Sedona Announces New Shuttle Trailhead Service
By Lauren Wong
I’d say almost every time I take a trip to Sedona it’s like playing the lottery to find a spot. If you’re looking to park near any of the top rated trailheads, it’s likely you’ll spend a decent chunk of time hoping your car happens to be the one closest to whichever fills back up with hikers done for the day.
The last time I went to Sedona, I added an extra mile to my hike to get to Devil’s Bridge, and was lucky I happened to be next to a car that pulled out down the road. So, I would say it’s pretty exciting news that Sedona has announced the beginning of these new free shuttles.
On March 24, 2022 these free, eco-friendly, shuttles started running and take you to some of Sedona’s favorite trails. The City of Sedona is behind this public transit system that runs year-round every Thursday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Not only does this work towards protecting the environment, but it’ll also lessen the amount of cars out on the roads that cause traffic jams during tourist season. March 24th is just the beginning of the City of Sedona’s Transit Implementation Plan. Phase one has gone underway with routes that take you to four of Sedona’s most sought after trailheads; Cathedral Rock, Soldier Pass, Dry Creek, and Little Horse. As of now, the shuttle connects two convenient park and ride lots to these four trails.
This coming summer they’ll be adding service to Mescal trailhead, and later this year they’ll launch an app-based demand response service, as well as other additional services to come. Shuttles come around every 15-30 minutes throughout the day. If you’re hoping to hike the iconic Devil’s Bridge Trail, take the Dry Creek Trailhead Shuttle, Routes 11 or 12, from the Posse Grounds Park to the Dry Creek Trailhead.
The idea for the Sedona Area Transit Implementation Plan was first adopted in early 2020. Eventually, their plan is to create a network of public transit services that’ll take you through the Village of Oak Creek and Oak Creek Canyon. Sedona Shuttle’s website breaks down their whole plan that’s designed to target three major issues.
- Improve mobility for residents of Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek and Oak Creek Canyon.
- Improve access for the region’s hospitality employees.
- Enhance the visitor experience while reducing the negative environmental impacts of tourism.
Keep an eye out for updates as they move forward into the next phases.
To utilize these services, you can download the TransLoc app from Google Play or the App store. Or, follow this link to their Real-time page and maps.