Sedona
Sedona is my favorite place to spend a vacation. Once I found Sedona, I had no desire to go back to the grand canyon, or anywhere else for that matter.
SEDONA, ARIZONA
PLACES TO STAY:
I recommend two places I’ve stayed. Both are reasonably priced and offer a special experience.
Sky Ranch Lodge
This is the more civilized of the two places I recommend. It is an upscale motel in a fantastic setting. It sits on Airport Mesa, as far as you can go before reaching the small Sedona airport. You can watch the sun rise from one side of the mesa and the sun set from the other side. There is a large area adjacent to the hotel grounds where many people gather each evening to see the sun set. The sunrise you have to yourself. The garden and pool areas are beautifully landscaped. You can walk to a family restaurant at the airport and hob nob with the pilots. The airport is also a departure point for helicopter trips to the grand canyon. www.skyranchlodge.com
Crescent Moon Ranch (see pictures to right)
Crescent Moon Ranch is the former home of one of the early settlers to the area. It is adjacent to Red Rock Crossing. It has a Frank Lloyd Wright - inspired design (he didn’t design it, but it was designed using many of his principles). This wonderful dwelling has three bedrooms, three baths, two kitchens, a great room (with fireplace) and a screened porch. It is remote, but sits adjacent to Red Rock Crossing State Park. You can walk down the hill in front of the house to the path that runs along Oak Creek. Turn right on the path to get to the most-photographed view of Cathedral Rock. Turn left to get to another view of Cathedral Rock, and beyond that to the place of the prayer rocks and an excellent swimming hole. The ranch is maintained by the National Park Service in a rustic style - you have to bring your own bed and bath linens. www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/other-rec/recreation_room_with_a_view/
Sign for Miss Kitty’s on historic Route 66.
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.
Painted desert.
Painted desert.
Hydrant at Desert View.
View of Grand Canyon from Hermits Rest.
View of Grand Canyon from Hermit’s Rest.
Horses returned from Bright Angel Trail.
View of Grand Canyon from Hopi Point.
Tuzigoot National Monument.
Montezuma’s Well.
Montezuma’s Castle.
Petroglyphs at Palatki.
Cliff dwellings at Palatki.
Red Planet Diner, Sedona.
Mongollan Rim at sunrise.
View from Red Rock Loop.
House of Apache Fire at Red Rock State Park.
Prayer rocks and Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing.
Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing.
Cathedral Rock and Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing.
Cathedral Rock (view from Crescent Moon Ranch).
Crescent Moon Ranch.
Road to Crescent Moon Ranch.
PHOTOGRAPHS:
GUIDE BOOKS:
The best guide book is published by the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce Tourism Bureau. It’s free and can be ordered from them (see link on the side of this page). You’ll also need a general guide book for Northern Arizona that covers the Grand Canyon and the broad area surrounding Sedona, including Flagstaff, Prescott and Jerome. Other books I found interesting:
Sedona Guide: Day Hiking & Sightseeing Arizona’s Red Rock Country, by Steve Krause and Teresa Henkle (a must if you plan to go hiking).
Everything You Wanted to Know About Sedona in a Nutshell, by Tom Dongo. A small book that gives information about the history and environs, trees, plants, flowers, critters, vortexes and more.
What is a Vortex, A Practical Guide to Sedona’s Vortex Sites, by Dennis Andres. A really good introduction to experiencing the vortexes of Sedona.
Sedona Through Time: Geology of the Red Rocks, by Wayne Ranney. This is not a guide book. It’s a very detailed description of the geology of the area.
Cabin rentals by the U.S. Forest Service in
Coconino National Forest
www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/other-rec/recreation_room_with_a_view/
Sky Ranch Lodge, Sedona, AZ
www.skyranchlodge.com
Sedona Chamber of Commerce
www.visitsedona.com/
OTHER LINKS:
AFFILIATE LINKS:
amazon.com
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