the shrine of st. joseph of the mountains

The Shrine is just a short distance west of the highway on Shrine Road. There is a big sign on the corner which is hard to miss. The Shrine itself is located on a hill of large boulders which are very imposing and make a perfect site for the shrine. The pathway is rough, paved with large rocks, and there are adequate railings along the way. There are many statues along the 12 Stations of the Cross, which winds up the hill and down again. It was too steep and rough for me and my wife, I am 88 and she is 78, but should be easy for younger visitors.The nearby Retreat was destroyed by the forest fire and donations are gratefully accepted.

Great place to view and to relax. We enjoy seeing all the sights in this beautiful setting. The formations are great.

Worth a stop. Many steps, but worth the hike. The sign on the highway is quite small and easy to miss the turn off onto Shrine Road. Enjoy.

We were returning from Williams, and were looking for some place to stop on our way back to Surprise. I found this place on TripAdvisor, and decided it fit the bill. It was indeed a nice, peaceful place to stop. We did not have as much time to spend as I would like, but I did climb to the top and see most of the installations. What an amazing setting. I would certainly stop again, when I had more time to truly appreciate what is there.

We drive through Yarnell all the time and yet I'd never been down to the Shrine before. So today ws the day, we decided to go and have a look. The road is named after The Shrine and turns off the main road, highway 89, towards the northern end of the town, off to the west. The Shrine is built against a steep hillside, and the short loop trial imitates the stations of the cross, each commemorated with a cross and an exlanation, the Crucifixion at the highest point, fittingly. There is statuary as well. A lot of love and effort has been put to make this a memorable spot. Take the time to have a look if you drive through Yarnell. No entrance fee, but a box for donations.

20 years ago my husband and I got lost and accidentally ended up in Yarnell. While we were there we visited the Shrine just to see what it was. We are not religious people at all but we were both kind of blown away. It's a very simple place but that's what makes it so great. It felt like an outdoor church. You really have to be there to get the real feeling of the place. Pictures don't do it justice.I wouldn't plan my whole vacation around it but it was a fun day trip.

My cousin told my mom about the shrine and I love to visit spiritual places. The walk was nut that bad but you get a feel of the narrow way of walking the way of the cross. The statues were amazing. I loved the peacefulness as I was walking. I would go visit the shrine again.

We stopped in here to do the way of the cross which is very professionally made on a small mountain. You actually walk a mini via Dolorosa. The statues are life size and awe inspiring! We left there in total awe!Good accommodation and restaurants are available in Prescott, AZ about 40 miles to the north.The devastating fire which took the lives of quite a number of firemen last year raged right through here, but the way of the cross was hardly touched.This is not suitable for people with walkers or wheelchairs.Look for the blue sign on the highway in the town of Yarnell.

The Shrine took some damage from the fire, but thanks to volunteers, it has made a beautiful recovery. Fresh trails to walk the signs of the cross, railings freshly replaced and painted. Statues of Christ freshly painted, and the grounds all cleaned of debris . The gift shop was burned, so they are relying on donations at the entrance for expenses incurred from the fire. We enjoy the beautiful setting in the boulders and trees, and the peacefulness and serenity of Christ on the cross and Christ in the tomb., Christ sitting at the Last Supper., it's a very spiritual experience.Yarnell is a half hour drive up from Wickenburg on Hwy 89, bikers love the switchback road, and there is a small sign posted in town , directing you to the shrine . Yarnell is a small old mining town with a few quaint shops, a few diners, and 45 minutes to Prescott going on Hwy 89 thru the Prescott National Forest. Great scenic trip.

My wife and I came across this by chance. On a road trip through Arizona we read of this magical place in our AAA trip book. It was kinda late, and getting dark, but we decided we were going to go for it. So we took a turn off the main highway and started heading on a small back road. It seemed to go on for ever, mostly because we were tired from driving all day. We pulled into a small town and headed up a mountain, I thought where in the heck are we going ? After we made it to the top and down the other side we came to a small town of Yarnell, Arizona. By now it was about 11:00 pm. We followed the signs, and there it was The Shrine of St. Joseph of the Mountains. The sign said the park was closed but there were no gates. It was a full moon, all the sculptures showing the last days of the life of Jesus Christ were glowing in the moonlight. It was absolutely breath taking. My wife and I were in awe of this beautiful place honoring our Lord. If you are anywhere near this awesome park you need to go. John & LynNita Ellis http://www.stjoseph-shrine.org/