SEDONA — Arizona Department of Transportation crews have reopened another five miles of State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon, restoring access to homes and businesses north of Slide Rock State Park, according to an ADOT release issued Wednesday.
The highway remains closed from about milepost 387, just south of Pine Flats Campground, to the Oak Creek Vista scenic overlook at milepost 390, the agency said. That 3.5-mile section, which includes the switchbacks that climb out of the canyon, was severely damaged when floodwaters overtopped drainages, undermined parts of the roadway, exposed guardrail supports and damaged pavement.
ADOT said an extended closure is expected because the damage will require significant reconstruction, and there is no estimated completion date. Travel between Sedona and Flagstaff remains limited to State Route 179 and Interstate 17.
On the newly reopened section, concrete barriers line parts of the highway and temporary traffic signals control traffic through one damaged area north of Junipine Resort. Parking along the highway is strictly prohibited, and drivers are asked to use caution around work crews.
Pine Flats Campground remains inaccessible, ADOT said. The water refill station at Harding Springs is also out of service because of storm damage, and the agency directed users to the U.S. Forest Service Red Rock Ranger Station for information.
The highway was closed Nov. 1 after heavy rain caused Oak Creek to overflow and erode sections of the road, KTAR News reported. Crews first reopened the stretch between Sedona and Slide Rock before pushing farther north. Other highways closed by the same storms have since reopened.
Oak Creek Canyon is one of Arizona’s most popular scenic drives, and the closure has cut off the most direct route between Sedona and Flagstaff during the fall travel season.
Real-time conditions are available at az511.gov, on the AZ511 app, or by calling 511.
Sources: Arizona Department of Transportation news release, KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Carl E. Jepson / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
