I was just wondering if anyone has current directions for parking/hiking into Sedona Scenic Cruise. Construction has changed all of the pullouts and I'd love to not get lost for a hours looking for it:)Any information would be awesome.

Thanks!
Jess

You can find excellent directions here: http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_Stat>>>>>

There is a potential approach from another parking lot along 179 south of Chapel Road. I haven't done that one, only the one described above.

Surely there's a better alternative to walking along the highway for a mile.

How about starting from the Chapel Trail?

You could probably take the Chapel Trail over that direction, try to link up with the trail that runs north/south towards Courthouse Butte (not sure what the name of that trail is, but could find out) and then head to SSC, but I'm thinking it would be a bit of a hike (long) and you'd sort of have to know the area enough to catch the right drainage that will take you to the slabs leading up to the base of the route (just sayin' bushwhacking it wouldn't be much fun).

There are quite a few trails in the area. What we need Larry is for you or someone else to go walk and find one. Otherwise, the only known way in, causing the least damage to the fragile soil (check out the hike into the Mace and look what's happened there), is posted already.

I saw some alternatives from the top of the wall. I just haven't the time or inclination to find another way in. Good luck.

Whatever you do, DON'T stop at a sweatlodge!

Thanks everyone! We'll see how it goes.

I was there recently, trying to figure out a way to get to SSC.

It was clear that the Bell Rock area had changed quite a bit from the info I had at hand. My partner and I rejected the possibility of walking along the highway as not only unaesthetic, but unsafe.

Here's a map. Admittedly it's not the best scale, but SSC about where the "B" in "Bell Rock Pathway" is.

The HT trail apparently passes under the highway?? And that's where walking along the highway would bring you??

Little Horse seems to be the nearest pullout ("T" on the map, for trailhead).

Bring your GPS, Jess! Post the waypoints for us.

I must have done the Mace too long ago to remember any crypto soil...all I recall is slickrock. Maybe the crypto was already gone. Or maybe it wasn't formed yet!

What's this joke about a sweatlodge? Oh never mind, it wouldn't be funny anymore.

Here's the basic layout of the area from the route down to Bell Rock. Given some time, I could expand this map to include the area of the Chapel in the Rock and the Church Spires/Chicken point. This map is (obviously) from the old parking pullout, but you can extrapolate. The bike trail comes over from the Chicken Point area, but on the Chapel side after you start bombing down towards the road. Still can't recall what the name of the trail is, but I've ridden it...

Hope this helps.

Parking for climbers is at the Mystic trail head which north and is the parking for the Planetarium Area (sport area). Walk up the road for about five minutes on the pavement below and past the Chapel and look for the faint unmarked Chapel trail head which is before the Chapel parking lot. The Chapel trail heads along the base toward the southeast and it intersects with the Little Horse trail which becomes the trail that heads north to Chicken Point and Submarine Rock so don't go north. If you head back down Little Horse trail off the Chapel trail intersection toward the south for about ten minutes then it become T's off on to the Llama trail and this is the one that will take you closest to the base of the Scenic Cruise. Looks like a great climb with and excellent position. Cheers.

Due to me being an idiot who can't use the right rappel anchors and cant remember all of his gear I had to do this approach 4 times in 1 week so Ive got some decent beta.

Since the recent construction the road is divided through that whole section and there is no roadside parking. If you are approaching from the north (i.e. Flagstaff) on on 179 you will pass Back 'o Beyond road which is the last main intersection before the road becomes divided. Within .5 - 1 mile there is a turn off to the left (a scenic pullout) that crosses through the other highway (this is marked by road signs). Follow the main trail out of this parking lot (something about a horse trail) right in front of the bathroom. This goes through a main dry wash and just after the wash it meets up with another main trail. Shortly after the trails join you will pass over a stone type bridge that goes over a small wash. Take a left into this wash and follow it up towards the cliff side. Eventually you follow a right fork and continue to follow this new wash all the way to the bottom of the route. This right fork is marked by cairns and the rest of the trail is marked as well.

Sorry for the wall of text but I hope that helps.

Zak

Edit: the picture above is a perfect example on where trail is from the stone bridge that I talked about.