Going up to Sedona for a few days next week with the family. I did a search and found some great place to go. I have done Schnebly Hill before and I was looking to maybe do Broken Arrow, Smiley rock, or Oak Creek Homestead trail. Are these do able in a stock 05 X? Or if anybody has any other cool spot's I am up for idea's. just nothing to extreme. Thanks in advance.

Broken Arrow, Schnebly Hill, Oak Creek all doable in a stock 4x4.

Smiley Rock, I cannot say for sure. Never done done it, but I heard there is a large rockgarden section that may cause stock trucks some rocker panel damage.

Thanks a lot for the reply t-ray. Anybody else have something to add I am really looking forward to this trip and any more input would be greatly appreciated. any good not to difficult hiking trails?

Do you have sliders?

Soldier Pass is a fun short one if so.

Greasy Spoon is a not far from Broken Arrow and you could do that one easily.

Pipeline is outside of town and you could make that without sliders as well as Boynton Pass. . Seen the jeep tours on these so you most likely won't be alone.

Smiley Rock is not really in Sedonda...more like Jerome I recall, pretty easy gravel road for the most part besides the short rock garden.

Are you going out by yourself? All of the trails mentioned are going to be pretty easy to get off trail (possibly lost) because of unmarked roads/ turns.

True...minus Broken Arrow, Soldier Pass, Schnebly Hill.

Never good to go out alone though, as a general rule.

As a spinoff to DBAX's quote: "Ray Charles couldn't get lost on Broken Arrow."

Are you guys sure Broken Arrow is a stock friendly trail? I remember reading a review awhile back saying that you should expect some damage on that trail unless you are modified.

The only part that would be questionable (unless you are taking extreme lines) is the Devil's staircase. All the rest I've done stock in my '03 and '05 without much bottoming out. I would say that better tires do wonders and definately take off the step rails and mud flaps, also the rear sway removal would be a plus.

I've seen two brand new off-road drivers complete it in bone stock low-slung 2nd gen Xterra's. No carnage was incurred by either party.

The stairase and the entrance are the toughest parts, but definatley doable in a stock truck.

Have a fun trip up there, it is beautiful. Take plenty of h2o.

Thanks to all that have replied. Yes I will be doing the trails by myself. I know, I know. No I do not have sliders looking for some but most likely will not have them in the next week. Man I know about the water thing my family thinks I am crazy because I take so much water, but I am a cyclist I know about hydration. So it sounds like Broken Arrow, Soldier Pass, Schnebly Hill (which I have done) are all do able in a stock rig. I might pick up a Etrex hand held GPS before the trip so I do not get lost. but to clear up one thing is it easy to get lost on Broken Arrow or can I just follow Ray Charles?
I do have some skills but I am a noobie I have done Table mesa from Seven springs all the way to I-17, done a lot around seven springs, great western trail to lower Bartlett or the Rio Verde. Of Course FR300 played in the mud up there too.
I have removed my mud flaps and I do not have step rails. The sway bar I have not removed and do not know if I will have time before the trip, plus I will have to read up how to remove it, plus it is more my wifes daily driver, so I do not know if I want to do this because I do not need my ear chewed off. Hhmmmmm But then I could do what I want and not to hear about it.lol

Any tips on these.
I know I could find this location's on the web but any direction's would be nice. thanks again to all that have replied.

Approach the entrance at an angle, not head on. It is basically and big speed bump to keep passenger vehicles out. Don't worry about the clunk you hear after your back wheels clear it, that is the trailer hitch.

The setps just drop it in 4lo-lo and follow the ruts. Nice and steady, just walk down.

The sway bar will take maybe 15 minutes to remove and will be a HUGE improvent off-road with MINIMAL on-road changes in handling. Just do it when she is not home.

You'll be fine. Let the truck do the work.

X2

I'd just add that you could always sit and wait for a pinky to come along and follow them through the trail, just don't fall behind, which I think would be hard to do as they have to take it easy with so many people on them.

Have tons of fun and take some pics to share.

You guys are awesome thanks. Man I will tell ya using google to find some of these place is a bitch I think I might go buy a book with directions I think its called a atlas or book of maps.LOL I was going to go get Chuck Well's trail book is this book any good. Do you think I can find it at like barns and noble or one of those big type book stores.I have the arizona road and rec. atlas but it is pretty vague but it helps.

All the trails mentioned here are in a book called Arizona Trails - Northeast Region. The book has writeups of each trail, how to get to the trail, and what to expect on the trail. They also have GPS coordinates along each route.

Barnes and Noble (or other bigtime book stores) should have it in stock.

Broken Arrow was one of the first trails I took the X on years ago. Stock tires, mudflaps and step rails still attached. Just touched one rail on one obstacle, didn't even mark it. But then again, I'm good

BTW...Devil's Staircase is now referred to as "Road of No Return" due to it being one-way. I was told that last month by the Pink Jeep guys.

I said it once I will say it again I love this forum. Thank you to all that have replied. I am going out hopefully tonight to grap a GPS and then hopefully next couple of days hit some of the big book stores and pickup a couple of these books. The Devils Staircase, I mean the Road of No Return has me a little concerned but I am looking forward to seeing it and conquering the obstacle.
I read in a magazine there is a spot up there called the chicken run which does not look to far from Broken Arrow. They said it is called chicken run because so many people have chicked out and ran from it. I also read Broken Arrow was named after a cowboy movied filmed up there, the movies name was Broken Arrow.

It's not that bad. Almost a completely stock X...stock tires, no steps, a 2 inch shackle rear, and t-bar crank front. 4 lo and stand on the brake pedal....it'll slide most of the way down I was up there last month and it is quite a bit more grooved out in the tracks now.

The trail looks a little more menacing in DBAX's picture...

DBAX makes everything look menacing...that's his style!

IMO there are more difficult spots and optional lines on Broken Arrow other than the stairs. That trail really is suitable for any stock small to mid sized SUV with a novice driver.

Thanks for the compliment?

I ran it wet a few years ago. Literally SLID most of the way down.



Fun trail.

Edit: Looking Down:

I took the wife down it once. Once. It's amazing I'm still married.

Here's me going up a hill that the pink jeeps like to come down. This was my stock '03 SE/SC with some BFG M/T's.

Hill in Sedona on Broken Arrow Video

Pic from the First time out there.


I really miss my Gen1, but I don't miss the problems I had with it.

That is a fun little hill.



BTW...going to look at a Dana 44 front and Ford 9" rear today! 63" WMS to WMS. That set up would make easy work of that hill.