In 2003, USA Today named Sedona “the most beautiful place on earth,” & after visiting, I have to say it is definitely one of the most striking landscapes I have ever seen. The color of the mint green & teal trees pop against the brick red & burnt orange rock Sedona is known for. Spiky agave plants in the color of cyan dot the landscape of loose, faded orange sand, & all around the town, the tall mountains that stretch up towards the sky have been painted red halfway up, as if God took a step back from his art project halfway through said, “It is finished.”
We left early for Sedona. The world was still dark as we drove through the desert landscape. We watched with tired eyes as the sun rose up behind the purple mountains into the pink & orange striped sky.
Our first stop in Sedona was the trailhead of Devil’s Bridge. I stand corrected about the weather in Arizona in December. It does, in fact, get cold. When we began our hike, the weather was in the 40s, & we were all a little chilly in our hiking clothes as we began the trek towards the bridge.
For over a mile, the hike was mostly flat in soft dirt. We chatted as we walked & admired the scenery – the red canyons & bright green & blue of the trees. I have never seen plants of such a beautiful color, & the red of the rock really made them stand out. When we got to the last half mile, the trail turned to stairs formed from the rock, & then just large rocks that we had to climb to the top.
Devil’s Bridge is a natural sandstone arch in the Coconino National Forest. It was formed from years of wind & weather erosion that only left the top of the structure. From the top, it’s a 54 foot drop, which, despite the bridge being five feet across, still feels daunting when you look over the side.
One by one, we stepped out onto the bridge to get our picture taken by those back on the trail. Standing on the bridge, looking over the desert, was both exhilarating & terrifying. The desert was strikingly beautiful – I could have stayed on that bridge gazing at it for hours. But only one person was allowed on the bridge at once & there was a line of people waiting to get their picture taken in the same iconic spot where the bridge thins ever so slightly & looks even more terrifying.
We headed back to the car to return to town, where we stopped at Berry Divine for a post-hike treat. Berry Divine serves delicious açai bowls topped with multiple combinations of fruit, granola, nuts, coconut oil, chocolate, & more! I have never had a smoothie bowl like it. The açai was the consistency of thick ice cream, & it was both tart & sweet, a delightful contrast on the tongue. I ordered the Red Rock Bowl, which was topped with tart raspberries, goji berry & raspberry puree balanced with sweet banana & crunchy granola. The result was satisfying & surprisingly filling.
At this point, our group split up. We dropped Jake & Jess off to go on a Pink Jeep tour in the desert, & then we picked up Starbucks & went to the trailhead once again, where Mom & Dad dropped us off & then went back to Sedona to walk the town. Coffee in hand, Joseph & I went back on the trails.
We took the Brins Mesa Loop which took us into the mountains & Coconino National Forest. I was stunned to see so much life growing in a desert! All around us, trees grew thick, at some points blocking the red rock from view. We traveled up, covering over 1,000 feet of elevation, all the while stopping to turn on the spot & gaze in wonder at our surroundings.
At the top of our hike, Joseph led us on an impromptu detour. We left the trail to climb up to the top of an outlook point. From our perch, we could see the buildings of Sedona against the backdrop of indigo mountains, the tops of which were hidden by thick, gray clouds. We sat for a moment, looking down over the valley below, before finally scrambling back down the rock face & continuing down the trail.
Climbing up to Soldier’s Pass was no easy feat. The elevation spiked quickly, & we were both out of breath as we climbed up to the cave. To enter, fallen rocks had formed a natural set of stairs. The cave itself was lit by multiple openings that gave gorgeous views of the mountains & trees. We sat in one of the holes to rest & take in the arresting view. Sedona truly is magnificent.
We were running late to meet up with our companions, so we ran the next half mile to the Seven Sacred Pools. Each pool almost perfectly circular, & they stepped down a slope, each holding still water that reflected the sky above. In the desert landscape, they, like the trees, looked out of place, & I was left wondering how such perfect little pools, all lined in a row, had been made in the rock.
We ran the last mile back to the car, & arrived at the trailhead just minutes after our family had arrived to pick us up. Once there, we all agreed to go to Old town Cottonwood for dinner. It’s a small town in the heart of wine country, filled with locally owned shops & charm.
We chose Colt 804 Grill for dinner, & we were not disappointed. The barbecued & smoked meat are cooked to succulent perfection, & each of the homemade sauces offered are unique & mouth-watering. I ordered a cobb salad with smoked bacon & beef brisket, & despite the enormous portion, it was so good I nearly finished the entire bowl.
It was getting dark & cold, but we decided to walk the streets for just a few minutes to take in the sights. Christmas lights lit our way down the busy, small town road. Most of the shops were closed, but we did dip into Verde Valley Olive Oil Traders, attracted less by the little bottles of oils & more by the friendly looking dog inside. After getting our fill of pets & cuddles, we did end up buying a delicious package of peppermint bark fudge for dessert.
The drive home was quiet. We were all tired from our long day. But it was a good tired – one I feel after many of my adventures with Joseph after our full days of hiking & traveling. It was so exciting to be able to experience that with my family as well, & I am looking forward to many more adventures with this awesome group of people. I loved that we started the day together, a few of us stepping a little out of our comfort zones for the hike but enjoying the time with one another. And then I even enjoyed splitting up for the afternoon, each doing the activities that we most love, & then we met up once again to enjoy a meal & share about our days. All during dinner, we were passing around phones, sharing photos as we described in rich detail all of the amazing things we had experienced.
If you have the chance to visit Sedona, I highly recommend it. There is definitely something for everyone there. Whether you want to go out on the trails, window shop in town, or on an adventure in a bubblegum pink jeep, everyone in your group is bound to have fun.
And just once, while you are there, take a step back & just soak in the view. Notice the vibrance of the colors, the sound of the wind in the leaves of trees in what should be a barren landscape, & the smell of sweet desert flowers & fruit. I would go so far to say that visiting Sedona is a spiritual experience. It’s a reminder of just how beautiful life is, & how even in the most challenging & dismaying circumstances, there is always a way to, not just survive, but to flourish & grow into something beautiful.