Arizona Getaway / What we did in Phoenix and Sedona

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

As you all know by now due to Instagram, Ryan and I decided to celebrate his birthday in Sedona. He wanted to get away from all the noise of NYC and do something more low key. Our last time hiking was back in March while in Hawaii so it seems right to take another trip that included hiking and nature. 

Sedona is known as one of Arizona’s most beautiful destinations. The scenery here is stunning, with unbelievable views from every corner and hiking trail. Sedona is also known as a spiritual center, particularly for its energy vortexes, the city has a unique vibe and attracts a diverse variety of interests. 

Save to say this was a no brainier, we had to go, explore and enjoy the beauty of Sedona. 

Day 1; Friday

We arrived in through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport around 10:00 am so we had a full Friday to explore,  especially since Arizona is 2 hours behind New York. We picked up the jeep we rented and went straight to our first activity of the day. 

Arizona Outdoor Fun – UTV Desert Tours 

Arizona Outdoor Fun is just a 45 minute drive from the airport and on the way to Sedona. I have to give them a shout out because they really went above and beyond to accommodate us last minute. {as we usually are LOL} Our guided UTV tour began with a safety operations briefing and test run on their practice course before we take off on 60” UTV trails which are ideal for adventurous off-roading! We enjoy an exhilarating day in the famous Sonoran desert, off-roading on some of the trails in the stunning Bradshaw Mountains, located on the northern edge of Phoenix! We traveled through giant Saguaro cacti, deep canyons carved by flash flooding rains, and cross the Agua Fria River to experience the wild and vast desert terrain. Since this was a private tour we didn’t have to wait on anyone and got to experience the entire journey. We also had the opportunities to visit 800 year old ancient Native American ruins. These Hohokam ruins were used as an observation post to oversee their crops and pottery and were built by the boys of the tribe, ages 8-18, as a test of their manhood. We had Andy as our private tour guide and he was amazing, he had so much knowledge of the plant life, wildlife, history and climate of the area. If you visit and decided to go – Ask for Andy!  

Fashion Advice – white clothes is not a good idea – the red dust gets everywhere and tends to stain your clothes! 

After 3 hours of UTV and bad TAN lines, mostly on me – haha we drove off and made our way to Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock , which was an hour away. We checked in, got ready and decided to stay at our hotel, had dinner by the fireplace with wine and life entertainment. 

Day 2; Saturday 

We started our day pretty early. Considering we went to bed around 12:00 am which was really 3:00 am New York time, I was up by 5:30 am! At least I was able to record a time-lapse of the sunrise behind the Red Rocks in Sedona. – breathtaking! We grabbed some breakfast and off to our adventure filled day with different hikes throughout Sedona with no clouds in site! 

Red Rocks Hiking Trail

Our first stop of the day was a 5-mile trail network which consists of interconnecting loops lead you along the lush greenery of Oak Creek and the famed red rocks of Sedona. Only 5 minutes away from our hotel, this is a family-oriented trail which makes it safe for anyone to hike. The Eagle’s Nest Loop and the Apache Fire Loop are joined together by the Coyote Ridge Trail which creates one of the best trails in Arizona for family enjoyment. Eagle’s Nest is the highest point in the park and offers amazing views of the red rock escarpments that have helped catapult Sedona into a worldwide destination. 

West Fork Trail

Our second stop was recommend by a local who lives in Sedona, there are a number of reasons why West Fork is the most popular trail on the Coconino National Forest. You’ll know some of them once you’ve strolled beside the pleasant little stream that ripples along the canyon floor and looked up, way up, at the dizzying cliffs that tower above it. the trail itself, it’s an easy stroll, but you do have to cross the stream in a number of places. Usually, that involves negotiating a few placed stepping stones or taking a couple of steps in shallow water. The trail is marked for the first three miles; however, many hikers continue beyond that. Eventually the pathway ends and you will be forced to hike in the stream bed as you continue into the Secret Mountain/Red Rocks Wilderness. We didn’t do the entire 14 mile hike from one end of the canyon to the other due to wading and boulder hopping, and even some swimming. Plus, we had one more hike to do before the sun went down. 

Devil’s Bridge Trail

One of the most famous hikes probably due to all the attention this hike gets from Instagram, It was worth leaving for last. Devil’s Bridge is the largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area. This trail has different locations, About 1 mile each way, 2 miles round trip from the Devil’s Bridge parking area: 2.1 miles each way, 4.2 miles round trip from the parking area on Long Canyon Road, 6 miles from the Dry Creek Vista parking area. Ryan and I rented a 4×4 but didn’t want to risk damaging the car so we decided to walk all the way… Oh boy, that was indeed a long walk just to get on the actual tail of devil’s bridge. Onward, The path slowly inclines uphill, gently growing more steep as you progress. There’s some beautiful scenery to absorb as you proceed upward, but you’ve still got a long ways to go before you get to see Devil’s Bridge itself. We kept saying “Are we there yet?” Nope lol – Follow it up a steep, natural rock staircase to a wide open area that offers some fantastic views. Keep going, and you’ll reach yet another level that leads directly to Devil’s Bridge. If you have the nerve, you can walk across the top; once you’re on it you’ll find it’s not such a tough walk but be caution, it’s a long way down. We took turns taking pictures and enjoyed the view before realizing… We have to do this all over again going back down. Please do your research, this is definitely not a kid friendly hike to the top. I would recommend renting a 4×4 and driving right to the parking area before you start the devils bridge trail. Overall, it’s beautiful view from every angel. 

{You can catch everything on my Instagram story highlight “Arizona”} 

We wanted to catch the sunset but knowing how dark the hike would get going back down, we decided to pass and maybe watch it from the car. Which we did, relaxing before heading to grab some food. We didn’t get back in time to go have a nice dinner so instead we stopped at a burger joint called Dellepiane Sedona, which had amazing burgers. Definitely worth checking it out. 

Day 3; Sunday

Our Sunday consist of a mini road trip (a 3 hours drive to be exact) passing Grand Canyon and on to the Antelope Canyon. This was the birthday boy’s biggest request. Although it was a long drive, it was beautiful and completely worth it.

Now,  a frequently asked question is which tour is better between Upper and Lower Antelope. Upper Antelope is considerably more popular both in overall visitation and people in the canyon at one time. During my research, it seem’s like both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon offer very similar experiences once you get inside. The canyons are the same age, they were created the same way, they both require a Navajo Guide, (no you can’t tour on your own) and they both offer very similar views and photo options. You’ll be glad you made the trip regardless of which one you choose to tour. The only difference seems to be the entrance to each canyon as well as their prices and crowds so keep that in mind. If you have the options to book the upper antelope (This books months in advance) and lower then you don’t have to choose and get to experience both. We didn’t get as lucky, I wanted to book both but the Upper antelope was booked out, hence, we only did the lower. 

The lower Antelope Canyon   

I will go straight to recommending Ken’s Tours, they have a general tour which is $40 (group of 10 people) and their deluxe tour which is $80 (group of 4 people) Their Deluxe Tours will run along side the General guided tour but they have designed to give you a personal experience inside. I booked us the Deluxe tour, which turned out to be just Ryan, myself and our tour guide Justin. He really went above and beyond, he knows all about photography so he took us amazing pictures. 

The Lower Antelope is underground. You need to climb down to see this canyon with its soft rocks chiseled by water and wind over thousands of years. After the short walk from Ken’s building, there are steps to enter the canyon. These steps are steep but nothing that can’t be managed by holding the railing on both sides and going down slowly. This Canyon is narrow and a tight squeeze in few spaces,  there are many twists and turns as well. We didn’t stop at any point for too long, there was enough time to see the unusual shapes the rocks had taken and the absolutely stunning colors as we went deeper into the Canyon. Justin stopped us several times to point out interesting and funny shapes that the rocks had taken. He also pointed out cool spots to take photos of while also taking pictures of us. At the end of our tour, we went back to ken’s building where Justin knowledge us with more history on how Ken’s tour started and we each got to choose a dream catcher. 

We have so many beautiful pictures, I’ll post a couple on here but we are seriously thinking of framing some around our apartment

Horseshoe Bend

Another Instagram moment, Horseshoe Bend has become one of the most recognized and visited places in Arizona. Due to the short distance from the Antelopes, we decided to stop by and take a look (and pictures) before heading back to Sedona. This is a fairly easy 1.5 miles round-trip over sandy terrain. This incredible natural vista, inspired by its unusual shape, a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located in Page, AZ, within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Horseshoe Bend’s rock walls have a variety of minerals, including hematite, platinum, and garnet. The overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level, and the Colorado River is 3,200 feet above sea level, which gives this scenic view a breathtaking 1,000 foot drop. You only have to pay a small parking fee of $10 which is totally worth the view. 

After our 3 hour drive back to Sedona, we once again decided to stay at our hotel and take advantage of their amenities. We took a dip on their hot tube while watching the sunset and drinking some champagne – following a dinner by the fireplace. Cheers!

Once again, Thanks for Reading!