than done. Sedona and the red rock canyons were beautiful. It was crowded and parking at every trailhead was hard to find. It was a sunny day, and I was covered up with long hiking pants, long sleeved shirt, hat covering my neck (to protect myself from cancer Graft vs Host Disease) and a heavy backpack with lots of water. We began by hiking 1 mile on the Mescal Trail past wildflowers, mesquite, cactus and of course, small lizards. We then hiked .7 miles on the Chuck Wagon Trail. Two groups of mountain bikers were also biking on the trail, so we had to stop and step aside a couple of times which was annoying. Farther on the trail we came upon a man hiking with a large white yak (Photo#3). He tried to get hikers to pay to get a photo with the yak. We then connected with Devils Bridge Trail for the final .8 miles which felt more like 5 miles. This was a popular trail and crowded with hikers. We slowly ascended the switchbacks and rock steps. Twice, there were treacherous climbs of about twenty steps (Photo#5) up curving large and small rocks (local hikers called them rock ladders). After the second climb, the trail leveled off and one hundred yards later we came to the arch. There was a line of hikers who, one at a time, walked out across the top of the arch to get a solo photo. Some people were jumping up in the air to get an airborne photo. Kind of risky if someone slips and plummets far below. Still, I took great panoramic pictures of the national forest canyons. Coming back down the trail to the truck was a lot easier and we talked to hikers from Mississippi, California and Taiwon. Overall, we hiked about five demanding but fun miles.
