| Directions: |
The Promised Land is not easy to find. Plus, the parking/camping area is on State Trust Land, so a permit is necessary for legal-ness. Click HERE for information on said permit. The little fold-out topo has an out-dated map (there has been some changes where you turn off Perkinsville Rd. but after that the map will still get you there). At the north end of Chino Valley (20 min north of Prescott) look for Perkinsville Rd., turn east onto this road, (it’s a right if coming from Prescott). Travel down this road about 5 miles and turn left (north) at the Haystack Ranches development sign (set your odometer to 0.0). After a short distance turn left turn onto another road that takes you off of but remains parallel to the Haystack Ranches road. In about 3.2 miles (in general bear left and ignore several dirt roads that are on the right) you will come to an intersection with FR 638, do not take it, but bear left and in 3.6 miles you will come to a white gate near a water hole. Go through the gate and continue down the road as it traverses above and through a rocky creek bed (This would be serious 4wd/high clearance driving, but it is possible to weave left around the major obstacles; you would be suprised to see the little cars that make it through). The road gets better and continues working its way back around drainages and across meadow-like areas until in about 5.6 miles from Perkinsville Rd. (or two miles from the white gate) bear left onto a plateau of sorts that is the parking area overlooking Granite Creek. The drive from prescott takes about 45-50 minutes. Hike down into the sandy creek bed and turn right, following it through low hills at first until you enter the rocky canyon. Along the way you will notice scattered walls with some routes on them but keep going, negotiating sand and boulders in the river bed, until you reach an area where several obvious steep cliffs converege over the creek, this is the main Promised Land area (about 10-15 minutes from parking area). Valerie’s Book area is on the left and the Solomon area is on the right. There are more routes on the cliffbands above Valerie’s and down canyon there are numerous climbs about which little is known. In the end, the best way to get to the Promised Land may be to go with someone who has been there. The drive there often feels like you are lost or are going in the wrong direction - ain't no mountains or even boulders to be seen. But then you are looking for a rather hidden canyon. There's some dirt, some hills, and some cows - sometimes a couple good ol' boys with shotguns and Chevy's. The Promised Land will be reached by climbers with only the strongest of faith. |
