We drove three hours from where we were hiking in the Superstition Mountains to see the picturesque red rock mountains and hills of Sedona.
Sedona sits between 4000 and 4500 feet elevation and was about 20 degrees cooler than the Superstition Mountains were, but even so bring water and wear layers because the dry air will dehydrate you super-fast!
Cathedral Rock
Our first stop was Cathedral Rock. This was a moderate rated hike. If you plan to park and hike at any of the parks you need to buy a day or multi day parking pass for your car window or you could get a ticket.
We followed the well-worn trail and I noticed just how red the rocks and sand was here. Yes, I know we were in Sedona but hey It was all new to me. There were tons of people here. The superstition mountains in Phoenix by contrast only had a few hikers.
After 20 minutes or so we came to an area where I didn’t feel comfortable climbing up. I didn’t have the right boots on and also I’m not that fond of heights. We hiked back down a bit and decided to follow a trail to the right that wound around the mountain. This was okay with me because it had far less people and I was able to take my time, enjoy nature, and snap a few great photos!
After about another hour or so we turned around because the sun was going to set and hiking in the dark didn’t seem like a smart idea. We checked into our room at a Bed and breakfast called the Adobe Hacienda and had dinner in town. The next day we had breakfast and headed to Boynton Canyon.
Boynton canyon
Both Boynton Canyon and Bell Rock are said to have energy vortexes, like a few of the other mountains in Sedona. You can learn more about the vortexes here.
We couldn’t find parking at the trail entrance so we had to park on the side of the road and hiked in. The trail is clearly marked and well worn. We followed it a short ways and veered to the right to head up to the rock overlook. It was an easy walk and there were a good amount of tourists on the trail. Once we got to the rock spire and overlook the trail ended. There were some drop offs so I’d advise caution even if you are the most seasoned hiker. The views were spectacular as you can see from my photos.
Perhaps you can avoid some of the crowds by going to the trails early in the morning and maybe catch the sunrise. I highly recommend Sedona for the hiking, the unique rock color, strata, and to immerse yourself in nature. I also recommend you stay in a comfortable hotel so you can get a good night sleep if you will be hiking and driving all day. Thanks for reading.
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