Broken Arrow Trail

It’s not the quietest hike in sedona, but it is one of the prettiest. What it lacks in solitude is easily balanced by the amazing views

If it’s a scenic hike you’re after, they don’t come much prettier than Sedona’s Broken Arrow Trail, located off Hwy 179. The trail takes you over patches of smooth slick rock, through green juniper forests, and along the base of towering red rocks, ending at one of the most sublime spots in town. If you are looking for peace and quiet, however, be forewarned you won’t find it at Broken Arrow, particularly on the weekend. The adjacent dirt road is easily the most popular jeep route in Sedona, used by private jeeps and Pink Jeep Tour Co. While the hiking trail avoids the road for the most part, the sound of engines and laughing passengers is never far from earshot. The trail is also very popular with mountain bikers. While you won’t find solitude along this hike, don’t discount the fun you can have watching jeeps climb seemingly impossible terrain or daring bike riders trying not to tumble over their handlebars.

From the parking area at the end of Morgan Rd., cross the jeep road and head south along the trail. At .2 mile you’ll reach a red rock shelf that heads west around Battlement Mesa, its craggy walls stained black with desert varnish. At .4 mile watch for some large boulders surrounding the trail, obviously remnants of a rock slide from the mesa. You won’t see much wildlife along this trail – the steady stream of people in the area tends to keep critters hidden in the juniper and manzanita.

At .72 mile the trail reaches the Devil’s Dining Room, a sinkhole about 30 feet wide and 90 feet deep surrounded by a barbed wire fence, which provides refuge for bats (its cousin, the Devil’s Kitchen, is located off the Soldier Pass Trail). Don’t toss anything into the sinkhole lest you disturb the nocturnal mammals.

At 1.09 miles you will come to a junction in the trail – the fork to the left leads to Submarine Rock while the trail to the right ends at Chicken Point, the destination of this hike. As you head toward Chicken Point look over your shoulder for incredible views of the Crimson Cliffs (home of Snoopy Rock, though it’s hard to see from this vantage point), the dark volcanic crust of Wilson Mountain, Sedona’s highest point, Cibola Ridge and the Cibola Mitten, and the peak of Capitol Butte, or Thunder Mountain.

The trail ends 1.86 miles from the trailhead at Chicken Point, located behind the Twin Buttes and the Chapel of the Holy Cross (the Chapel isn’t visible from this area). The views from Chicken Point include Bell Rock, Castle Rock, Mingus Mountain, and Hwy 179. You really experience a top-of-the-world sensation at the Point, even though you actually haven’t climbed too far from where you started. A natural rock bench sits at the point, perfect for postcard shots of the whole family or just quiet reflection. Go back to the trailhead the way you came for a roundtrip hike of slightly less than three miles. •

DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 179 head east on Morgan Rd. to the end of the road where the pavement turns to dirt. Cross a cattle gate and turn into the parking area on your left. A Red Rock Pass is required for parking. Passes are not sold at the trailhead and there are no restrooms.

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