Intro
Sedona is possibly one of my favorite places on earth. You can get lost in the beauty of the rocky mountains or explore the inner city shopping. Wherever you may find yourself in Sedona there is always some form of beauty visible.
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When my husband, Clark, and I first went to Arizona we thought about skipping out (we really had no idea how beautiful it was). We heard someone say how amazing it was, so we decided to check it out. I probably could have spent the whole trip hiking and biking at Sedona, and wished we heard about it sooner.
Here are a few places in Sedona that you should definitely consider checking out.
Booking.comPosse Grounds Park
Sedona’s first park features an awesome biking area where you can practice before you try the dangerous trails. It sits on 78.63 acres of land and offers more than just biking. Skate parks, volleyball nets, tennis courts, and much more are there for your exploration.
Slide Rock State Park
This was possibly my most favorite and least favorite place. I loved it because who doesn’t love sliding on the rocks in the freezing cold water after a long hot day of hiking? The water was just a tad too cold for my liking, however. It felt like I was plunging into an ice bath. My advice? Just jump in, don’t even feel the water or you may never get in.
It’s $10 for parking and takes less than a mile hike to get to the river. There are also some hiking trails up top where you can get a nice overlook of everything.
Hiking
You can find hiking trails around every corner in Sedona. Just type into google maps “hiking in Sedona” and you will see many trails you can take. You do, however, want to go on the trails with the best views (it’s honestly hard to pick a trail with a bad view in Sedona). I would recommend hiking the following trails because of their spectacular views and photo opportunities.
Bell Rock Trail Head is a .75-mile hike to the top. You may find yourself on some steep inclines and slippery rocks, so be careful of your footing. All the way up you will experience magnificent views, so you don’t necessarily HAVE to hike the entire trail to get to the prize.
Devils Bridge is about 4.5 miles to the bridge. The hike takes you through some off-roading trails, so be on the lookout for vehicles passing by.
Just a little tip about me, I hate seeing Clark around cliffs. I always picture him falling off. So in a way, I’m glad we didn’t take this hike, it wouldn’t have done well with my anxiety. Maybe one day I will get over this fear.
7 Sacred Pools is a 1.1-mile hike to the pools. The path is fairly moderate and is great for most skill levels.
Booking.comShopping
Shopping and touristy areas are a must-experience in Sedona. One of the better shopping areas is located on Arizona State Route 89. You can check out the area on google maps by clicking on this link A247 AZ-89A, Sedona, AZ 86336. This is typically where you will find your tours or any rentals you may need. There are also several great gift shops and places to dine.
Booking.comKayaking
There are several places that do kayaking near Sedona. The reason why I mention this (even though it’s not in Sedona) is because there are really no other rivers available. and it’s actually a town over. Below are two places that offer kayaking on the Verde River. You can click on the titles and the link will take you directly to the website.
- 2.5 hrs to 3 hrs
- offer paddling on the Verde river
- Inflatable kayaks
- Unguided tour
- 5-mile long tour
- Offer tubing
- Offer paddling on the Verde river
- Offer pick up and drop off
- Provide all equipment needed
- Also have things like canyoneering, rock climbing
I didn’t know what canyoneering was until I made this post, and let me just say… I HAVE got to go do it sometime. It’s pretty much hiking through the bottom of the canyons and in the water.
Swimming
Grasshopper Point Swimming and picnic area is a great place to swim in Sedona. The water is super pretty, and you can jump off the rocks into the water. It is located on the edge of the Coconino National Park. There is a $10 parking fee you will need to pay. After you park the hike is around half a mile to your destination.
Sight Seeing
Who am I kidding, all of Sedona is sightseeing. Just driving around in your car you will see some glorious sights. There were many spots you can park to get out of the car and snap a picture. I feel like I don’t need to go into too much detail on where to go because the spots to sightsee are endless.
Sedona Heritage Museum
The Sedona Heritage Museum features much more than just a Telegraph office and homestead. To get in and explore more, adult tickets cost $7, and children under 13 are free.
I hope you enjoy your time in Sedona and in Arizona. If you would like to know a little more about Arizona check out the pages below.
