Schnebly Hill Road is the trick.
Schnebly Hill get's it's name from T.C. Schnebly, whose daughter, Sedona, is the inspiration for the towns name. Schnebly had submitted several names to the U.S. Postmaster including Oak Creek Crossing and Schnebly Station but was told that the names were to long for the postmark. His brother, Ellsworth suggested using his daughters name.
Schnebly Hill Road also known as Forest Road 153 can be traversed from two starting points. The most common is from Sedona. As you drive into Sedona you will have to cross Oak Creek about 15 miles along State Route 179 from it's junction with Interstate 17. As 179 curves left to cross the creek, you should keep going straight and are now on Schnebly Hill Rd. The intersection is well marked so it's not easy to miss.
The road was originally a trail used by the Munds family of Norther Arizona to move their cattle from winter grazing in the Verde Valley to the summer pasture on top of the Mogollon Rim. The trail was upgraded in the early 20th century to a road and gave Verde Valley residents a shorter way to Flagstaff and then later the road was bypassed by State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon.
Schnebly Hill Rd. is paved for the first mile and then it becomes a typical graded wasboard Arizona dirt road. The road can be a bit rough and a high clearance vehicle is by far the best bet, but with careful driving it can be done in a sedan.
The road starts in Bear Wallow Canyon and begins climbing up the face of the hill twisting around the terrain. The road can sometimes look dangerous but the uphill lane hugs the wall most of the way up. As you climb, you'll come across turnouts and these turnouts are where you can start getting your first looks at Sedona from above.
Six miles up you reach the top and Schnebly Hill Vista where you can take in Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon and many of the famous red rock spires and buttes. The vista is about 1,800 feet higher in elevation than Sedona and gives you a grand view all the way across the Verde Valley to Mingus Mountain, upon which Jerome is perched and if the sun is right in the sky you can see the glint off the windows in Jerome.
From the vista you can turn around and head back down Schnebly Hill Rd. or you can continue on and climb up into Ponderosa Pine and continue on to Interstate 17. If you continue onto I-17 you can turn right at the junction and head back down to State Route 179 and head back to Sedona or you can turn left and head towards Munds Park (the same family who created Schnebly Hill Rd. originally) and on into Flagstaff.
Whichever way you choose to go from the vista, Schnebly Hill Rd. is another great Arizona backroad that can not be missed. ·
