Offroading on the Greasy Spoon
How many off-road trails have you been on that has a weird name? Do you wonder why it is so? I know Moab has plenty, especially the extreme trails, like Hell’s Revenge, Chicken Corners, and others. But for today’s off-road trail, aptly called the Greasy Spoon, are we driving on a spoon with grease? Well, not quite, but it is supposed to be in a shape of a spoon with a little grease, maybe.
I have wanted to drive the Greasy Spoon for a long time as it is located in the beautiful, but way too many tourists, town of Sedona in Arizona. For those of you who may not have heard of Arizona or been to it yet (it should be on your bucket list!), this town is located in central Arizona with plenty of colorful red rock for your viewing pleasure, lot of hiking and off-roading, sight seeing and the many art galleries in the heart of Sedona.
Here are some facts about the Greasy Spoon:
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Distance: 5.8 miles to 11 miles (round trip for 11 miles)
Route type: point to point
Elevation: 528 feet
It is really hard not to be mesmerized with the beauty of Sedona, with all the red rock beckoning you to stop for a moment and drink in everything you see. It can be distracting! But it was time to get started and we were with our local group of Ford Bronco enthusiasts. As most offroad trails starts, off easy, with small hills and rocks to climb. We seem to have picked up an entourage of offroading enthusiasts as we drove on the Greasy Spoon. We always try to be courteous as we drive on the dirt trails, either move over and let others through if we are slower, or try to drive slow as we pass them, so as not to pick up dust and throw it at them.
As we come to an open space (kind of like a place to rest), we stop to eat our lunches and rest for a bit. After this, the road does get rockier. So here comes the somewhat hard part. There are some sharp turns as you go on these hills, so careful driving and a short wheel based vehicle will be most helpful. I am constantly sticking my arms out the passenger window, taking photos both forward and backward as those mountains still are enticing to look at.
The steep hills came soon enough and sure does get to be a challenge! But what is an offroad trails without some challenges? I sure am glad we are with others just in case a problem arises, like something could break. Meanwhile, we space our vehicles apart so if there is a problem, only one vehicle has the problem. Which did happen and we banded together to help our fellow friend.
The views are amazing and make sure to have a camera available. Sometimes, I just can not get enough photos of a very scenic area. But then, the views and the photos are not enough, and the drive seems such a long time.
Sometimes when we are driving, it can get long and monotonous. Even with magnificent views, I wonder when the drive will be over. I stare out the window, looking down the road, and wonder when we will get back on pavement again. I then chide myself, thinking how lucky I am to be here, even if it gets a little rough. Do you ever feel this way on a trail ride? Well, I just count my lucky stars, as not everyone gets this opportunity to go in the wilds of the country, exploring and seeking what we came to find.
Greasy Spoon is a fun trail to explore and see views of Sedona you can't see from the main roads. If you have the time, check out the Patatki and Honanki on the Outlaw Trail.
Here is a link to another blog about offroading in Sedona. As we finished the Greasy Spoon trail, one of the Broncos broke down. As a team, we helped the driver with a temporary fix until they could get to a shop. Driving with a group of people is not only safe but can provide a joyful time for all. Enjoy offroading on the Greasy Spoon in Sedona, Arizona next time you are out there!
Directions to the Greasy Spoon trail: From the intersection of Highways 89A and 179 in the middle of Sedona, drive west on 89A about 3.1 miles and turn right on paved Dry Creek Road. Go north 2.8 miles and turn left at a T, then left again at another T at 4.5 miles. A well traveled dirt road heads southwest. Ignore numerous side roads. Finally turn left at 7.6 miles. This begins the trail.
