The road from Sedona to Flagstaff is closing soon. Here's the detour

A road closure will make getting to some of Sedona's best hiking, camping and swimming spots difficult for a few days this month.

The Arizona Department of Transportation will close a portion of State Route 89A at the south end of Oak Creek Canyon for five days between June 20-28. Lanes in both directions will be closed from early morning to late afternoon.

A detour will be available for motorists to get to businesses and popular destinations in the canyon, such as Slide Rock State Park, Grasshopper Point picnic and swimming area and the West Fork of Oak Creek. But the detour could add 45 minutes or more to the drive.

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Why SR 89A will be closed in Sedona

State Route 89A is closing to allow for a rockfall mitigation project, ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel said. The work will reduce the chance of rocks falling onto the roadway.

The work is part of a larger improvement project in Oak Creek Canyon that also includes drainage and sediment control and rehabilitating the Pumphouse Wash Bridge. ADOT estimates the work will cost $11 million.

Nintzel said it's "never easy" to close the road, but the rockfall mitigation must be done "for safety's sake."

Here's where and when State Route 89A in Sedona will be closed

SR 89A will be closed in both directions between the Owenby Way roundabout at mile marker 375 and the Midgley Bridge picnic area near mile marker 376.

Full closures are scheduled from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, June 20-22, and again on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 27-28, according to ADOT.

Unanticipated issues with the work could potentially keep the road closed longer than the scheduled 4 p.m. reopening time, Nintzel said.

The closure coincides with single-lane restrictions along SR 89A from mile markers 375 to 390, which are in effect from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 19, 23, 26, 29 and 30.

Detour: How to avoid the SR 89A closure in Sedona

Motorists traveling between Flagstaff and Sedona should avoid Oak Creek Canyon. Instead, use State Route 179 and Interstate 17. People who want to visit businesses and recreation areas in Oak Creek Canyon should pick up SR 89A just south of Flagstaff and work their way down.

The challenge for drivers is that the detour could add 45 minutes or more each way to the trip, said Hank Vincent, park manager at Slide Rock State Park, which is north of the closure area.

Slide Rock State Park will remain open during the closures, Vincent said.

The Midgley Bridge Observation Site, which encompasses three trails and a picnic area, will also remain open, according to the Coconino National Forest Supervisor's Office.

People who don't want to spend the extra time that the detour will require should plan their drive outside the closure hours, Nintzel said.

"A lot of people will wind up altering their plans," Vincent said.

Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sedona road closure will block access to Oak Creek Canyon for 5 days