Seeing Red

Not more than half a century ago, Sedona had barely more than 2,000 residents. The desert hamlet was better known as the backdrop for Westerns like Johnny Guitar than for spiritual quests. But the discovery of underground water, which helped support a tourism boom that began in the ’60s, put Sedona literally and figuratively on the map. The town was incorporated in 1988, but some believe the sandstone formations have held vortices that vibrate with the earth’s healing energy ... forever.

Today, the Arizona destination surrounded by redrock beauty sits at the intersection of two roads, which make it a prime location for RV exploration: 89A stretches north as Oak Creek Canyon, then branches west to Red Rock Loop Road; 179 ambles south toward I-17. You might want to bed down somewhere central. Local photographer Rob Cooley favors Rancho Sedona RV Park, “an absolute stunner” right on Oak Creek. Or you could stay at Munds Park, a Cooley recommendation near Flagstaff, enjoy the daily drive alongside Oak Creek Canyon and end your days with a concert at the nearby Pepsi Amphitheater. Wherever you roam, you’ll be treated to Sedona’s intoxicating natural sights and, yes, a distinct spiritual quality that keeps travelers coming here year after year.

The following itinerary offers a day’s worth of activity for each road, but there is plenty to see here for a longer trip. If you go in warmer months, be mindful of the heat. This Dark Skies-certified community also makes for once-in-a-lifetime stargazing in the cooler hours.

Begin at Tlaquepaque, a shopping village and collection of art galleries with a free-flowing, labyrinth-like layout, built in the 1970s by a local eccentric. Enjoy a chef’s scramble at the pet-friendly Secret Garden Cafe, and consider picking up a used book or classic rock deep cut on vinyl from the charmingly disorganized ALT Books & Records.

Head down to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright acolyte and built directly into a mountainside in 1956. It doesn’t hold church services, but you can stop in any time to meditate or pray if the spirit moves you, and experience a breathtaking view that even nonbelievers hold sacred. Must-stop hike: the Bell Rock trail, home to a vortex. Cyclists shouldn’t miss the Slim Shady or Little Horse trails, the former a moderate singleback, the latter an easy out and back.

TRIP TIPS

Driving Notes: Paved, some tight turns and congestion, 7.5 miles

Where to Camp: Thousand Trails Verde Valley

Whether you’re heading to the Grand Canyon or returning from it, the winding road through Oak Creek Canyon—with its precipitous 2,200-foot elevation drop toward Sedona—is a stunner. Surrounded by the towering ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest and, of course, its titular creek, the switchback-laden road provides ample opportunity to consider the enormity of nature—and your own small role in it.

Power up with a breakfast sandwich in the verdant courtyard of Indian Gardens Cafe and Market, housed in a cabin built in 1876. Stop in at Slide Rock State Park, where, true to its name, the rocks form a natural water slide—good for kids young and old. Stop at the red rock “beaches” of Grasshopper Point by Midgely Bridge for a refreshing swim. Bring your water shoes and a  shing rod, as the rock beds are notoriously hard on feet, but the water is stocked with trout, bass, catfish and more. Driving notes:

TRIP TIPS

Driving Notes: Paved, winding two-lane running 30 miles between Sedona and Flagstaff

Where to Camp: Munds Park RV Resort

Head west on 89A, popping into the cleverly named Sedonuts for a Vortex Cinnamon Roll. Or head to Coffee Pot, famously home to 101 omelet varieties. (Or, per my son, the best pancakes of his life. He’s eight.) Then hang a left on Red Rock Loop Road, where the scenic overlooks begin immediately. (It can sometimes feel, in this part of the country, as if there is a scenic overlook every half mile or so.) Lover’s Knoll offers an impeccable view of Cathedral Rock and Courthouse Butte. Or you can hit the Pyramid Mountain Trail, a moderate hike that overlooks Cathedral Rock.

If you’re offroading, or book a tour with Pink Jeep or another vendor, the appropriately named Cliff Hanger Trail will have you hopping over sheer drops and taking in panoramas from the remains of an old stagecoach trail. Red Rock State Park offers a family-friendly series of hikes through its expansive, juniper-laden sandstone cliffs and the lower portion of Oak Creek. Finish your day with a first-rate slice and gelato from Pisa Lisa, the brainchild of renowned local chef Lisa Dahl.

TRIP TIPS

Driving Notes: Paved but narrow 30-mile stretch; better suited to smaller rigs

Where to Camp: Verde Ranch RV Resort

This story was originally published in the Spring issue of Wildsam Magazine.