Sedona Red Rocks

Sunday we traveled from Black Canyon to Sedona. As we traveled, the landscape continued to change from hills and cacti to rock formations and cliffs. The dirt slowly changing from brown to red. Bedazzling us all, the rocks began to change themselves. The further we traveled, the whole landscape changed to reds. Here’s the thing, all of this change happened within the span of our 1 hour drive. Now, that’s spectacular.

We were thrilled to camp in Sedona because we decided to forego traditional campgrounds and give boondocking a try. For those of you who are not avid campers, boondocking is camping without anemities (water, electric, & sewer hookups). Now for those of you who aren’t too into camping, this does not mean that we do not have water or electricity. Overtime, we have collected what we needed to be able to supply our own power and water for our rig. We filled our water tank at Black Canyon, prior to leaving, and we have a generator to supply power and charge our batteries. When the generator is not running, we are able to have lights and a water pump by running solely on battery. This set up allowed us to camp for a solid 7 days on our own. We love this because it provides us the ability to camp anywhere we want, granted it be on public land. Usually National forests are the way to go, but out west there is BLM (Bureau of Land Management) owned land in 12 of the states. This land can be used just like National land for camping and any other activities.

SIDE NOTE: We found a spot where dispersed camping was allowed using an app called Free Roam. This app allows us to find spots to camp where it’s legal, but also allows people to leave reviews. These reviews are essential. Some areas that allow camping may no longer allow it and reviewers are helpful in updating so that everyone knows. The last thing one wants is to travel well out of the way on rough back country roads to get to a spot where camping is prohibited. So far this app has proven to be an excellent guide for our camping needs.

We found our spot while driving this back country dirt road. To give some reference, we drove down this dirt road for 20 minutes up a moutain until we found a spot we liked. While driving, we passed so many other sites, which you can identify by dirt clearings with fire pits. The road we chose is so close to Sedona that it’s overflowing in people boondocking. The fact that there was other people out there really allowed us to feel more comfortable camping out on our own for the first time. Next time we will definitely choose a more desolate area. However, the view we found here was breathtaking.

I have to admit that I was greatly disappointed by the fact that I could not hike in Sedona. Some days were really hard because I was overtaken by the beauty all around me but unable to really be a part of it. This very fact caused us to leave Sedona a few days early. There was simply nothing left for us to see that did not involve hiking. However, let’s get back to what we did see.

Sedona is known for it’s energy. There are 4 sites in particualar where energy is said to be so strong that trees twist upon themselves and rock structures have been created as a result. I would love to say that I was able to view the trees, because the fact there is a rock structure does not really prove to me that it’s a result of energy. I attempted twice to view the energy vortexes, but each required substantial hiking to view any of the trees. Each vortex is said to provide people with various energies, some masculine and some feminine. Here’s a link if you are interested in learning more.

https://visitsedona.com/spiritual-wellness/what-is-a-vortex/

Besides the vortexes and hiking, Sedona is known for it’s wineries. They even have their own small wine trail called Verde Valley. We tried several and learned quite a lot about how their wines differ from those of other areas. Because of the desert temps and dry dirt, their grapes create great Syrahs, Cabernets, Merlots, and Chardonnays. We tried Alcantra Vineyards, Page Springs Cellars, and Oak Creek Vineyards. Out of the three, we definitely prefer Alcantra. The wine was good-I don’t necessarily believe that Arizona wine is my cup of tea- but the view and atmosphere made it into a great place to spend time as a family.

A few other things to note about Sedona for those hoping or dreaming of traveling to the area. It’s not a cheap destination. Shops in town charge approximately $35-40 for the typical tourist shirts that say Sedona, where most destinations we have encoutered so far cost approximately $25 for similar items. They definitely thrive on their tourism. The thing that got to me more than anything was the fact that they charge for hiking in Red Rock country. $15/week to park in their parking areas for trail access. I suppose it is just like paying for a National Park pass or anything similar, but the thought just rubbed me the wrong way.

Here’s some grand views of the city. It truly is spectacular. It reminds me of a red rock version of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for those midwesterners out there.

Last, but definitely not least, are the state and national parks that are close to Sedona. We visited Montezuma Castle and Slide Rock State Park. Montezuma castle was built by the Sinagua people. The dwellings are actually 3 stories, despite what they look like from the photos. Many rooms extend behind the rock and if viewed closely one can see through various openings that there is indeed more rooms beyond what the eye can see. It’s truly an incredible sight and definitely a must see destination if ever in the area.

Slide Rock State Park, I repeat, is beyond impressive. The red rock cliffs descending into a canyon that is used as a natural water slide. It’s hard to imagine the fun that this site provides to so many people. F decided to follow a boy near his age into the waters to take an attempt at the slide. The 33 degree water was just a little too cold for him. He screeched and ran out of that water so fast many in audience had a good chuckle. Everyone in attendence was so supportive of each person who attempted the slide. Hoots, hollers, and claps echoed through the canyon when anyone dared to take the leap. It was a blast and just another thing we must return to in the future when my ankle is not in a boot.