Arizona - Mystic Trail

 

When we arrived the Town Park Gazebo had been surrounded by fencing but last week it was taken down and these signs appeared around the park.

From our place we could see the crowd gathering and hear the speeches start

so we walked over in time to hear the mayor thanking council, the recreation committee and the contractors for their work on restoring the "jewel at Clarkdales centre" then invite us all

to enjoy the food provided. It was a delicious lunch of sandwiches, potato chips, fruit and water.

Unfortunately this meant that we were into the early afternoon when we got to the Cathedral Rock trailhead. The two parking lots were full and cars were circulating ready to snap up any spot made available. 

We decided to try somewhere else and as it wasn't far I suggested we take a look at the chapel built up in the rocks beside Sedona. When we got there it too was congested with cars jockeying for position, so we turned around and heading back down saw a parking spot near a trailhead.

We decided that Mystic looked doable with the Pig Tail loop added in. On this map you can also see part of the Hog Wash and Hog Heaven trails that we found so challenging before (I get PTSD just seeing the names)

 

From the starting point on the trail we could see the chapel, blending beautifully into the rock around it.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross, sitting high atop the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona, was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude. In 1932 she was inspired to build such a church by the construction of the Empire State Building. The 2 world wars hindered completing her vision but the chapel was finally completed in 1956. from the chapels website.

As usual

beautiful views

in all

directions.

Sedona gets more rain than Clarkdale

so there is a lot

more green in evidence

but I am also loving the dead and

half dead

twisted and

gnarled, tree sculptures.

The walk itself

was quite comfortable, mostly flat with just an occasional scramble.

Sometimes the heavy mountain bike usage makes the trail easier to follow and smoother, other times it makes it slippery.

An easy and quite warm walk (as it was in the heat of the day).

Back home I took the opportunity to photograph the band shell without the people and read the plaque - built in 1915 in the town centre. Back then the park had stone pillars and turnstiles at the entrance and a wire fence to stop the burros from eating the grass.