Arizona, the land of red rocks and cacti, was somewhere I had always wanted to visit but I never felt that I had enough of a reason to take on the adventure. Luckily for me, I got the perfect incentive when I was invited for a wedding this fall. For four days, Millie* and I kept busy with hiking, sightseeing, and of course, the wedding, and we loved every single second.
We arrived in Phoenix at about 10am local time, and feeling a bit jet-lagged, stopped at Whataburger for some road trip snacks despite the early hour. Sedona is only about a 2 hour drive from Phoenix, through long spans of desert and winding roads that gain elevation slowly until you find yourself surrounded by mountains and valleys. You’ll know once you reach Sedona when the gorgeous red rock formations start popping up all around you. The beauty is almost overwhelming, so make sure you pay attention to the road while you’re driving through, because it's very easy to become distracted by it all.
Cathedral Rock
Not wanting to waste any time, I decided we would drop off our bags at the hotel and immediately head out for a hike. One that I had heard a lot about was Cathedral Rock, a moderately rated trail with a lot of different ways to approach it. While I believe there are easier ways to approach this hike, we went to the entrance at Crescent Moon Ranch, where parking for the day was $11. The Crescent Moon Ranch parking area has bathrooms, water fountains, and lots of picnic tables. There’s a big grassy field that has some gorgeous views of the rock formation, and the trail is very easy to find from the parking lot.
We trekked through the field and into the woods until we came across a stream area, where there were lots of people sunbathing on protruding red rocks and enjoying a dip in the cool water. I was a little nervous about slipping on the rocks in the water, so Millie and I dipped our feet in briefly before heading farther into the woods. We crossed over a flat rocky area, that is known as one of the many famous vortices (plural of the word vortex) of Sedona.
Fun anecdote! A vortex is an area that supposedly has spiritual healing powers due to swirling energy fields. They were discovered possibly thousands of years ago and utilized by native peoples for healing, and are still used today by groups and individuals. Don’t be surprised to find people meditating on or around these areas, because I saw quite a few. Over the course of my stay, I heard various facts about the Sedona vortex hype, some of which stuck out to me. Apparently one of the vortices has such strong magnetic energy that it will demagnetize your credit card strip (I’m not a scientist by any means, so believe what you want, but I thought that was a pretty cool if it's true). I also heard that the spiraling energy from these areas can influence the growth of Juniper trees and cause them to grow in twisted, twirling formations (I saw evidence of these twisted trees on and around one of the vortices so I, for one, definitely believe it, but the internet has conflicting opinions so make your own decision I guess?).
No matter what you believe in, I think the whole idea of the vortex is very cool and it’s a really unique opportunity to connect to something. Spending time at these sites can apparently help lift your mood and boost your energy, which I would believe since my very groggy and jet-lagged boyfriend suddenly had a lifted spirit after hiking around one of them for a few hours ;)
Anyway, we found a stream crossing a little ways down and waded through, which was a bit tricky but Millie was a champ. Once we were across the stream, the path began to gain elevation, and the hike was mostly on the red rocky paths. I’m not an expert hiker by any means, and still found this trail pretty easy to do, even with a dog. At one point, the trail intersects with another trail, and I followed the new trail to the left towards Cathedral Rock.
Millie and I hiked up the rocky trail for another half an hour or so, stopping every so often for her to find a stick to chew on or for me to take some pictures. We didn’t complete the hike because I didn’t want it to get too late, but every step of the way had been breathtaking.
I would highly recommend this trail for the views and the ease of the hike. The trickiest part was the water crossing, where the water level was up to my knees, but bring some water shoes and you’ll be fine. The cool water is actually nice and refreshing when it’s hot out, and I know Millie loved that. There’s another entrance to the Cathedral Rock trail on Back O Beyond Road, which I’ve read is a bit easier to navigate, however the vortex site was closer to the Crescent Moon Ranch (and it was before the water crossing), so you may want to keep that in mind depending on what you most want to visit.
The town of Sedona is itself an adorable little main street with stores and restaurants galore. You will find your fair share of spiritual shops selling crystals, candles, aura readings and more for those looking to make the most of the healing energy surrounding Sedona. Of course there are tons of Mexican restaurants, and I sat down at 89Agave for some happy hour cocktails and snacks. Believe me, the prickly pear margaritas in Arizona are amazing and it would be a crime not to have one while you’re there.
The Grand Canyon
My trip involved a lot of driving but that is something I’m always okay with. You have to make the most of your time, and very lucky for me, this meant I got to see one of the National Parks I’ve always been dying to visit! The whole wedding group met at the Grand Canyon, which is about a three-hour drive from Sedona. It costs around $30 to enter the park, but you can pretty much park in any lot once you're inside. We met and parked at the Park Headquarters, which was not at all busy or crowded and was a pretty central location to get to various areas of the park.
We had the privilege of having an awesome park employee give us a short guided tour from the park headquarters to the South Rim, and we learned about the geology and history of the incredible area. As soon as we got a view of the canyon, it took my breath away. It was just so MASSIVE and expansive and it’s really hard to grasp all at once. It was beautiful.
Our group chose to walk about a mile (although it felt like a LOT more) along the rim to the Visitor’s Center. I’m pretty scared of heights, so walking right along the edge of the canyon was definitely nerve-wracking, but we got some photos and we got to all spend time together. Millie even got to come and she was loving all of the smells along our walk.
We only got to see a bit of the Grand Canyon, so I would absolutely love to go back and do some more intense hikes that actually go down into the canyon. Another cool option is going at night to see the incredible stars. The Grand Canyon is definitely somewhere you should see if you haven't already. It seems kind of like it's in the middle of nowhere, but it’s really not that far from Sedona, so do like we did and tie it all into one trip! It’s worth every second of the three-hour drive.
West Fork/Oak Creek Canyon Trail
The next morning, Millie and I woke up nice and early and head to one of the most recommended trails in the area: the West Fork/Oak Creek Canyon Trail. It was thirty-ish minutes from my hotel along the same scenic route that we had driven to get to the Grand Canyon. When I first arrived in Arizona, I had no idea there were, like, real mountains. I knew there were the red rock formations and cliff faces but I just wasn’t aware that there were mountains with tall trees and the whole deal. It was also pretty chilly in the mornings, which I had not expected, so I had to bundle up a bit, but I guess Arizona is always good for being warmer as the day goes on.
The West Fork Trail is right in the mountains and is a super popular spot. I got there around 8am, and instead of fighting for a spot in the tiny parking lot, I chose to park on the side of the winding mountain road. It was a little tricky to walk down along the road with cars whizzing past, but it was a pretty short walk and we beat the craziness of the full lot (plus we only had to pay $2 to walk in, as opposed to $10 for parking inside!).
The beginning of the trail was through some fields with stunning views of the mountainside, and then over a bridge and into the thick of the woods. Since we were there in October, we got to see the gorgeous fall colors of the leaves set against the red rocks and it was SO BEAUTIFUL. This trail is super popular because of the beauty, but also because it’s more of a walk than a hike. The paths are all sandy and pretty flat, and even though there are about a dozen creek crossings, they all have stones or logs to hop across so your feet won’t get too wet.
Millie loved running through the streams and had so many smells to inspect. We both loved the whole trail, and although we didn’t go the entire 3.3 miles to the end of the trail (one way) we still had a blast. I was mostly blown away by the colors everywhere, and I’m sure that’s what brings the tons of other hikers we saw along the trail. It’s a super easy adventure for any age (I saw everyone from kids to older adults walking the trail with ease) and the views are absolutely worth it. If you’re going on a weekend, get there early to get parking and a little bit of a quieter hike.
Bell Rock Trail
After my lovely hike on the West Fork Trail, I jetted down to Phoenix to grab my boyfriend Alex from the airport and then that night we had some more wedding festivities. The next morning I dragged him and Millie out of the hotel for another hike because I wanted to soak up every bit of beauty in Sedona while we were there. We head to the Bell Rock Trail, which is the location of another vortex and only a twenty minute drive from the hotel.
This is another popular trail in the area, and we had a bit of a late start (probably from all of the margaritas we had consumed the night before) so instead of parking at the Bell Rock Trailhead, we had to park down the road at the Yavapai Vista Point parking lot. From there, you can either hike through trails and underpasses below the highway, or you can walk along the highway to the Bell Rock Trailhead. We went on the trails for the way there and along the road on the way back. Either way, it’s not too far out of the way from the main trail.
The loop itself is a pretty easy hike, with some steeper areas and confusing signage, but if you really want to be more extreme, you can scale some of the more difficult areas of the rock. Alex, Millie, and I opted to be more adventurous and do some semi-serious rock climbing to get a better view. From Bell Rock, there are gorgeous views of Courthouse Butte and the whole surrounding area. What’s great about these hikes, is that you don’t have to climb that high to get stunning views, whereas on the East Coast you really have to hike up to see above enough trees for a good look around. Millie was a little rock-climbing champ, and she got worn out enough that she slept the rest of the night and day while we were at the wedding.
Bell Rock is one of the vortices of Sedona and I saw quite a few of the twisted Juniper trees. I definitely feel like we got some positive energy from all of our vortex experiences, and although I’m not the meditating type, it was a cool vibe to be right among these strong energy fields.
The most magical part of the weekend was obviously the wedding, but I won’t get into that part too much. I will say that it was all so gorgeous, and couldn’t have been more perfect. I will never get over how beautiful the scenery was throughout the entire trip, but having those stunning red rocks as the backdrop for such a special event was even more breathtaking.
I want to say that the hotel where we stayed was so perfect and I can’t say enough good things about it. The Sedona Real Inn & Suites was super pet-friendly and accommodating, and even had Millie’s name on their welcome board in the lobby when we arrived. The breakfast every morning was delicious and thoughtful and really felt like home cooking. There was an amazing dog park/picnic area with lots of grass that Millie appreciated (because she really didn’t like to go potty on the gravel that’s all over Arizona). The room was spacious and clean, and it was super easy to get to town from the hotel. I would absolutely recommend that anyone visiting check it out!
I left Sedona feeling so refreshed and recharged, from all of the hiking to the incredible food and drink, and getting to spend time with so many special people (and Millie!) it made me want to book another trip back. I really don’t think I could ever move somewhere where the most popular pizza place in town closes at 9pm, but it is an absolutely fantastic place to visit. Come with an open mind and a desire for adventure, and leave feeling like you're bringing a little bit of magic home with you.
(*Yes, I did fly from the East Coast to Arizona with Millie, who is a 55-pound German Shepherd mutt, and I couldn’t have asked for a smoother trip. It was a little over a four hour flight and my perfect pup snoozed the whole way under my feet. Millie is a registered Emotional Support Animal so she gets to accompany me on airplanes free of charge, and she doesn't have to be boarded up in a kennel beneath the plane. If you have any questions about flying with your dog, feel free to leave me a message!)
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