We take the middle branch of the Big Park Loop Trail, to get the best views of Courthouse Butte on our journey north. The trail goes through scrub forest in Sedona’s red rock country. It’s hard to imagine any place we’d rather be on a pleasant warm morning with spring flowers in bloom.

Courthouse Butte got its name from a mapmaker’s error. But judging from the evidence, we find the cartographer innocent. It sure looks more like a courthouse than a cathedral to me, anyway.

This magnificent monolith was first climbed by Harvey Butchart in 1954, as told by Elias Butler and Tom Myers in Grand Obsession: Harvey Butchart and the Exploration of Grand Canyon. We figure Harvey must have climbed from the west or south, because it gets mighty vertical on the east and north.

The trail takes us around the east side of the butte and over to the great stone muffin, where we all stop for a group picture. Five Trailblazers decide to climb the muffin, while the rest of us wait in the shade or shoot pictures from below.

The Courthouse Butte Trail then meanders, mostly downhill and westward, until we are approaching Bell Rock and finally see the sign for the Llama Trail. Wildflowers add color to our hike as we now meander eastward.

But hey, we’re supposed to be going north! This part of the Llama Trail looks for all the world like it’s taking us back the way we came. But eventually it really does bend to the north. We are walking along the base of Lee Mountain, with its varied colors and intricately eroded rock formations.

Our lunch break is near the end of the Llama Trail. We turn right on the Little Horse Trail, which takes us around the base of spectacular sandstone monoliths. When we get to the Chapel Trail, Ted advises everyone that they have the option of walking to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, where we can meet them after hiking to Morgan Road. Beatrix goes.

Chicken Point is very popular with Jeep riders, pink and otherwise. The views are magnificent, but despite its name this is no place to play chicken with the cliff! After walking around we start northward on the Broken Arrow Trail, avoiding the dusty Jeep roads as best we can.

The Devil’s Dining Room is fenced off so that tourists who want low-life dining will seek it elsewhere. The trail branches at this point. We take the lower branch and follow bicycle tracks on down to Morgan Road Trailhead, where the hike ends. Luckily we were able to park all but one of the cars at Morgan Road, so everyone has a ride back to Bell Rock.