What is essential to see and do in Sedona, landscapes in Arizona

In your trip to the west coast of the United States, when you go to Arizona to make the essential visit of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, you have the option to plan a tour of the Sedona region.

sedona It is a small holiday town located at the end of a valley, in a beautiful area of ​​​​landscapes where lush vegetation mixes with rocky mountains of reddish earth.

These landscapes will remind you of many Western films Because in its time it was the setting chosen to film some of the most famous titles of this genre.

How to Get to Sedona

To guide you, and keep this option in mind on your trip through Arizona, sedona is located south of the Ruta 66 and from the city of Flagstaff and north of Phoenix (160 kilometers, two hours).

From here there are two routes to go down to Phoenix, the fast Interstate 17 or the winding highway AZ89A that will take you to Sedona.

What to see in Sedona

sedona It is the area that, after the Grand Canyon, receives more visitors annually throughout Arizona.

Next, I will recommend you five essential visits If you decide to plan a visit to Sedona.

Oak Creek Canyon

Going down from Flagstaff to Sedona you will tour the canyon Oak Creek Canyon, a valley through which the road runs next to the river and you can see some of the most beautiful landscapes in this area.

Shortly after leaving 170 and accessing AZ89A, you will arrive at a viewpoint from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the lush forests of Oak Creek Canyon, towards which you will descend along the road.

On that tour you will be able to see reddish rocky mountains in some ways similar to those you find in the Grand Canyon.

The main difference is that in sedona You will see this type of rocky mountain among the lush forests and not forming part of large desert landscapes.

These characteristic landscapes of Oak Creek Canyon from the area sedona They will not be unknown to you at all, since they have been the protagonists of numerous western films.

With numerous curves, the road goes next to the river and as you advance, at the top of the canyon, on both sides, you will see the rocky reddish mountains that make up this characteristic landscape.

At the end of the canyon, when the landscape opens up, you will reach the small town of sedona.

I took this route on my way back after visiting the great desert landscapes of the Grand Canyon and the Monument Valley, heading to Phoenix to catch a flight to Washington.

An important tip is to plan your visit before visiting the Grand Canyon. This way you will better appreciate the beauty of its movie landscapes.

Red Rock Scenic Highway

On our route through the Sedona area, in Arizona, apart from touring the Oak Creek Canyon which from the north, along highway 89A, leads us to the city of sedona, there is another route where we can see two of the great reddish mountains that have made these places famous.

These mountains, possibly the most charismatic in the Sedona area, are Cathedral Rock y Bell Rock.

To be able to see them, we have to take the panoramic road called Red Rock Scenic Byway.

To access this highway, as we go down 89A from Flagstaff, crossing Oak creek, a little before reaching sedona We have to take 179 to the left, which crosses the river.

After passing through the access route to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, soon we will find the reddish mountain on the right Cathedral Rock, with its erect pinnacles.

A little further on, just before reaching the town of Oak Creek Village, on the left we can see Bell Rock, a rounded reddish rocky mountain, next to another famous rocky promontory, Courthouse Butte.

Hiking to Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock

If we have time, we have the opportunity to go hiking and climb Cathedral Rock, at the foot of the great pinnacles.

To begin with, in order to enjoy the panoramic view most famous and photographed mountain Cathedral Rock, from the shore of the Oak Creek River, we must go down from Sedona on Highway 89A, and we must turn left on the Upper Red Rock Loop road to the recreation area CrescentMoon.

But to do the hiking trail to Cathedral RockFrom Sedona, we must take Highway 179, and about five kilometers turn right onto Back O' Beyond Highway, where shortly after we find a parking lot.

From this one, the route to the reddish mountain Cathedral Rock and the return to the parking lot will take us to travel about two and a half kilometers, although with a gradient of almost 200 meters.

 Chapel of the Holy Cross

On one of the mountains that surround sedona, very close to the city, you find a curious enclave, the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

 

It is a building built on the side of a rocky mountain, from which you have the best panoramic views of Sedona and its valley.

This little one catholic chapel With an original modern architecture, which is embedded in the reddish mountain, it was built in 1956 and shows its greatest splendor during sunset.

The cross-shaped front has a large window that allows a large amount of light to enter inside.

La Chapel of the Holy Cross is very close to the city ​​of sedona.

If you arrive from the north to Sedona on 89, before entering the city you must turn left onto 179, and about four kilometers we must take the highway Chapel Road that will take you up to the parking lot.

From there you will have to take a short walk to reach the platform where the chapel is located.

Jerome, typical western mining town

The city ​​of sedona you have the opportunity to visit a typical and historic mining town, whose main street will make you feel like you are living the atmosphere of a western movie.

Is Jerome, a town located 47 kilometers away south of Sedona.

Jerome You can see it on the side of a mountain from afar, as you approach along the road.

In its origins, in 1876, it was a mining field full of shops, but various fires led to the fact that finally, in 1899, a small city was built.

The life of Jerome was linked to the exploitation of a copper mine, and in the 20s it became, in terms of population, the fifth largest city in Arizona, with more than 15.000 inhabitants.

Finally, in 1953, the copper mine was closed, and quickly Jerome earned the reputation of being a ghost city, Well, there were barely less than one hundred inhabitants.

Today, Jerome It has a population of 450 people, and has become a artist community, as artisans, musicians and writers.

In your visit to Jerome You will be able to see some of the buildings that were built when the city was built, which have been restored.

One of the most striking, without a doubt, is the old jail.

In Jerome you will find bars that give it the typical western atmosphere, and gift shops with artisan products.

In sum, a typical western town.

Sunset Crater Volcano

Although it is not in the sedona valley, on the way from the north towards it, specifically, just 30 kilometers north of Flagstaff, you can visit a curious volcanic mountain considered a national monument,

This is the Sunset Crater Volcano, where you can contemplate a totally volcanic landscape.

In this natural area, the contrast of reddish colors of sulfur and oxidized iron stands out, with the black of lava ash that covers most of the land surrounding the mountain.

All the  rashes that created this landscape They took place between the years 1040 and 1100.

Since 1974 it is no longer possible to ascend to the top of the volcanic cone of this small mountain with a slope of 300 meters, although it has a total height of 2.447 meters.

On your visit to Sunset Crater Volcano (after paying $5/person for the entrance), we can walk along several trails that run through the remains of the lava rivers.

Of course, if you have had the opportunity to visit the Cañadas del Teide or Timanfaya in Lanzarote, the landscape will not surprise you.