The trail was never easy to find, but now it's much more difficult unless you know the secret. Drive south on Highway 93 3.1 miles past the Welcome to AZ sign and turn left on the signed White Rock Trailhead Access road. Get back on Highway 93 heading north for 0.5 miles and park just before the bridge in the photo. This is the only way to park on the east side of the road, which has lots of parking as you can see in the photo.
Currently, this bridge is unsigned and there's NO vehicle access, no roads lead up to the bridge. Walk up the steep embankment and cross the bridge. You are now on the west side of the highway. The trail for Liberty Bell Arch is about 100 yards to the south. There's no path to follow. Just parallel the highway until you come to a gravel road. This is the start of the trail that leads to Liberty Bell Arch. Simply turn right (west) and follow the trail. Hikers familiar with the old trail and trail will recognize this gravel road.
Option 2:
Cross the bridge in the photo and head west down into a wash. The wash soon becomes more defined. Follow the wash until you are across from Liberty Bell Arch, which is visible and much more dramatic looking from this angle. Head cross country toward the arch soon dropping into a class 2 wash. Follow the wash to the bottom of a ridge. Hike up to the top of the ridge where you intersect the trail. This route is much shorter, but you bypass the mine the normal trail goes by.
Option 3: Drive south on Highway 93 3.1 miles past the Welcome to AZ sign and turn left on the signed White Rock Trailhead Access road. Follow the road a short distance to the paved parking lot for AZ hot springs. Follow an unsigned hiker's path under the highway to the AZ Hot Springs Trailhead sign. Follow the wash (the official trail is actually 100 yards south) about .66 miles to the intersection with an old jeep trail. Head north (right) on the jeep trail about .75 to the intersection of the Liberty Bell Arch trail.
This way is much longer and somewhat boring.
I am sure some of these options will change. There's more construction to be done on the bridge. I saw fencing on the ground and there are cameras installed on the bridge. I have no idea what that's about.
It still seems like option 3 is the best in my opinion. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that bridge in your picture intended for the bighorn sheep to use to get across the road and not necessarily a bridge for humans? I've hiked to the Liberty Arch trail twice now using the old jeep trail. Although it is a little boring, you have the advantage of using the official parking area for the AZ Hot Springs trail, which puts my mind at ease a little more than parking in that unsigned parking area in your photo. Those cameras you mentioned kind of spook me a little.
ReplyDeleteAs I drove past the bridge on Thursday the AZdot has left an opening in the newly erected fence. I can only assume it's for hikers. The parking area is quite large. You can park your car a good 40 feet from the highway, which makes me feel fairly safe.
ReplyDeleteI seldom leave comments on blog, but I have been to this post which was recommend by my friend, lots of valuable details, thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to go to the arch in early May. What are the distances and approx hiking times for the three options? Which is the easiest to follow?
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to go to the arch in early May. What are the distances and approx hiking times for the three options? Which is the easiest to follow?
ReplyDeleteThe bridge is closed to hikers now (3-12-11). The way I wrote the hike description is to park at White Rock Canyon parking lot (same as AZ Hot Springs) and head north picking up the old jeep road like Rob wrote. It intersects with the original trail in less than one mile. Watch the temperature in May. It might be too hot and there's no shade or water on the hike.
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