Summary: This hike goes to the top of Wilson Mountain, the highest mountain in the Sedona area.
Challenge Level: Hard
Hiking Distance: From the parking area to the top is about 5 miles
Trailhead Directions: From the "Y" (the intersection of State Route 179 and State Route 89A), go north on SR 89A for 1 mile. Park on the north side of the Midgley Bridge.
Description: Trail starts at Midgley Bridge and goes up a rocky trail 2.4 miles with a 1,600 ft elevation change to the "first bench", a long plateau running the length of the east side of the mountain. From there you go another 1.0 mile and 800 feet higher to the tool shed where fire tools are stored. From there you turn left/south. From a high point (7000+ft, the highest mountain in Sedona) you can see the San Francisco peaks to the north. Go another quarter mile to the edge for fantastic views overlooking Sedona. It is snowy in the winter!!! Round trip hiking distance is about 10 miles. Difficult but worth it!
Photos:
Here is a view of Wilson Mountain from Mitten Ridge to give you some idea how high it is
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 4, 2010
Web Page by Bill Bohan (billbo@greatsedonahikes.com)
Text and photos by Lou Camp