The Spiritual and the Mystical meet the grandeur of nature in the mountains of Sedona. The red rocks rise out of the high desert of central Arizona in a show of colors and form that amaze me still. The beauty of the area was used in films starring John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart and even Elvis Presley. Hollywood wanted the authentic Wild West to replace the old sound stage settings.
Today people come to experience the healing power of the Vortex, or the magnetic vibrations here. You can find a Buddhist Stupa, medicine wheels, shamans, medicine men and women, aura photographers and spiritual healers among the cliffs. The cliffs that look like old faces watching over the people in the valley, groups of ancestors huddled in deep discussion, or the famous Snoopy Rock. Hot yoga studios, Indian sweat lodges and organic vegan restaurants cater to the retreating health-minded tourists.
There are hiking trails with dramatic scenery scattered everywhere throughout the town. Many of the trails have multiple trailheads. Visitors must time their arrivals carefully, be very lucky or plan to hike for a mile or more just to begin the “Hike”. Some of the trailhead parking lots hold only 5-10 cars. We have waited 20 minutes at a parking area waiting for people to finish their hike, return to their car and leave so we could go in. In November. I cannot imagine what the high season is like. Visit Thunder Mountain, hike to the Devils Kitchen and check out the serenity of Rachel’s Knoll.
Be prepared for loose rocks, big boulders, sandy gravel, and shocking colors. The purples, pinks, reds and oranges mix with the blues, greens and turquoises in ways I did not know occurred in nature. I was on the back side of the Airport hiking area and came across a smiling cactus peeking at me from a bundle of cactus paddles! The memory of the first view still makes my heart light up. Patches of cactus have pastel fairy hues and rich jewel tones that put to lie the idea of drab desert brown. All outlined in the iron rich red soil for which Sedona was named.
I would recommend a half day tour to anyone visiting for the first time. Guides can give you back stories, explain the amazing shapes the trees form, and help direct you for your own level of interaction. Some people want to guerilla hike for miles with 30lb packs, some want to rent ATV’s or Jeeps for hard-core off-road mudding and some want the serenity of a sunrise view while walking no more than 100 yards from the car. Sedona can meet all those desires with photo opportunities for everyone.
When you tire of all the outdoor nature time, uptown can meet your shopping needs. Jewelry, crystals, hand made crafts, paintings and photos can all be had along with a good steak, made as you watch fudge and ice cream. Yesterday a piano was set up on the sidewalk, and a few steps further an animal rescue had some animals for a makeshift petting zoo. Guinea pigs, rabbits, enormous rats, small and large snakes and a huge (3-4 foot) lizard were all on hand for people to enjoy (or avoid).
Driving southwest from Sedona you come to Cottonwood. Not nearly as glamorous as Sedona, Cottonwood is a funky little town with antique shops and cool metal art houses that must be seen. Old Town Cottonwood is a little street with bars, breweries and bookstores, an amazing family-run Mexican restaurant, Adriana’s, and the fun Hippie Emporium (Don’t Worry, Be Hippie).
Continuing on 89A toward Prescott you have Jerome, an old ghost town built on the hill above Cottonwood. There you can see breweries, Wineries, rock stars who wish to remain out of sight, and views for miles.
There is so much more to do in Sedona. It is one of my favorite places and we have made friends on our explorations. People are so friendly and open to new ideas and to the hippie ideals of Peace and Love in a grown-up organic way. We will be back.