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Sedona

Journey map

Approximately:

• from Schnebly Hill (A) to Oak Creek (B): 13 miles and 40 minutes of dirt road/road
• from Oak Creek (B) to Devil's Bridge (C): 14 miles and 30 minutes of road/dirt road
• from Devil's Bridge (C) to Hanonki Indians Ruins (D): 13 miles and 40 minutes of road/dirt road
• from Hanonki Indians Ruins (D) to Windmill Mtn (E): 8 miles and 30 minutes of dirt road
• from Windmill Mtn (E) to Red Rock State Park (F): 11 miles and 30 minutes of dirt road/road
• from Airport (K) to West Fork Oak Creek (L): 12 miles and 20 minutes of road

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J7 - Thursday, May 17

Wake up at 5am and departure (54 °F) at 6:20, after I sprained my right ankle .

The view from Schnebly Vista is much nicer at sunrise and we do several photo stops during the descent.
We continue to Sedona on a VERY rocky track then we head to the Visitor Center (Oak Creek) to buy the America The Beautiful Pass (instead of Red Rock Pass),whereby we can park and go camping areas allowed (place the Pass on the car hanger provided, hung on interior rear-view).

We leave the VC at 9:06 for Devil's Bridge; there, the track to arrive is also chaotic. Beginning of hike at 10:30 am (81 °F); my ankle really hurts and Isabelle slips ahead; she'll climb alone onto the bridge while I stop here. Back to car at noon (2 miles on pedometer).

Departure for Honanki Indians Ruins on a fairly easy track, with just a little rocky passage; Honanki is a Hopi word meaning "House of t he Bear".
Beginning of the hike at 12:47pm with 86 °F, no entry fee but Pass (or Red Rock Pass) is required for parking. This site is frequented a priori by "Pink Jeeps", but we see none.
Very short walk to reach the Sinagua ruins, ancestors of the Hopi, dated around 1130-1280. There is a protection to avoid going completely over the ruins, but it is still very close. No difficulty to admire the many different pictograms and petroglyphs that mark out the ruins.

Back to car at 1:50pm (1 mile). We are looking for a place along the FR525 for a snack in the shade (it will be also one of our biggest problems during this trip) and we find what we need near Windmill Mtn; his location, already identified during the preparation of the trip as a campsite, will accommodate us the two following nights.
So stop at 2:30pm (91 °F) for lunch and then the wind picks up, quite strong.

Depart after lunch for Red Rock State Park ($ 6) to watch the sunset on Cathedral Rock, traditional photo, but so pretty.
We arrive at the water's edge around 4:30pm and as it's still early we were the first, which allows us to choose our location.
While I install our photo tripods, Isabelle goes back to our car to bring back seats and drinks to help us waiting for sunset. Then, very pleasant footbaths in the river waiting for the hour (7:30pm, 84 °F).

As time passes, photographers turn up and we get totally surrounded: obviously, we took the best spot .

What seems interesting, not to mention the beauty of the site, is to visualize the variation of brightness and shadows over time.

Back to our site for the night (phew, nobody occupies it), transfer of pictures to the PC, dinner and sleep at 10pm.

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J8 - Friday, May 18

Wake up at 5:20 with already 20 ° C. Despite the absence of mosquitoes last night (in any case, we don't have seen anyone), this morning we have lots of big buttons that, when scratched, produce lymph not blood. That's due to gnats.
Starting at 7:15am for Bell Rock. Along the way, we take some pictures of The Chapel of the Holy Cross but against the light (we'll come back later) and of the other side of Cathedral Rock where we were last night. The road itself is very pretty.

Start of the hike of Bell Rock at 9am (75 °F). We walk along the west side of Courthouse Butte and then do a complete tour of Bell Rock so that we see it on all angles. Not too many people on the trail, making this a pleasant hike.

Back to our "camping" site because we are sure to find shade for lunch. Along the way, stop on a recent parking lot next to the west exit of Sedona and some photos on Soldier Pass Rd.

Arrived on our site, it’s now 81 °F. We eat in the shade but in our car because the wind picked up,very strong.

After lunch, my ankle pain subsided, we leave for Fay Canyon at 1:30pm; starting the hike at 2:20pm. The trail winds in the hollow of the canyon and the hike is almost flat, in the shade of trees; fork on the right to see the ark, the ending climb on rocks very disintegrated (beware of falling).

We continue hiking up to the place where the canyon splits in 2 and then, on the advice of Sedonax we climb a bit to get a good view.
Near the end of the descent, Isabelle falls and messes up her right tibia: of course, it's a Black Series!

Back to Sedona where we photograph some old style western houses.

Then, we go to Holy Cross Chapel that we had not seen on the right light.

At 6pm, we return to our campsite with still 81 °F.

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J9 - Saturday, May 19

Wake up at 4:50 with 54 °F ; the night was more enjoyable because a little more fresh. As yesterday, our buttons due to a kind of "gnats" scratch us to no end; they are everywhere, even in our hairs . Some balloons rise into the clear sky of dawn.
Departure for the viewpoint on the airport road where we arrive at 7:17am with 59 °F; fleece jacket are well appreciated. Small climb and great view, we are almost alone .

It's over for Sedona, which deserves more than 2 days than we have spent.

We drive north on the 89A, along Oak Creek River, road very nice so early; we stop shortly after to Midgley Bridge (small parking lot on the left).
Some pictures also a little further down the road.

Departure to West Fork Oak Creek where we arrive at 8:11am after a nice road, tree-lined with the Oak Creek River below the road. To enter, we must pay $ 9; the parking is almost full, despite the early hour.
We begin hiking at 8:20am; this hike will not be in our top 10. The ride is quiet along the creek and plenty of shade, too much so, almost no view. Lupines are legion, walkers also; it's difficult to take a photo without anyone on it (one might even say that some of them do it on purpose).
We come back at 10:20am and leave the site to 11:45 (73 °F).

Then the road 89A towards Flagstaff did not finish climbing up and meandering to reach Oak Creek Vista where we stop for a moment.

Quick grocery shopping at Walmart in Flagstaff then we drive towards Grand Canyon Village with a stop at Tusayan airport at Grand Canyon Helicopter to validate our booking for tomorrow flight.