Deadman's Pass and Long Canyon Trail, these two paths cut through the Secret Mountain Wilderness and over the ancient homelands of the Sinagua Indians. The Sinagua roamed present day Sedona between 500-1300 CE, and traces of their shelters and pictographs still survive in this arid land.
   Deadman's Pass Trail is a moderate 3 mile (R/T) hike that leads to the top of Mescal Mountain, where a dramatic panorama of Sedona unfolds. Long Canyon Trail follows an old 4-wheeler road for the first mile. A scramble up to Mescal Mountain Peak from the north showcases this breathtaking redrock vista. Hiker's rewards include Arizona's Lost Wilson Mountain, Steamboat Rock and the Grassy Knolls.
   For hiking novices in the Sedona area, a topo map, knowing how to use a GPS and plenty of water are a few of the essentials. The wilderness route, just off Long Canyon Road, can be a great sampler of Sedona's marvelous landscape. For those exuberant souls who feel the urge to break outside life's restricting routines, remember to stay on the trail, as wilderness plants and soils are fragile, and it's hands-off when it comes to delicate petroglyphs and Indian ruins.

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