Hike on Huckaby Trail

On 25 January 2014 thirteen Skyliners hiked Huckaby Trail from Schnebly Hill Road to Midgley Bridge and returned. Although Huckaby is a very well-known trail, I had never before hiked it.

From Cottonwood, we drove north on Hwy 89A to Sedona, turned onto Hwy 179 south and proceeded 0.3 miles before turning north onto Schnebly Hill Road. The trailhead parking lot, signed for Margs Draw and Huckaby trails, is located just 0.8 miles ahead, where the pavement ends and Schnebly Hill becomes a rough dirt road. On parking we walked to the end of the parking lot and found a sign for Huckaby Trail (above) posted sign near the kiosk.

This trail leaves the parking area heading in a westerly direction and is at first generally level. However, after about 0.2 miles, Margs Draw trail leads off to the left and Huckaby descends rather steeply into Bear Wallow Canyon and then switchbacks up the other side to top out on a ridge overlooking Oak Creek and Sedona. We arrived on the ridge just as the sun was struggling to break through a light cloud cover and the view was fantastic.

Looking across Oak Creek and Sedona from Huckaby Trail

Just over a mile from the trailhead we found ourselves following generally along a contour line on the southern slope of Mitten Ridge about 250 feet above Oak Creek. Sedona was still spread out below us and the morning sun, gradually winning its battle with the clouds, highlighted the red rock formations, rendering them in shades of pastel. We decided to stop for a group photograph with that view for a background.

Left to right: Gary Jacobson, Jim Manning, Terry Johnson, Kwi Johnson, Collene Maktenieks, Pete 

Bolinger, Bob Coates, Daisy Williams, Dave Beach, Frank Lombardo, Felicia Coats, and Ruth Frazier 

– author not shown

As we continued along the slope of Mitten Ridge we gradually drew closer to Hwy 89A and its steady roar of traffic as the road made its way up Oak Creek Canyon toward Midgley Bridge. This is the down side to hiking on a trail so close to a populated area. One can never escape the crowds and the noise. But we did have excellent scenery to enjoy and we had started our hike before most of the tourists were stirring, so mostly had the trail to ourselves for the first part of the hike.

Soon we came to the descent into Oak Creek Canyon. From here we could look up the canyon to Midgley Bridge, the end of our trail.

Looking up Oak Creek Canyon to Midgley Bridge

Also along this stretch of trail we had a good view of Steamboat Rock (left). I think I would have named it Tugboat Rock, but someone else got there first.

The descent to Oak Creek was fairly steep, Some 200 feet in about 0.5 miles. After reaching the creek, the trail follows it upstream for about 0.6 miles to the creek crossing. Along here, the trail winds up and down the slope of the canyon wall, never rising or falling very far, but also not the expected easy stroll along a gently-sloping streambank.

There are actually two crossings, as the creek is split into two flows at this point. The first crossing, carrying the major part of the stream was the most hazardous and several of our hikers chose to stop there for lunch rather than attempt the crossing.

First crossing when hiking the trail from Schnebly Hill Trailhead

The second crossing, located about 0.2 miles from the first, carried less water and was much easier. Both crossings (above and below) are shown here in photographs taken on the return trip.

Second crossing when hiking the trail from Schnebly Hill Trailhead

After the first crossing, Huckaby Trail continues upstream on the other side of the creek for a little over 0.1 mile to the second crossing. It then switchbacks up the canyon wall almost to Hwy 89A, turns south and continues parallel to, and just below, the roadway to pass under the north end of Midgley Bridge. After crossing under the bridge it climbs steeply via stone steps to the parking lot. We found another trailhead sign (above) posted there.

The below map shows the trail from the first creek crossing to the parking lot at Midgley Bridge.

Showing Huckaby Trail from the first creek crossing to the parking lot at Midgley Bridge

The below photograph shows Midgley Bridge from the parking lot. The trailhead sign is visible at lower left. Kwi has just passed under the bridge and started up the stone steps.

Midgley Bridge from the parking lot. Kwi has just started climbing the stone steps.

We had taken a bit longer to reach the bridge from the crossing than we had supposed and there was no cellphone reception deep in the canyon, so one of our number turned back to tell those waiting at the crossing that we were eating lunch at the bridge and suggest that they start back to the Schnebly Hill Trailhead. We would catch up after we finished lunch. The rest of us ate a leisurely lunch at a nearby picnic table before starting the return hike.

According to my GPS the distance from the trailhead at Schnebly Hill Road to the trailhead at Midgley Bridge is 3.3 miles, so the hike was 6.6 miles round trip. The distance from the first creek crossing to the parking lot was 0.6 miles, so those who stopped at the creek hiked 5.4 miles. The highest elevation was 4525 feet and the elevation difference was 396 feet. However, with all the interim ascents and descents along the way, we climbed a total of about 900 feet as we hiked the trail both ways.

The included map (below) shows the entire trail from the Schnebly Hill Road Trailhead to the Midgley Bridge Trailhead in red.