Road Trip: Sedona, AZ

Sedona, a city in the northern Verde Valley region of Arizona, is known for its red sandstone formations and outdoor recreational opportunities. Surrounded by the Coconino National Forest, Sedona is a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking, and spiritual retreats, with numerous vortex sites believed to emit unique energy. The city's arts scene is reflected in its many galleries, studios, and cultural events. Visitors can explore Sedona's rich Native American history through archaeological sites and cultural attractions. Known for its mild climate and scenery, Sedona attracts tourists year-round to experience its natural wonders and cultural offerings. Here are some travel tips if you plan on visiting Sedona, AZ.

Sedona, AZ Travel Tips

Plan Your Visit: 

Research Sedona's attractions, outdoor activities, and accommodations in advance to create an itinerary tailored to your interests.

Explore Red Rock Country: 

Discover Sedona's stunning red rock formations and scenic landscapes by hiking, biking, or taking a guided jeep tour.

Visit Vortex Sites: 

Experience the energy of Sedona's renowned vortex sites, believed to emit spiritual and healing energies. Popular vortex sites include Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Airport Mesa.

Enjoy Outdoor Recreation: 

Take advantage of Sedona's outdoor recreation opportunities, including rock climbing, kayaking, and horseback riding in the surrounding national forests and parks.

Shop and Dine in Uptown: 

Browse art galleries, boutiques, and souvenir shops in Sedona's charming Uptown district, and savor local cuisine at restaurants offering Southwestern flavors.

Attend Cultural Events: 

Check Sedona's event calendar for festivals, art fairs, and cultural events showcasing the area's vibrant arts community and Native American heritage.

Relax and Rejuvenate: 

Unwind at Sedona's spas and wellness centers, offering a range of holistic treatments, yoga classes, and meditation sessions amidst tranquil surroundings.

Capture Sunset Views: 

Witness breathtaking sunset views from scenic overlooks such as Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, and Red Rock State Park for unforgettable photo opportunities.

Drive Scenic Byways: 

Take a scenic drive along Oak Creek Canyon or the Red Rock Scenic Byway for panoramic views of Sedona's iconic red rock formations and natural beauty.

Respect Nature: 

Practice Leave No Trace principles, respect wildlife, and stay on designated trails to preserve Sedona's fragile desert ecosystem for future generations to enjoy.

Here's a recap video of our day trip.

Trip Recap

We drove from Flagstaff to Sedona, which was about 45 minutes to an hour drive. Flagstaff, AZ was the best central point location for us since we also visited the Grand Canyon on our trip. Once we arrived in Sedona, we parked on the Safari Jeep Tours lot, hopped on the jeep and drove through a residential area to get to the Diamondback Gulch. 

We loved Sedona, AZ and the highlight of our day trip was the rugged 4x4 Jeep tour through the Diamondback Gulch. Shoutout to my friend Jackie for recommending a jeep tour! It was so much fun and our guide Joe from the Arizona Safari Jeep Tours taught us about the land and all the resources, cacti, and subduction. We got off the jeep and experienced a small vortex zone, and made great family memories. 

What we learned about vortexes from our tour guide Joe (transcribed from the video posted below): 

"Sedona is covered with electromagnetic energy. The subduction zone we're on, it's not just volcanic molten material that comes to the surfaces in these faults. It's volcanic gases rising to the surface mixed with pebbles, sand and stone. They get squeezed in the faults, it becomes quartz. You squeeze quarts in the faults, you get electromagnetic energy. This whole place is covered with it. Related to that, but not because of it, we have these geomagnetic anomalies called vortexes.

Vortexes are spinning areas of concentrated energy. We call them anomalies because nobody can really tell you why they exist and why they behave the way they do, since they change day to day. So, there's all these different applications and tribes have been using the vortex energy for hundreds of years in their rituals. Today, [people will] take you on these retreats and do things to your body with crystals I can't talk about. That's not what I'm here for. There are little and big vortexes in Sedona. 

If you're out in the desert and you find a twisted tree, chances are you're near a vortex. Take a look at this branch right here. You see what's happening to this Juniper? See how it's lost its bark and is twisting to the left? The rest of the tree is nice and straight. It's because we are near a vortex. Watch what happens when I walk toward the bent tree with these copper rods. See how they take off? 

There's concentrated spinning energy here. I'm not walking into a wall of energy that's pushing these things. The energy is underground and it's coming to the surface, it's conducted through my body and out through the copper rods. So, this is a very small vortex. It might take the ladies, until we get to the tree before the rods move. It all depends on your energy. Notice with the men, the rods move quicker? That's why it's called anomalies. We don't understand why they behave like this." 

Watch the video below:

Loved the views and can't wait to go back. 

Sedona dropped the mask mandates during our visit in March 2021, but I still kept my mask on. 

If you're interested in taking the most rugged 4x4 jeep tour, it costs $94 per person and lasts about 2.5 hours. It's a very bumpy and enjoyable ride. Pro tip: Sit near the front of the jeep if you don't want to feel as many bumps. We saw people airborne sitting in the back and it was hilarious. Everyone loved it. 

Arizona Safari Jeep Tour Address: 335 Jordan Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336

The fleet of vehicles from Arizona Safari Jeep Tours. 

Overall, we had such a great time off-roading and learning about vortexes. Highly recommend the Diamondback Gulch tour from  Safari Jeep Tours in Sedona, AZ. There are a number of other tours available if you're looking for something less rugged. Make sure to check out their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/az_safarijeeptours

Things we missed and need to go back to see: 

Devil's Bridge Trail - We drove by this area during the tour and saw so many cars parked along the road. Our tour guide said this popular Devil's Bridge hike gets super crowded so get there early. It's also been hyped up by being posted on Instagram. 

Bell Rock Hike - Although we already explored a vortex zone, I want to try to hit this one up sometime since it's supposed to be an easy hike. 

Cathedral Rock Trail - This is a 1.2 mile popular trail (moderate) trail. Leashed dogs are allowed on this trail.

Airport Mesa Vortex - We didn’t get to hike to the vortex but we drove by it during our tour as pictured below.

Since we were only in Sedona for a day, there were a few things we didn't get to do like eat at restaurants, hike, and go shopping. Sometimes, it's good to not do it all so we have a reason to go back. 

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