Exploring Sedona, Arizona

TravelUSAArizona
Written By Deanna Squires
 

Slide Rock State Park

Sedona, Arizona, is a spiritually significant, stunningly beautiful desert destination. But beware… It’s HOT in the summertime! We wandered to Sedona in August - one of the hottest months of the year - not necessarily by choice, but because that’s when we had time off work. I’m not sad we went then, but we definitely learned a thing or two.

First, plan your activities based upon the time of day. Second, drink LOTS of water.

We landed in Phoenix, Arizona, around 7:30 a.m. and thought it would be a great opportunity to hike Camelback Mountain before we headed to Sedona. That might have been a good idea if we’d started hiking right away or if we were more prepared for the hike - for example with gloves to protect our hands against the hot rocks and rails. But… We had breakfast first at Rosita’s Place, an amazing, no frills, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant that made THE BEST breakfast burritos (at least we weren’t starting out hungry). Then we stopped to buy some water (good plan!). Then we started hiking…

The hike was steep and rocky and only occasionally shaded. There were handrails to help in some areas, but they were nearly impossible to hold in the heat. We stopped periodically and talked with other hikers - some who were visitors to the area like us, others who were locals who had hiked the mountain numerous times; few who made it to the summit, many who did not. The allure of Camelback Mountain brought out the casual hiker with high aspirations, but the trail demands more. If you’re going to hike Camelback, take it seriously. Wear proper hiking shoes, bring lots of water, and (preferably) hike it on a cooler day. Despite the challenges, we made it to the summit and were rewarded with panoramic views of Phoenix and Scottsdale.

The next day, looking for something less heat-stroke-inducing to do, we headed into Cottonwood, Arizona, for a kayak trip down the Verde River with OAC Tours. Our guides bussed us up to the launch site a few miles up river with the promise of a surprise when we got there. As the kayaks were unloaded, they announced that squirt guns were the surprise! Not everyone was excited about the idea of squirt guns, but by halfway down the river, everyone in our group was in on the fun. The river featured easy float sections, a few short class 1 rapids, and two super fun class 2 sections.

After the float, we decided to grab a bite to eat at Adriana’s. As promised, Adriana herself served us up Ferrari margaritas and loaded nachos.

Cooled down and refueled, we walked along Main Street, wandering through some of the shops that were still open, then along the Jail Trail River Walk - a surprisingly lush green path unexpectedly in the desert.

Sedona is reportedly home to five powerful vortex sites - areas said to have a strong spiritual connection with the Earth’s energy. During this trip, we visited two of them: Airport Mesa and the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Much like our Camelback Mountain hike, the day we hiked around the Airport Mesa was HOT, but this time we were more prepared. My ChicoBag travel pack was filled with water and sunscreen, and our stomachs were full from brunch at the Mesa Grill. We started out with a quick trip up the Summit Trail from the Airport Trail parking lot and were rewarded with a 360 degree view of the valley below. The Airport Loop Trail itself was a 3.3-mile trek with views of the iconic Snoopy Rock, Chimney Rock, and Coffee Pot Rock, just to name a few. The trail was lined with lots of prickly pear cacti that inspired our food and drink choices for the rest of the trip, as well as some interesting vivid green plants that reminded us of Christmas garland, but with wicked thorns.

After our hike, we ate cactus fries with prickly pear dipping sauce at the Cowboy Club in downtown Sedona; later we shared a prickly pear sundae for dessert; and a few nights later I enjoyed a prickly pear margarita. All so tasty!

It’s not hard to understand why the Chapel of the Holy Cross is considered one of Sedona’s premier vortexes. Inspired by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, the church is built into the rocky cliffs of Sedona. It’s open to the public so, after admiring the beauty and tranquility of the church and its surrounding views, we stepped inside to say our prayers. Whether you believe in God or not, there is a powerful sense of peace within the Chapel.

Another day, we drove to Flagstaff, Arizona, roughly 2,700 feet above Sedona in the San Francisco Peaks mountain range. Unlike the red rock desert scene in Sedona, we embraced the cooler temperatures of this mountain college town, surrounded by pine and aspen trees and so many wildflowers! True to the spirit of wandering and letting adventures unfold, our day in Flagstaff was filled with a bit of magic and a lot of awe.

The nostalgic buffs in us loved wandering around the downtown area, including a little stroll along historic Route 66.

After lunch, a short drive outside of town took us to Snowbowl - a ski resort in the winter months and a stunning lookout point in the summer months. We rode the gondola to the top of Agassiz Peak - the second-highest point in Arizona and the highest we’d ever been on Earth - 11,500 ft. elevation! On a clear day (like the one we were lucky enough to experience) you can see 60 miles to the rim of the Grand Canyon!

After another stop at a downtown brewery for dinner, we headed to the Lowell Observatory. Any day of the year, an observatory can be fun and educational, but the magic of this day was all about timing. It just happened that the night we were there the Observatory was hosting a Saturn viewing event. Before the sun went down, we learned about Lowell Observatory’s role in the discovery of Pluto - “Planet X.” After dark, we got to view the moon up close through the historic Clark 24” refractory telescope, built in 1896; observe nebulae and star clusters thousands of light years from Earth; and see Saturn - really, REALLY see Saturn - in all its ringed glory, surrounded by its many moons.

Of course days like that don’t happen all the time, but that’s the beauty of being open to opportunities. When they present themselves, seize them! You never know what you might find.

Our last day in Sedona, we spent at Slide Rock State Park - home to the old Pendley Homestead and historic apple farm in Oak Creek Canyon. Today, visitors can hike, picnic or go for a swim down the 80-foot-long natural water slide.

 
Deanna Squires
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