Sedona, Arizona: I Get a Peaceful, Easy Feeling

Is there any place where natural colors and shapes combine to create a more beautiful, tranquil environment than Sedona? Perhaps, it’s the energy vortex or maybe it’s something else but it’s definitely an amazing place. While I’m sure it happens, I never heard a car’s horn or a person shout. Some of the resorts were adults-only but most were pet friendly. I saw very few children and not many dogs but, regardless, everyone was polite and friendly — never any crying or barking. People sincerely seemed to make an effort to maintain a peaceful environment. My respect and appreciation goes to the Sedona governing bodies for limiting the size, styles and colors of buildings and signs so as not to unnecessarily disturb the senses. It works. Sedona makes other cities look cheap somehow.

Upon arriving in Sedona, I had no agenda. I had only a desire to get to know this part of the country better, a place to sleep, a convertible Camaro, and two weeks to explore. In this post, I’ll share my observations and experiences on the world-class hikes followed by some of the great dining and other highlights.

Hiking is a big draw to Sedona for a lot of people, including me. I hiked every day of my stay in Sedona. My hiking companions tell me we went between 8 and 10 miles each day.

Bell Rock is one of the major vortex sites. According to my readings, the vortex sites are centers of spiraling, positive energy conducive to healing. All of Sedona is considered a vortex site but there are certain areas where the energy is considered particularly strong — Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Airport Mesa, and Boynton Canyon. I made this hike/climb up Bell Rock alone which added to the peaceful vibe. As nice as these pictures are, they don’t come close to showing the vivid colors or the sense of majesty, especially at sunset.

Brewer Trail to the Summit – This moderately difficult trail took about 45 minutes up and 25 minutes down. We started from Brewer Road but there’s a short-cut if you drive up and around back to the parking lot that allows to climb just the last 10 minutes or so. I made this hike a couple times because it was close to my condo and very convenient. It’s another of the vortex sites supposedly emitting positive energy but it’s not one of the major vortexes. The view from the top was expansive and lovely.

Saturday afternoon I hiked to the natural arch known as “Devil’s Bridge” but I didn’t stand in the cue (over an hour) to take a photo on it. It’s a fun hike with great views along the way; easy-to-moderate for much of the way then pretty steep near the end. The trail is just under a mile long with 350 feet of elevation gain along the way. We passed people of all ages and body-types on the trail including an 80-year old man who was cautiously guided by his family showing him exactly where to place each foot on the steep areas. I admire that type of determination to do what you want, even if it’s difficult, but you definitely have to weigh the risks which is part of the reason I’m in Sedona now while I’m relatively young and reasonably fit. If I live long enough, there will come a day when I can’t do some of the things I love. But, I’ll have the memories and, perhaps, this blog with pictures to remind me how it feels to reach the top of a difficult hike or climb.

Airport Mesa — This is one of the most popular areas for viewing the splendid sunsets; it’s high up and provides an expansive view of the city below with the low sun shining off the walls of the rock formations.

The red is hematite (iron oxide aka rust) stained sandstone from marsh and oceanic days and it marks the line where this land was underwater. The sandstone is soft so it erodes with time. The white is limestone and basalt which are harder thereby causing sharp cliffs to form as the red parts erode out from under the white.

At the summit of any trail, it was common to see people meditating, doing yoga or posing with professional photographers.

Crescent Moon Park was a great change of pace from the rock hikes. It’s wooded and has a lovely stream with a path that runs along the stream. The water was cool but not cold. Although it’s in Coconino National Forest, it’s private. This is one of the few places that required an entrance fee ($11 per vehicle) apart from the Red Rocks pass.

Adobe Jack Trail and Marg’s Trail rounded out one afternoon. I’m happy to report that my Merrell hiking boots from REI have been terrific! At the REI sales representative’s suggestion, I exchanged my first ones for one-half size bigger to allow for swelling and it made a huge difference. (Thanks, JHG, for the birthday gift last year.)

Doe Mountain Trail offered amazing vistas plus a combination of strenuous climbing and leisure hiking across wooded plains. There’s a huge plateau top. If you could only make one hike, this might be the best.

Although I didn’t eat at McDonald’s, I was delighted at the turquoise arches (versus the customary golden/bright yellow). I’m told the turquoise is unique to this one location. This is also the only chain restaurant or fast-food I saw in the entire city unless you consider Mexican take-out stands fast-food.

The Pump House Station Urban Eatery & Market (pumphousestation.com) — My first taste of Sedona was a delicious lunch with dear friends on this serene, back patio among beautiful flowers, birds and a small creek. It’s located in North Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village next to a fun gourmet kitchen shop and the exquisite Renee Taylor Gallery of art and jewelry. Tlaquepaque is an outdoor mall with dozens of upscale, unique stores and cafes including a fun used-book store in which I picked up a book that I’m yet to read due to filling my time hiking amazing trails, eating gourmet food, and talking with interesting people. Happily, almost all of my time from early morning until well past sunset was spent outside. Almost every restaurant had an outdoor dining area. Many also had rooms and spas. And, while a massage would have felt lovely, I was intent on soaking up everything around me with no extra time. A massage back in Virginia will be welcomed as the lack of humidity in Arizona made my skin drier by the day. It also made my hair straight. After fighting the strong winds to keep my hair under my hat, I resorted to braids which had the added benefit of giving me wavy hair when I took them down in the evening.

The Vault (thevaultuptown.com) — Located in uptown, we had drinks and appetizers at sunset with an amazing view of the red rocks.

Steakhouse 89 (steakhouse89.com) — Trying to squeeze in as much as possible, we moved the party to one of the nicer restaurants on Hwy 89 and were entertained by Lyndsay Cross, a truly gifted woman who plays piano and sings with the voice of an angel not unlike Nora Jones. This restaurant features a different musician every evening.

Vino di Sedona (www.vinodisedona.com) — This is a casual cafe with outdoor seating and live music every night they’re open (Tuesday through Sunday). I popped in several times for a glass of wine from their extensive selection (try the Quilt cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley) and a set of good music. Like most places, the music ends at 9:00 PM. I was told the early curfew on outdoor music is to prevent excessive noise from offending the senses of the spiritual locals or interfering with communication between extraterrestrials. That’s how it was explained to me.

Mesa Grill (https://mesagrillsedona.com) — You will not believe this is an airport restaurant! Award-winning Chef Mercer Mohr (once voted the best chef in San Francisco) prepares the most delicious meals — breakfast, noon, and night. How do lemon ricotta pancakes and peach mimosas sound for breakfast or lobster tail followed by cherry apple crisp for dinner? Such a great way to start or end a long day of hiking in the sun.

Open only for breakfast and lunch, Casa Sedona (casasedona.com) is a fine restaurant set in a beautiful garden. The food, drinks, service, and ambiance are all first-class. Remember, this is a small town but it has so many excellent restaurants. They take their dining very seriously. Somehow, it suggests a heightened sense of civility and graciousness befitting the grandeur of the geography.

My favorite restaurant in Sedona, and maybe anywhere, is Mariposa (Spanish for “butterfly”) (mariposasedona.com). It’s built on the edge of a canyon. The breath-taking view makes everything taste better. And, while it’s expensive, it isn’t outrageous. Trying to get a reservation is the hard part.

When you’re not hiking or dining, drive out to the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Motorcycle tour – Although I had researched this months in advance, I was disappointed that the motorcycle rental shop didn’t have any Sportsters; only big Harleys. Just as I was leaving, Chris, the master motorcycle mechanic and store manager, offered me a guided tour. Essentially, I rent the bike and he takes me for a ride. It’s not as good as riding myself but it’s still fun so, off we went on a sweet 2021 Harley Davidson Road Glide! (https://www.eaglerider.com)

The ride took us through Red Rock State Park, Crescent Moon Park, Disney Lane (Read the sign! Private road!), and by Cathedral Rock. We passed a big round building/house delicately balanced up on a hill with two portals (one portal is up by the house and the other is down by the road). I have no idea who owns it but they spent an awful lot of money building portals. I was told Stevie Nicks lives in Sedona. Maybe this is her home. Not sure; I was only told that it’s a private residence and the portals are precisely situated so that a person passing through them enters another dimension. I don’t how it allegedly works but you can see both metal structures (aka “portals”) in this photo.

Thanks for the ride, Chris! I appreciate all the stories although I’m not sure they’re all true. I’m especially skeptical of the story about Walt Disney’s head being cryogenically frozen, detached from his dead body and placed on an alien’s body. Or, how UFO’s fly in formation over Sedona. No doubt, there are many unexplained things happening. Guess I need to see it for myself.

Jeep Tours — I opted for two tours with Red Rocks Jeeps. The first was the Soldier’s Pass tour that includes a giant sink hole known as “The Devil’s Kitchen” and the Seven Sacred Pools. Our guide was very knowledgable about the history, fables, geography and vegetation. In the background of the picture below is Coffeepot Rock (formerly known as “Standing Eagle”) that is often visible as it towers over much of Hwy 89. The picture below shows two of the seven pools that are all quite small but fresh water is highly valued in the desert.

Many of the trees and bushes are twisted by the strong winds, especially at higher elevations. This particular tree was split in half by lightening then continued to grow in different directions.

Later in the week I hiked to this same spot by taking the Soldier’s Pass trail connecting to Brins Mesa then the Cibola Trail and Jordan Trail for a loop of about 5 1/2 miles. Bonus: It offers a great view of the Vultee Arch.

I took a second Red Rocks Jeep Tour known as “Cowboys & Canyons” with different friends. It was also nice and took us to an old log cabin built by homesteading pioneers. We heard all the stories associated with it. The jeep tours are an easy option for people who don’t want to hike into the mountains but want to experience some of the off-road wonder.

Leaving Sedona for the day, we drove through Oak Creek Canyon and Coconino National Forest on a twisting, winding road with a high wall on one side and a huge drop off on the other. This scenic road (highway 89) takes you north to Flagstaff and historic Route 66.

There are several nice stops along the way like the Indian Gardens Cafe, Slide Rock State Park, and a vista overlook with Native Americans selling jewelry and crafts.

Just east of Flagstaff is Walnut Canyon National Monument which offers interesting relics of Native American dwellings built into the side of the canyon walls. They can be seen from the rim but in order to appreciate them, you need to walk down a lot of stairs. The pathway is paved and in good condition but it’s a whole lot of stairs so people who are not up to the climb can stay on the rim trail.

The structures have been carved out of the softer stratum of the rock so the hard rock provides a natural ceiling and floor. It’s believed that between 75 and 400 people lived in this community at its peak about 800 years ago. The rooms were used for storage and communal living but most daily living tasks were done outside.

Fun Fact: Tired of going all the way to Flagstaff to pick up mail, Theodore Schnebly applied for a post office in the red rock area. He was told he would need a church, a school and a name that was short enough to go on a postmark. In 1902 the U. S. postal system granted him a permit to open the post office. He chose “Sedona” because that was his wife’s name.

During my two weeks in Sedona, I stayed at an Airbnb located near Tlaquepaque and Uptown. “The Treehouse” (www.airbnb.com/rooms/45494259) worked really well and I won’t hesitate to stay there again when I find my way back to beautiful Sedona. The homeowner/host, Alex, was just next door if I ever needed anything and the wifi was fast so I could work from my laptop, as needed. Although I traveled alone, having an extra bedroom and a loft was perfect for inviting family and friends to come out for a few days. There are many multi-million dollar homes on the hills but there are also modest neighborhoods. Sedona generates a lot of tourism but it’s a small town (population about 10,000) and, thankfully, doesn’t generate the kind of tourists seen at the Grand Canyon, Arches or Zion.

I’m already dreaming of my next trip and, hopefully, it will be something along this same model of renting a condo or flat big enough to invite others intermittently. Traveling alone has some great advantages (time for introspection and reflection, going exactly when and where you like, interacting more with others, increased distance from everything you left back home) but sharing travel with someone special is even better. Ultimately, there’s no bad way to explore. The world is big and I haven’t been most places. My “short list” is quite long but I’m always open for suggestions.

For now, I’m leaving Sedona but I’ll take the memories and when life seems too crazy, I’ll dream about the peaceful sunsets in the desert.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been. Travellers don’t know where they’re going.” Paul Theroux

“The man who goes alone can start today, but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”
 Henry David Thoreau