Sedona, Arizona
Trip Dates: March 23rd - March 29th 2024
I learned to love the outdoors from my family. I definitely did not appreciate it as a kid, but I obviously do now. We’ve gone on a few short trips to the Great Outdoors since we’ve all gained an appreciation for it but in 2024 my family and I were finally able to take a trip out west together. The 6 of us took the better part of a week to visit Sedona, Arizona!
We went around “spring break” season which I would probably avoid. It was very crowded and hard to get into restaurants. Downtown had a lot of traffic and parking was hard to find , similar to the trails mid-day. The weather was colder than I expected. Phoenix was hot, but Sedona was in the 40’s-50’s. Heavy jackets were needed!
That being said, I would make reservations for restaurants early! We probably had it harder being a party of 6, but without reservations we were waiting at least 2 hours.
Most of my trips are me bouncing around city to city, or park to park, so this was definitely a nice change of pace and allowed more time to relax. We spent down time playing board games, sitting on the deck, or wacthing March Madness.
Day 1: March 23rd
We landed pretty early and explored Phoenix for a bit before making the 2 hour drive to Sedona. We ended up grabbing breakfast before exploring the Desert Botanical Garden. It was a lot bigger than we expected, so we didn’t get to experience the whole thing, but what we did see we loved! They had drinks and snacks for purchase when you walk around. The whole place was very photogenic! After, we went to a brewery where we met up with a freind who recently moved there. The brewery was a good end for our time in Phoenix!
Resturants:
Day 2: March 24th
We explored things that were close to us. We saw there were trails very close to our Airbnb so we figured we’d check them out. After the trails, we made our way to the ghost town of Jerome (45 min drive). Jerome was a mining town on the side of a cliff. It’s very tiny, but has quirky shops and restaurants as well as museums to share it’s rich history. Very much worth check out!
Trails:
Sugar Loaf Loop Summit and Tea Cup Loop : 2 miles. This hike was fairly easy and wasn’t crowded which was nice. It’s a little steep to the top, but it’s a short section and worth the view.
Restaurant:
Haunted Hamburger- Jerome, AZ
Day 3: March 25th
On this day, my family split ways. My brother and his girlfriend went to the Grand Canyon (2 hour drive), my parents wanted to explore small hikes south of Sedona, and Bryce and I wanted to do a long hike.
Trails:
Boynton Canyon Trail: 6.6 miles out and back trail. About 2 miles in you will find subway cave which was really neat. You can scramble up some rocks and go in the “subway” which also gave you a wonderful view.
Day 4: March 26th
Woke up early to setout for a family hike. When we returned we went to Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village where we had lunch, looked at local art, and listened to live music in the courtyard.
Later in the day we went cruising with Sedona Offroad Adventures on a Hummer tour. We decided to pick the “scariest” trail, the Cliff Hanger. I honestly didn’t think it was too scary and when it comes to stuff like this I am a chicken. There might have been one spot that made my stomach drop, but most of the time it was pretty chill. Our tour guide was very educational and shared a lot of information about the landscape and history in the area.
Trails:
Fay Canyon Trail: 2.1 miles. We started this hike at 8am and the trail was empty. We were able to find parking easily. A little before you get to the end of the trail, there is a natural arch. You can scramble up some rocks where you stand under arch, or if you are brave, you can venture up to the top. Going to this arch adds about a half a mile. The canyon itself is very pretty, but the arch was by far my favorite part of the hike.
Restaurant:
Day 5: March 27th
On this day, Bryce and I took off on our own to check off another national park, Petrified Forest. This park was very different from a lot of parks we go to. This one is more catered to driving through rather than hiking. I think we hiked every hike in this park and we only totaled about 4 miles. My favorite part was the Blue Mesa. It was very unique and we took some really cool photos.
When we returned home, we ordered pizza in for the night and played board games.
Trails:
Long Logs: 1.6 easy loop where you can explore the fallen trees that have been fossilized. They almost look fake because they sparkle with purple and green. Very cool!
Blue Mesa: 1.1 mile loop. This hike has a steep start and finish, but it is paved and flat at the bottom where you will see blue/purple bands on the rocky mounds. I honestly have not seen anything like this before and found it so beautiful!
Painted Desert Rim Trail: 1.2 mile easy out and back trail. It’s a great view of the pink/orange tones on the mounds below you.
Restaurant:
Day 6: March 28th
Since we all enjoyed the Hummer tour, we decided to rent ATVs from Outback ATV Rental. THIS WAS A BLAST! We rented 2 ATVs for 4 hours, a 2 seater and 4 seater. Sedona has many ATV trails, and the company provides you with a map and GPS to navigate the area. We all took turns driving, but honestly it was just as fun being a passenger. It was cooler when we went so we bundled up the best we could. Also you will get muddy! The dirt and mud is from the red rocks, so do not wear something you absolutely don’t want to stain.
After riding ATVs we decided to hit up a short, but steep, trail for a great view of Sedona. Then we ended out night at Sedona Hideaway House, a restaurant downtown. We could only get outside seating and it was a little chilly, but the restaurant was well-prepared and had heaters and offered blankets to guests.
Trail:
Doe Mountain Trail: 1.4 miles out and back, but we hiked closer to 2 miles to different viewpoints. I recommend going during sunset!
Restaurant:
Day 7: March 29th
This was our last day in Sedona and not much was done other than packing up and grabbing breakfast before heading back to Phoenix. I am an early riser so decided to get one more hike in Sedona. This was my first solo hike. I have never avoided hiking solo, but have just always had my husband accompanying me. It was very peaceful, and good way to be alone with your thoughts. However, halfway through I remembered there are mountain lions in the area and my peaceful thoughts became fear (Shout out to National Park After Dark Podcast for scaring me, but also educating me how to be safe from predators). After my morning hike and breakfast, we headed to Phoenix, stopping at the Scottsdale Fashion Square to kill some time before our flight. That place was huge! If you are into shopping you can definitely spend all day there.
Trail:
Chimney Rock Trail- 1.8 mile loop. Empty in the morning hours. Has no shade so beware of the sun on hot days.
Restaurant:
Coffee Pot Restaurant and Gift Shop
Overall, I thought Sedona was a great for a family. It had a mix of outdoor activities, shopping, and touristy things to do!
Photos Taken by: The Uesseler Family
