getting to the homestead

hey all, what is the current situation of the road to the homestead? is it still pretty nasty?

I was there last Saturday. The road is definitely rough, though as a first timer to the Homestead, not sure if this is better or worse than in the past. A few trucks made it to the trailhead. My gf and I did the walk, took about 45 minutes. The walk out is quite pleasant at sunset, just makes for a long day. If you have a recreational vehicle, go for it! If you are using your daily driver, you may want to ponder the risks/benefits of tackling the road. Regardless of the state of the road when compared to the past, the drive is an adventurous task to say the least.

So. Just to get this straight, as I've never heard a time frame to walk the road to the trailhead, it takes ONLY 45 MINUTES?!?!

This is downright incredible, all of this nonsense about the road conditions over the last however-many-years just so people don't have to walk an extra 45 minutes?? To give some perspective for these *cough*sport climbers*cough*, in Prescott we have to walk about 1.5 hours one way to get to our premier crag due to it being in a wilderness area.

Am I missing something here? or are people not willing to slow down and smell the cholla anymore?

(Not trolling, not looking for flaming, just an answer as to why climbers of all people don't want to walk an extra 45 mins. to breathe some fresh air.)

Thanks,
Mac

Yep, it takes about 45-1hr to get to where you leave your car if you drive in.

while we're here..how are the bees this year?

Mac M, 45 minutes to where you park your car. It's still 20 minutes from there to get to the climbs! What are we hikers or climbers? Just cause you Prescott shmucks have to walk 1.5 hours to get to that rubble heap Granite Mountain doesn't mean the rest of us want to hike that far to climb.

I always go to Thumb Butte when in Prescott, and even that is a bit of a hump up the hill. At least I don't have to carry a rack!

Actually the last time I climbed at Granite the road into the campground was closed and we hiked in from some other road. That was a long day.

If I can get in do they have any handicap spots?

A friend and I went out last year in March and there was a large africanized bee's nest on the cliff leading to Tufa City, but nothing at that wall or on the Rough Rider.

ah so you can still get in there even if you don't have a hummer, you just have to walk 45 (extra) minutes?

The road currently requires high clearance and 4x4. If you have that, you're good. Decent tires definitely help. Some people hit the line all wrong and it makes it a lot more difficult to get up the crux of the road.

Many bee hives in the walls. I know of at least one hive in each Slate Nation, Finland Terrace, North Butt, Rough Rider, Welcome wall, and Mouse wall. I've also seen wasp nests in the trees between Welcome wall and Bone Town in the past. Tufa City has had multiple hives in the past but I haven't noticed any this year. Be careful and never be aggressive towards the bees. If they bother you, gently and calmly move away.