Summary: A rocky, narrow trail from the Little Horse Trail to the Chapel of the Holy Cross
Challenge Level: Moderate
Hiking Distance: You'll hike 1.4 miles on the Little Horse trail and another 0.7 miles to reach the Chapel for a total of 2.1 miles; 4.2 miles round trip
Trailhead Directions: Use the Little Horse Trail parking area. From the "Y" roundabout (the intersection of State Route 89A and State Route 179), drive south on SR 179 for 3.5 miles. Once you pass the Back 'O Beyond roundabout, the northbound and southbound lanes of SR 179 split. Shortly you'll see a "Scenic View" sign. Turn left here and proceed across the northbound SR 179 to the parking area.
Description: The Chapel Trail goes between the Chapel of the Holy Cross and the Little Horse Trail. Hike parking is not permitted at the Chapel (they get about 1000 visitors each day and need the parking for them), so you'll need to hike the Chapel trail from the Little Horse Trail. From the parking area, you start by hiking along the Bell Rock Pathway Trail heading south. At 0.3 miles you'll turn left on the Little Horse Trail. You'll intersect the Chapel Trail after about 1.4 miles. Turn left and proceed about 0.6 mile to intersect Chapel Road. Along the way you'll have amazing views of Cathedral Rock to the west, and Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte to the south. You'll also encounter a desert environment and you'll see Ocotillo plants. Turn right at the road and walk up the steep roadway for another 0.1 mile to enjoy the beautiful Chapel. The Chapel is usually open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, although the hours do change on occasion.
Photos:
For those of you who have a GPS unit, I have GPS data available for the hike which include "tracks," the route and waypoints.
For detailed information on this hike, consider purchasing a copy of Great Sedona Hikes by clicking HERE.
Great Sedona Hikes
Last Updated September 2, 2010
Web Page by Bill Bohan (billbo@greatsedonahikes.com)
send an email
with your comments/suggestions to Bill