Sedona Adventure

Sedona is beautiful. You should check it out.

Sedona is one of those places that really makes you feel that cool wonder-feeling. We are tiny people and the earth has things like The Grand Canyon, The Painted Desert, and Sedona which remind us how small we really are in relation to nature. The rock formations in Sedona are huge, and pictures can’t accurately convey what it feels like to stand next to them.



One of the rock formations in Sedona



My visit to Arizona in June was composed of several small trips with several wonderful people. One such person was Jeanette Watson, who happens to be my grandmother. In this picture, she is standing next to a Catalpa tree in a shopping center in Sedona.



Jeanette Watson



In the town, there are some neat things to see. For example, a very small but very nifty Catholic Church resides in the side of one of the red rock formations.



Church on the Rock



Our destination was just outside of town in a box canyon, at a place called Enchantment Resort. The main thing I have to say about this place is, the food is top-shelf. Everything there is really, really out of my price range. As with many things that are expensive, it is a very classy and high-quality place.



Breakfast



The views are really breath-taking everywhere in Sedona. However, there’s something particularly neat about being inside of one. That is an experience Enchantment resort provides.



Grandma on the deck looking at the view



Of course, the décor is old-west. I happen to like the style myself, though my vegan friends might cringe at the cow-skin rugs or the mirror rimed in antlers.


My reflection in antler mirror



It was a delightful trip though, as Sedona always is for me.



Grandma looking down at Oak Creek Canyon




On the way home, we took a detour though Oak Creek Canyon to appreciate the beautiful views. At the top of the canyon there is a nice “scenic vista” point where you can take pictures and buy Native American crafts. I highly recommend you stop there. And, just past that is Flagstaff, which has all kinds of delightful places to eat.

Flagstaff’s Best Spot to Hike

I went home for a visit recently. While I was there I took a few majorly awesome trips. The best of them was the trip to Flagstaff. June is such a great time to go to Flagstaff because it’s so nice out. It’s 80 degrees and sunny nearly every day.



The Kachina Trail, surrounded by ferns and aspen trees




Of course, the reason I went to Flagstaff was for the hiking. The Katchina Trail, on the mountain just below Snowbowl Ski Resort, is one of my favorite places in Arizona.



Josh and Ashley in the trees



Myself, Jamie, Josh, and Ashley explored the forest a little slowly, due to all of us being a little short of breath at that elevation. 7,000 feet is nothing to mess with, and it’ll make you dizzy if you’re not used to it. I forgot just how much thinner the air is, since I’ve been living in Korea at sea level for 18 months.



Looking up into the aspen leaves




Another thing I forgot was the beautiful ferns and forests in Arizona. I tend to only tell people about the cactus, since that’s all the ask about or expect to hear. Yes, I come from a desert. However, it’s a short drive to much greener pastures. (Well, Josh thought 2 hours was a long drive- so perhaps it’s a matter of opinion.)



Josh contemplates a fern




I think the sound of the wind in the aspen trees is something everyone should hear. Josh had never heard it before, and wasn’t even sure which ones were the aspen trees. For the record, they’re the ones with the circle leaves.



A really great spot, in my humble opinion



Northern Arizona really is a great place to visit if you want to enjoy nature. There are ferns, like in many forests. However, unlike in most forests, there are very few bugs. I don’t know if it’s the dry air or what, but you just don’t get bitten by a lot of mosquitoes in Arizona. Since I’ve been away, I forgot how much I appreciated that.



Jamie in the trees



So if you feel like escaping to a really lovely place, let me recommend Flagstaff. And if you do go to Flagstaff, let me suggest that you head up to the Kachina Trail on the mountain. It’s a great hike, and a fairy easy trail. (It must be since we survived it.)



Me in the ferns

A really big hole

The best preserved and first proven meteor crater on earth is in Arizona. Just outside of Flagstaff you can get a taste of a piece of the stars…

The meteor crater museum
The meteor crater museum

 

 

One of the most impressive meteor craters in the world is in Arizona. It’s new by scientific standards (5,000 years old) and because Arizona has so little weather, it’s very well preserved. In some parts of the world a meteor could hit and it would just become a lake. But we have so little water, animals, and plants here that this crater looks almost like it did when it was formed.

 

The meteor crater is just a few minutes from Flagstaff. You take the 40 out of Flagstaff towards Winslow and it comes up on the right in about half an hour. You’ll see the signs.

 

Visitor's Center
Visitor's Center

 

 

The visitor center and museum is pretty cool. They have pictures and stats on every meteor impact of note anywhere on earth, and more than you could ever want to know about our own meteor crater.

 

This is about as close as you can get to outer space without actually leaving the planet. It’s pretty neat to realize you’re standing next to a rock that has travelled through space across all sorts of unknown and possible Star Trek-like stuff.

 

Not of this world
Not of this world

 

If you keep on going down the 40 you’ll get to the petrified forest. I didn’t keep going because I’ve been there… and it was not as cool as I hoped. It’s a lot of flat ground and not a tree for miles. There’s some rocks on the ground. I’d stop to see it if I was driving by, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

 

As for the meteor crater, it’s so close to Flagstaff that it’s a cool thing to do while you’re over there. Make it part of a day trip when you’re tired from hiking. It’s open until 7pm, so it’s easy to fit into a day up north.

 

The Hole
The Hole

Heading North

Northern Arizona has a lot to offer anyone heading out of town.

Jennica on a rock
Jennica on a rock

I apologize for the picture quality in this blog. I forgot my camera at home, and had to buy a disposable camera on my way up. I forgot how bad the pictures are from those.

 

In the forest
In the forest

Hiking in Northern Arizona is beautiful any time of year. It’s particularly beautiful in summertime to me because I love ferns and the sound of aspen leaves in the wind. I took my friend’s daughter hiking just outside Flagstaff in Snowbowl, which is a ski resort in the winter, but in the summer it’s criss-crossed with wonderful hiking trails.

 

The two of us
The two of us

We did a moderate trail, and we didn’t run into any people. It was very peaceful and quiet. I would definitely recommend Snowbowl for hiking.

 

Jennica and her dad
Jennica and her dad

After I returned a very tired Jennica to her dad in Cottonwood, I headed back to Phoenix. My favorite stop was always Sunset Point, but it has been closed for years. I was excited to see it open again, and completely remodeled.

 

Sitting area at Sunset Point
Sitting area at Sunset Point

There are observation decks, spacious bathrooms, and places to relax and sit. They really did a wonderful job with Sunset Point, so make sure to stop there the next time you head north.

Observation patios
Observation patios