Photo: Nik Schulz
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After heading out of Sedona we made our way over to Prescott for some more backcountry exploration and to say hello the team at Overland Journal.
A quick note: if you find yourself on Highway 89A about 20 miles northeast of Prescott, you’ll be within spitting distance of Jerome, AZ. Do yourself a favor and stop. Jerome is an old mining town that’s half deserted, half lived-in and 100% amazing. I’d tell you more but unfortunately we didn’t have time to stop. Word had it there was a BBQ on at the Overland Journal.
Update: Here’s a quick video of the trip.
Over hotdogs, I finally met Matthew Scott, my contact there for contributions to their site, Expedition Portal. We also got to chat for a bit with the Journal’s publisher, Scott Brady, who was on a quick leave from his Expedtions 7 travels, which are taking him around the world in a pair of Land Cruisers. Wouldn’t it have been great if I’d remembered to take some photos while we were there? Ah, well…
I did manage to snap a photo over at Adventure Trailers, the Journals neighbors across the way. Here’s a trailer they were getting ready to ship to the Middle East. LED lighting, integrated fridges, kitchens, tents, water and propane tanks, they’re pretty cool.
Photo: Nik Schulz
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When it was time to take off, Scott gave me their Benchmark Atlas for Arizona and suggested a route south to the town of Crown King. Unfortunately we couldn’t get there because of a forest fire, so we picked our own route through a place called Crooks Canyon. We soon found out that we’d picked a challenging little road for ourselves.
After leaving Prescott, we drove south on 52, the Senator Highway — don’t let the big name fool you, it’s dirt almost all the way — to an old stage coach stop called Palace Station (see the photo at the top). Built in 1875, it was a stop on the road from Prescott to mines further out. The map listed it as “Police Station.” I already sent in the correction…
Photo: Nik Schulz
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After Palace Station we made our way south and west on 82A through Crooks Canyon. The road got immediately rougher. I had to get out a few times to figure out the best line to take over the terrain.
Photo: Natalie Menacho .
Photo: Nik Schulz .
It was a good 15 miles of remote, rough road. We averaged about 5 mph — when we were moving. Besides checking the right lines, we got out to meet and greet the local flora & fauna.
Photo: Nik Schulz
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Meeting a real, live horned toad was a personal highlight for Natalie.
Photo: Natalie Menacho
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After what seemed like an endless series of slow switchbacks along the side of the canyon, we came across the falling down remains of an old shack, a rusty bulldozer, and a pair of honest-to-god mine shafts, the kind that people explore on a dare and never make it out of, or so they looked.
Photos: Natalie Menacho .
Eventually we made it down to the base of the valley where the road smoothed out tracing a dry river bed. The roughest bits were now behind us.
Photos: Nik Schulz .
A little further on, we spotted a ranch and then a real road. We’d made it through! A few more miles of washboard and we’d be on to the highway, and our next destination, Joshua Tree.
Photo: Natalie Menacho .
Photo: Nik Schulz .
Photo: Natalie Menacho
Camping:
For this section of the trip we camped in the Prescott National Forest on Copper Basin Road, just outside of town. For more information go to the Ranger Station in Prescott and pick up a pamphlet titled, “Designated Dispersed Camping in the Prescott Basin.” It details eleven different locationa containing almost 100 campsites.
Trail Ratings:
Up to Palace Station the road is pretty easy, 2 of 10. Crooks Canyon is difficult, 5 of 10, with a couple of sections where you’ll have to choose your line wisely and negotiate steep, loose climbs. (For trail ratings, I use ratings system in Peter Massey’s Backcountry Adventure series as a guide.)
Map:
Update: Here’s a quick video of the trip.
Previous: Southwest Trip, Part 3: Sedona
Next: Southwest Trip, Part 5: Joshua Tree
Great writeup, as always. I’m enjoying your trips a great deal. My next adventure will be four days hiking in the Grand Canyon followed by a week’s traverse of southern Utah. It will be late October, so hope the weather holds for us.
Thanks, Dale. I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying them. Have a great trip to the Grand Canyon. It sounds fun.
Keep having fun out “there” too, Nik. This is a great time to be outside.
Fantastic trip, Nik. Way to live true to the Fleming/Bond philosophy, “Never say ‘no’ to adventures. Always say ‘yes’, otherwise you’ll lead a very dull life”.
-Gm
Thanks, Greg. It’s true. I feel like you really embody that as well. Thanks for saying yes to so many of our adventures.