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Welcome to Scenic Sedona!
Sedona is surrounded by spectacular scenery from rock formations.
It is a place as beautiful as its name,
a living painting that, unlike brush strokes on canvas, changes its
appearance by daylight and the mood of the large sky above.
Sedona, Arizona, is a non-stop photo op, a place where it's possible
to stand on the side of the road – on the side of a cliff, even
– staring at the landscape in amazement, life frozen in time.
The Chamber of Commerce calls it "a museum without walls."
It is an appropriate description.
Located in north central Arizona and deep within the Cocomino National
Forest and framed by the Mogollon Rim (the southwestern border of the
Colorado Plateau), Sedona is an upscale tourist spot attracting people
who enjoy the many art galleries, resorts, restaurants and natural surroundings.
There are, however, enough indians and cowboys around to preserve its
Old West heritage – the massive Navaho Reservation is just to the
north – as well as artists and hippies.
There is stunning sightseeing – admiring, really – adventure
tours,, places for picnics, fishing, golf and shopping. For locals,
naming the many rock formations seems a favorite pastime. There's a
mermaid, a steamship (Ship Rock, though it looks more like a tugboat)
Coffee Pot, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Madonna, Rabbit Ears, even Snoopy
Rock (minus his doghouse and Charlie Brown but not Woodstock; it's at
Schenbly Hill Road off Hwy 168). Regardless of their name or shape,
they all glow red and orange under the sun's bright glare and take on
different colors with changing weather or fading sunlight.
All this beauty mean Sedona shines best in the daytime and at sunset.
It is not much of a hotspot after dark, other than seeing the sky sparkle
with nature's lanterns.
Arrival and General Information [MAP]
There Are Three Sections of Sedona and All Have Views
Uptown Sedona looking
toward "the Y."
Two-plus hours (120 miles) from Phoenix
and 28 miles from Flagstaff, Sedona sits at the intersections of Highways
89A and Highway 179, which is off Interstate 17. Phoenix's Sky Harbor
International Airport serves all major airlines and rental cars
are as among the most affordable anywhere – as little as $200 for
a week.
Flagstaff's Pulliman Airport is closer and certainly provides
a more adventurous approach. America West is the only major carrier
and those flights connect through a scenic and often bumpy ride from
Phoenix. Major car rental agencies are on-site.
Sedona has a small airport for private planes (as well as plane rides,
including biplanes), a restaurant, lodge and a cliff offering premier
sunset views of the canyon.
The town itself is divided into three main sections: Uptown Sedona,
West Sedona and Oakcreek. The latter is the closest to I-17
and has most of the budget-type lodging. Uptown has a historical feel
to it with a row of Old West-looking shops, while West Sedona has the
majority of the restaurants and "modern" facilities (gas stations,
drug stores, etc.) The main intersection is at Highways 179 and 89A
in what is known an the "Y;" Uptown is just to the right and
West Sedona and the airport is to the left.
These roads not cut only through the town, but through the scenery,
as well. The huge rock formations envelop the Sedona, making it a visitors
realize how small they are when compared to nature's giant walls.
Parking – The Red Rock Pass
Permit is Only $5 Per Day
There are no meters around Sedona's scenic
areas, but there are signs alerting "Red Rock Pass Required."
This is a a tag displayed in cars when pulling over and parking in a
scenic overlook for hiking, sightseeing, fishing, etc. It is not necessary
for brief pullovers for photography. Passes are available at Gateway
Visitor's Centers in Village of Oakcreek at Tequa Plaza, uptown Sedona
at the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce and Oak Creek Vista
Outlook at the top of Oak Creek Canyon. Prices are $5 per day and $15
per week. Parking in Uptown and West Sedona on the street is free all
day.
Sightseeing and Activities
Rocks, Water, Art And More Offer Adventure
Can you name these
rock formations? Most in Sedona are titled.
The most natural activitiy in Sedona
is to drive around and admire the incredible rock formations.Part
of the allure is studying the shapes to see how they acquired their
nicknames. Pull over and stop frequently, turn down a side road and
explore, or take a tour (the jeep tours are highly popular). For all
Sedona and area sightseeing and activities, pack plenty of water; Arizona's
dry heat dries up the throat quickly.
 Schnebly
Hill Road (off Hwy 179) has a scenic overlook and Chapel Road
leads to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. This Catholic church is
built magestically into rockface. It's free to visit and there is a
giftshop. It is stately and respective of its surroundings, which is
much more than can be said of it's neighbor, a monstor of a house at
its base that many locals feel is as out of place in Sedona as say,
artifical turf.
State Parks are as abundant as rock formations. There are fees
ranging from $3-10. The most popular is Slide Rock State Park (Highway
89A, seven miles from Sedona; $10 per car for four persons; $2.50 each
additional person). It's a good place to hang out, take a nap or read
a book (or this guide) lounge on a rock, relax or splash around rocks.
Careful, though,, they are very slippery. The "sliding" part
of thhe rock is disappointingly small – it's about a 5-second thrill
ride but there is a deep area to dive into the water. There are picnic
tables at the entrance; it's about a half-mile walk to the water. Slide
Rock State Park. Web
Site. Phone: (928) 282-3034
Slide Rock State Park is a refreshing stop for many Sedona visitors.
Oak Creek winds through scenic Red Rock State Park and full
of plants and wildlife. A 5-mile network of trails intersect each other,
providing for seemingly endless viewing options. There are self-guided
trails and Ranger-led interpretive walks. It has picnic areas but swimmming
and wading are prohibited. It is located off 89A,at Lower Red Rock Loop
Road. Red Rock State Park. Web
Site. Phone: (928) 282-6907.
Sedona, as seen from a viewpoint near the private plane airport.
Hiking can be enjoyed at Fay Canyon Trail, Doe Mountain Trail,
Devil's Bridge Trail, Jim Thompson Trail and Jordan Trail in West Sedona/Oak
Creek; West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon; and Bell Rock & Courthouse
Butte Area and Turky Creek Trail in Red Rock Country (the latter also
offers excellent mountain biking).
Tour companies offer all kinds of adventures. The previously mentioned
jeep tours (in pink or red jeeps) are highly recommended. Other
tours provide rides in hot air balloons, biplanes and helicopters.
Because of its natural beauty, it's only natural that Sedona would
attract artists who have made it their home. They have crafted
Sedona's beauty into paintings, jewlery and other arts that are sold
in several galleries and shops,, the most extensive of which is a shopping
village called Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village on Highway
179.
Jeep tours offer fun and great views from inside and outside the jeeps.
Restaurants and Nightlife
Fine Food is More Plentiful Than The Bar Scene
A pair of places PubClub recommends for
dinner are Cucina Rustica and Judy's.
Cucina Rustica, 7000 Highway 179, 928-284-3010) is a
beautiful restaurant in the Tequa Marketplace in Oak Creek. The setting
is straight out of Italy, an elegant patio and dining areas that are
a cozy as an Italian country eatery. Fortunately, it has the food to
match, incredible bread and an extensive wine list
Judy's (40 Solider Pass Road in West Sedona just past the airport,
928-282 4449) has baby-back ribs that fall off the bone, but its menu
also offers fish and other dishes in a comfortable, pleasant setting.
Some locals prefer the the Hideaway Restaurant and Lounge (251 State
Route 179, 928-282-4204) a casual style Italian restaurant –
pizza, subs, pasta, etc.
As far as nightlife, we're not saying Sedona has none, but the fact
that one of the favorite pastimes seems to be naming rock formations,
this is not the place to come for Old West shootouts of nighttime fun.
However, Casa Rincon & Tapas Cantina is the place to be.
It's a restaurant with live music and sometimes even has a cover. (2620
W. Highway 89A, 928-282-4849).
Road Trip – Kaibab National Forest
Spectacular Views and A Variety of Activities
Outside of town, the drive through the
Kaibab National Forest along Highway 180 toward Flagstaff and the Grand
Canyon is spectacular. It has streams, ponderosa pines and a winding
two-lane road that rises to 10,000 feet (make sure the driver keeps
his/her eyes on the road). For those who pause, there is hiking, fishing,
mountain biking, trails, camping and wildlife (deer, elk, squirrels,
bats, birds, rattlesnakes, coyotes and bears). Kaibab National Forest
Web
Site. Phone: (928) 643-7395.
Road Trip – The Grand Caynon [MAP]
South Rim Swams With Tourists But There's More to Explore
One of nature's most spectacular creations,
the Grand Canyon is just that – a canyon that is grand. The size
is hard to grasp until a human stands toe-to-toe with it, or at least
peers over the massive edge from one of its rims.
Formed by an earthquake through the Colorado Plateau, it is understandably
one of the most visited natural attractions in the western United States.
Admission to the park is $20 per vehicle.
Desert View Drive (Highway 64) follows the canyon rim for 26
miles east of Grand Canyon Village to Desert View - the east entrance
to the park. The park provides free shuttles to all park overlooks.
The popular South
Rim has people gawking at the Canyon.
The prime tourist spot is the South Rim and the Grand Caynon
Village. For day trips, this is the place to visit. It has a walkway
offering stunning views across and deep into the canyon. Starting at
the El Tovar restaurant and hotel, it goes downhil toward lookouts and
a trail used by hikers and mules to eventually reach the bottom.
It's safe to hike unsupervised down the trail but go only as far as
the slowest person in your group can handle on the return. DO NOT ATTEMPT
to hike to the canyon floor and back in one day. It's more than a mile
down and, obviously, a mile back up to the top. In fact, it's so far
to the bottom that the Colorado River can be seen from only a few overlooks
and the South Rim is not one of them.
A couple takes a
break on the hike along the donkey trail.
There's no doubt about who has the right of way here.
Hikers, mere specks , make their way through a tunnel on the donkey
trail.
From the South Rim, there is day hiking, overnight camping, mule trips
– even a combination of the two – white water rafting in the
Colorado River. Accommodations are limited and fill up months in advance,
particularly in summer. See below for lodging information and a link
to the Grand Canyon visitor web site. Dining is at El Tovar (good,
but slow service), the Bright Angel Restaurant at the Bright
Angel Lodge (right on the rim!) and the favorite of budget travelers,
Maswik Cafeteria (Maswik Lodge, a shuttle bus ride or 10-mnute
walk from the South Rim). This is where the Grand Canyon staff eats
and the large and tasty entrees are just $5-6.
Don't get too close
to the edge; it's a long way to the bottom
Less well traveled, but offering better views of the canyon than the
South Rim, is the North Rim. Two prime stopping points are Point
Imperial and Cape Royal. They are are reached via a winding
scenic drive. Point Imperial, the highest point on the North Rim at
8,803 feet, overlooks the Painted Desert and the eastern end of Grand
Canyon. Cape Royal provides a panoramic view across the canyon. Point
Sublime is a rough 2-hour trip to a viewpoint only for 4-wheel drive
vehicles in good weather. Bright Angel Point at the Bright Angel
Lodge presents dramatic views into the Roaring Springs and Bright Angel
canyons.
While it may be hard to believe after seeing what the South Rim offers,
the North Rim has the most spectacular scenery. The best of these is
from the Toroweap Overlook in Toroweap (also known as Tuweep).
The overlook is 3,000 verticle feet above the Colorado River and has
the by far the best view of the river. Climb up the spiral staircase
of the observation building for an even higher vantage point.
Toroweap Overlook
is one of the few stops with views of the Colorado.
There are six lodges or hotels in the Grand Canyon (ranging
in price from about $60 a night to nearly $300, depending on the season),
domotories and and camping. Overnight visitors must plan in advance;
rooms sell ot months in advance, especially in summer. There are RV
parks with full hookups.
It's a full day to see the Grand Canyon in all its glory from Sedona.
Tour companies operate excellent guided tours aboard cozy 14-passenger
mini-buses; this is often the best way to see all the Canyon has to
offer in one long day (12 hours start to finish).
For those not on a tour, The Canyon View Information Center
is a good place to start; it is accessable only by free shuttle buses
that roam the park, a mile walk or bike ride from Market Plaza on the
Greenway Trail, or a short walk from Mather Point. Grand Canyon Web
Site. Phone: (928) 638-7888.
Road Trip – Flagstaff [MAP]
Historic Town, Home of Northern Arizona University, Has Heritage
Square
Known primarily for being the gateway to the Grand Canyon and the home
of Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff has taken a step backward
to create a different identity for itself. Back into its history, that
is to say.
Flagstaff was born as a railroad depot, which sparked lodging and ranching
enterprises. It was an Old West town in the truest sense but eventually
caved in to shopping malls and life outside of its original downtown.
Famous Route 66 came through here but like much of the city, it had
become run down and almost deserted.
In 1999, however, the city rediscovered downtown and put it back on
the map. The centerpiece is Heritage Square, a brick plaza that
features live music, free outdoor movies in the summer, dancers and
other entertainment. It is surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars.
For sightseeing and activities, Mars Hill looks down upon the
city from 200 feet above it. There is the Lowell Observatory, which
attracts lines of people after dark to peer through the old Clarke telescope.
The Pioneer Museum traces Flagstaff's history. On alternate Sunday
afternoons in the summer, a couple offers guided tours in period-style
costumes.
All this being said, it's hardly worth passing up Sedona and the Grand
Canyon for those on a short trip. But for travelers with a few extra
days to spend in the area, Flagstaff is a worthy day trip destination.
Road Trip – Jerome, Clarksdale [MAP]
Interesting (and Simple) Museum Traces Mining History
Once a rugged mining town – perhaps
the wildest of the Old Wild West – Jerome is now a hilltip hangout
of hippies and artists.
The highlight of Jerome is the museum. At first glance, it hardly seems
worth the meager $2 entry fee. But the informative signs and displays
make one appreciate how tough a life and how tough a town Jerome once
was during its day. This also brings more meaning to the plaques on
the town's buildings relating to their individual history.
In nearby Clarkdale, the Verde Canyon Railroad goes out into
the Verde Canyon, stops, then returns along the same route.
Weather/When to Go
Spring and Fall Are Best Times; Year-Round Festivals Include Film, Jazz
Sedona's weather is dry and sunny
and 70s most afternoons, with evenings often dropping into the 50s.
The summer months are the monsoon season – don't be suprised to
see flash flooding on the news from Phoenix TV stations while lounging
in the condo or hotel – and often brings late afternoon showers
to Sedona, the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas.
Throughout the year, Sedona has several events and festivals: The International
Film Festival (Feb.), the Sedona Chamber Music Festival (May),Sedonda
Jazz on the Rock Festival (Sept.), the Fiesta de Tlaquepaque (Sept.),
the Sedona Sculpture Walk (Oct), the Sedona Art Festival (Oct.), Red
Rock Fantasy (No.v-Dec.) and Festival of Lights (Dec.)
The Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism can provide additional
information on visiting Sedona, events, activities, adventures and more
through its web
site.
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