Are we still on Earth? The thought begs serious consideration as our rental 4x4 descends slowly into the mouth of the red rock valley. Great monoliths of layered red velvet impose themselves on every corner of our sight, as little desert dwellings materialize at the foot of the slabs, all painted an earthen color, camouflaged yet striking. Both of us hailing from the evergreen forests of Northern California, my friend and I can’t stop ooh-ing and ahh-ing as each ocherous mountain range unfolds like a slow-moving stage set. Sedona feels enormous and strange. While planning this trip, I scoffed at the New-Age-centered tourism that’s popular here but, as we would come to understand, it’s not for nothing. Hematite cliffs surround you like a temple, energetic fields converge into vortexes, and before you know it, you’re getting your palm read at the Center for the New Age. Let’s get metaphysical, folks, and make the most out of a few days in Sedona, Arizona.
Jordan trail, near Soldier's Pass
Hiking
A note for those of you who are not morning people (myself included) – nature doesn’t wait! Especially in Sedona, where outdoor activities are the main draw. Hikers, bikers, forest-bathers, sophisticated lululemon-clad bachelorette girls, will all be flocking to the outdoors and it will be to your benefit to beat them to the trail. This is particularly true if you’re going in the spring and have a higher chance of being personally victimized by that Arizona heat. Trail parking in Sedona is also painfully limited but the shuttle system is straightforward - look up your desired trail head and park at the shuttle parking lot in time for the shuttle to drive you directly to the trail.
And remember what I said about strangeness? Don’t expect simple trails. You will run into many other confused hikers looking for a specific trail fork or end point, and you will all stand there cluelessly together, scratching your heads and shrugging your shoulders. “Vortexes, right??”
Our limited time and an April heat wave prevented us from hitting every single trail, but here’s a list of the best beaten and not-so-beaten paths I recommend.
Soldier's Pass / Soldier's Arch Caves
Soldier Pass, ending in Soldier Arch/Cave – This trail was properly exhausting but so worth it. We hiked Soldier Pass with the objective of making it to the rumored caves and, although it took some backtracking, once we got there… wow. After a steep clamber up, you arrive at a towering red rock wall and make your way into a wide, sunken chamber, quiet and cool after the blazing heat. There’s a long sitting ledge, perfect for a sandwich break and a gaze through one of the cave’s “windows” onto a sweeping vista. An absolutely spiritual experience.
Cathedral rock – One of the more famous trails and very well-rounded. We decided to cheat the system and the crowds by approaching via Crescent Moon Ranch ($10 to park). Again we hit that Sedona vortex confusion but overall, it worked out great – less people, a walk along Oak Creek, lush surroundings. If you decide to start at Cresent Moon in the spring, veer South from the entry booth, cross the creek, and follow the Red Rock Crossing Trail to Baldwin Trail to get to Cathedral Rock.
Brewer / Airport Mesa – We didn’t exactly hike this trail but we walked a portion of it for a Sunrise Yoga class, and it was gorgeous! Expansive panoramas, diverse flora and fauna… we even saw a family of javelinas making their way down to the creek.
Little Horse – We didn’t personally hike this one, but I’ve heard good things. Plus you can take this one up to Chapel of the Cross, which is worth seeing in its own right anyway.
Birthing Cave – We didn’t get to visit this one either but it was one of our desired hikes. It’s a bit of a drive from central Sedona but is worth it for the spiritual significance. It’s said that the Hopi women of Sedona used this cave to birth their babies, safe and sheltered there from predators and other dangers.
Other trails and areas of note: Slickrock, Chicken Point, Bell Rock, Devil’s Bridge, Subway Cave, Palatki Heritage Site, Honanki Heritage Site, Slide Rock.
Braving the Sedona heat at the foot of Cathedral Rock
Culture
The culture of Sedona is multi-layered, just like its red rock. Although written history is limited, archeological ruins tell of many indigenous groups that inhabited Sedona, starting about 10,000 years ago. The Anasazi, with their impressive cave dwellings, the Hohokam, who irrigated the land, the Sinaqua “dry farmers”, the Hopi, and many others intermingling with each other to survive and thrive in the beautiful, intense desert. As Spanish conquistadors infiltrated the indigenous way of life, colonialism spread and eventually Caucasian settlers were requesting a post office in the area, naming it Sedona, after one of the settler’s wives. Once Sedona was discovered by Hollywood filmmakers as a perfect Western backdrop in the 50s, its name was put on the map as a unique, luxurious destination.
For a place that was no stranger to various types of colonizers, I was amazed by how much reverence Sedona still holds for its roots, its lost civilizations, its colorful history. You can feel it in the respect local Sedonians have for the spiritual significance of the land. Likely without the knowledge of indigenous ancestors, modern humans would have taken a bit longer to catch on that there was something otherworldly about this “cathedral without walls” (although the New Age movement really skyrocketed in the 80s when an American psychic “identified” the Sedona energy vortexes within the public eye).
Some might argue that Sedona is a bit too woo-woo. And you certainly get that sense when every other store you stroll by sells crystals and aura photographs. But the key is to discern what feels genuine and what doesn’t – tap into your intuition, so to speak. Personally, I ended up doing an archetypal reading at a random little store and received a lot of helpful insight. And our sunrise yoga guide, tapped just enough into the spiritual aspects of the landscape around us to make it feel meaningful.
Chapel of the Cross
A great way to get a feel for the cocktail of culture in Sedona, especially if you only have a few days, is to visit the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. Inspired originally by quaint Mexican villages, this charming artists’ gathering place is now a central destination for music, fine dining, unique souvenirs, and all kinds of interesting events. The village was built in a grove of sycamore trees and the artisans and plasterers who built it (all self-taught, at the request of the architect), were encouraged to take creative liberties by sculpting the buildings around the trees themselves. A truly unique place. We happened to watch a flamenco show there, followed by a nice dinner at Rene’s – we felt like we were transported to another place and time.
TLDR; there is a lot to explore in Sedona, outside of just the hiking trails, and I highly encourage bringing an open mind to this incredible place!
Tlaquepaque Village
Sedona Swirl is a must-stop for a unique souvenir!
Eating
Would you be shocked to hear that the best food we had in the high desert was seafood? That’s right! (FYI it was Shorebird). But not only… there are so many little gems in Sedona, and many new ones popping up. Pretty much every dining (and breakfasting and snacking) experience was delicious and high-quality. My friend and I both like variety when we eat out, usually splitting many dishes, so our overall consensus was a resounding YES. My recommendations, as follows:
Rascal Modern Kitchen
Shorebird Sedona
Tii Gavo
Che Ah Chi
The Hudson
Willows Kitchen
Cress on Oak Creek
Mariposa
Dahl & Di Luca
Rene at Tlaquepaque
Hummingbird
Vespa Italian Cafe
Local Juicery
Savannah Bee Company (stop in for the Mead bar at the back!)
The last thing I’ll call out, that unfortunately we missed out on due to a randomly overcast day, would be a Stargazing Tour. Sedona is a Dark Sky destination and I’d consider it totally worth checking out our surrounding, beautiful galaxy with a trained professional (and a fancy telescope).
Our few days in Sedona flew by and, after writing this blog a few months later, I’ve come to realize that there is still so much to see there. Sedona’s strangeness is beckoning me back, a quiet mystery sitting patiently among the towering rock giants, waiting to be explored.
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