Sedona

Sedona offers an amazing opportunity for outdoor activities.

As we drove into Sedona from the south, we could see the Chapel of The Holy Cross up on the hillside. We pulled into the parking lot and took a short walk up the driveway to the church. It’s a beautiful structure and the views are amazing.

Our first hike was a 4 mile round trip hike to Devil’s Bridge. There is a longer and more strenuous hike, but with our pup in tow we chose the easier 4 mile hike. Most of the hike is fairly flat but at the end there are a few rock scrambles in order to get to the bridge. We visited in early April and there were a lot of tourists out doing the same hikes. Our wait for pictures and to walk along the bridge was about 30 minutes. We didn’t mind the chance to take a break and enjoy the views and a chat with other adventurers.

Our second hike of the week was a short 2 mile round trip hike to The Birthing Cave. To access this hike you start at the Long Canyon Trailhead. At the yellow arrow, stay left in order to access the Birthing Cave Trail. This is a super easy hike with some rock scrambling to get up into the cave. Based on pictures, I was expecting it to be a small “peek a boo” slot. This was not the case. The cave itself is very large. The indigenous Hopi people would send their pregnant women up there to give birth. The best photos are from up in the little alcove high up in the cave.

Our third hike of the week was to the Seven Sacred Pools. The trail is accessed via the Solider Pass Trail. Because of the popularity of these trails, we parked at the Posse Grounds Park and took the shuttle bus to the trailhead. The hike itself is approximately .6 miles out and .6 miles back making this an easy 1.2 total roundtrip adventure.

Don't let your Sedona adventure end without a drive up 89A. Enjoy the Bridge over Huckaby Trail. Be sure to stop at the Grasshopper Point Recreation Area- a beautiful spot to enjoy Oak Creek. From there, keep driving north to Slide Rock State Park. This is a true family destination. After a week of hiking around Sedona, your kids will love s jumoing off of the rocks into the river and sliding down the smooth, natural rocks. We visited in early April and the water was freezing cold but that didn't deter anyone from jumping in and having fun at this gem of a state park.