Attractions

The Grand Canyon may be Arizona's biggest attraction, but there's actually far more to do in Sedona. If you aren't an active type, there's the obvious option of just sitting down and gazing in awe at the rugged cliffs, needlelike pinnacles, and isolated buttes that rise from the green forest floor at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon. Want to see more but don't want to break a sweat? Head out into the red rocks on a jeep tour or drift over the red rocks in a hot-air balloon. Want to go mano a mano with this wild landscape? Go for a hike, rent a mountain bike, or go horseback riding.

Although Schnebly Hill Road, which climbs into the red rocks east of Sedona, is a rough dirt road, it's a must for superb views. This road is best driven in a high-clearance vehicle or SUV, but depending on how recently it has been maintained, it can be passable in a regular car. To reach this scenic road, head south out of Sedona on Arizona 179, turn left after you cross the bridge over Oak Creek, and head up the road, which starts out paved but soon turns to dirt. As this road climbs to the top of the Mogollon Rim, each switchback and cliff-edged bend in the road yields a new and more astonishing view. At the rim is the Schnebly Hill overlook, offering a view that just begs to be savored over a long picnic. If you don't feel comfortable doing this drive in your own vehicle, consider booking a jeep tour that heads up this way.

Just south of Sedona, on the east side of Arizona 179, you'll see the aptly named Bell Rock. There's a parking area at the foot of this formation, and trails lead up to the top. Adjacent to Bell Rock is Courthouse Butte, and to the west stands Cathedral Rock. From the Chapel of the Holy Cross on Chapel Road, you can see Eagle Head Rock (from the front door of the chapel, look three-quarters of the way up the mountain to see the eagle's head), the Twin Nuns (two pinnacles standing side by side), and Mother and Child Rock (to the left of the Twin Nuns).

If you head west out of Sedona on Arizona 89A and turn left onto Airport Road, you'll drive up onto Airport Mesa, which commands an unobstructed panorama of Sedona and the red rocks. About halfway up the mesa is a small parking area from which trails radiate. The views from here are among the best in the region, and the trails are very easy.

Boynton Canyon, located 8 miles west of the "Y," is a narrow red-rock canyon and is one of the most beautiful spots in the Sedona area. This canyon is also the site of the deluxe Enchantment resort, but hundreds of years before there were luxury casita suites here, there were Sinagua cliff dwellings. Several of these cliff dwellings can still be spotted high on the canyon walls. Boynton Canyon Trail leads 3 miles up into this canyon from a trail head parking area just outside the gates of Enchantment. To get to the trail head, drive west out of Sedona on Arizona 89A, turn right on Dry Creek Road, take a left at the first T intersection, and a right at the second T.

On the way to Boynton Canyon, look north from Arizona 89A, and you'll see Coffee Pot Rock, also known as Rooster Rock, rising 1,800 feet above Sedona. Three pinnacles, known as the Three Golden Chiefs by the Yavapai tribe, stand beside Coffee Pot Rock. As you drive up Dry Creek Road, on your right you'll see Capitol Butte, which resembles the U.S. Capitol.

To the west of Boynton Canyon, you can visit the well-preserved Sinagua cliff dwellings at Palatki Heritage Site (tel. 928/282-3854). These small ruins, tucked under the red cliffs, are the best place in the area to get a feel for the ancient Native American cultures that once lived in this region. Among the ruins, you'll see numerous pictographs (paintings) created by the past residents of Palatki. Before heading out to these ruins, be sure you make a reservation by calling the number above. To reach the ruins, follow the directions to Boynton Canyon, but instead of turning right at the second T intersection, turn left onto unpaved Boynton Pass Road (Forest Rd., or FR, 152), which is one of the most scenic roads in the area. Follow this road to another T intersection and go right onto Forest Road 525, then veer right onto Forest Road 795, which dead-ends at the ruins. You can also get here by taking Arizona 89A W from Sedona to Forest Road 525, a gravel road leading north to Forest Road 795. To visit Palatki, you'll need a Red Rock Pass; ruins are usually open daily from 9:30am to 3pm. The dirt roads around here become impassable to regular cars when they're wet, so don't try coming out here if the roads are at all muddy.

South of Arizona 89A and a bit west of the turnoff for Boynton Canyon is Upper Red Rock Loop Road, which leads to Crescent Moon Recreation Area, a National Forest Service recreation area that has become a must-see for visitors to Sedona. Its popularity stems from a beautiful photograph of Oak Creek with Cathedral Rock in the background -- an image that has been reproduced countless times in Sedona promotional literature and on postcards. Hiking trails lead up to Cathedral Rock. Admission is $7 per vehicle (unless you have previously purchased a Red Rock Grand Annual Pass). For more information, contact the Red Rock Ranger Station (tel. 928/282-4119; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino).

If you continue on Red Rock Loop Road, you will come to Red Rock State Park, 4050 Red Rock Loop Rd. (tel. 928/282-6907), which flanks Oak Creek. The views here take in many of the rocks listed above, and you have the bonus of being right on the creek (though swimming and wading are prohibited). Park admission is $6 per car. The park offers lots of guided walks and interpretive programs.

South of Sedona, near the junction of I-17 and Arizona 179, you can visit one of the premier petroglyph sites in Arizona. The rock art at the V Bar V Heritage Site covers a small cliff face and includes images of herons and turtles. To get here, take the dirt road that leads east for 2 2/3 miles from the junction of I-17 and Arizona 179 to the Beaver Creek Campground. The entrance to the petroglyph site is just past the campground. From the parking area, it's about a half-mile walk to the petroglyphs, which are open Friday through Monday from 9:30am to 3:30pm. To visit this site, you'll need a Red Rock Pass or other valid pass. For information, contact the Red Rock Ranger District (tel. 928/282-4119; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino).

The High Cost of Red-Rock Views -- A quick perusal of any Sedona real-estate magazine will convince you that property values around these parts are as high as the Mogollon Rim. However, red-rock real estate is also expensive for those who want only a glimpse of the rocks. With the land around Sedona split up into several types of National Forest Service day-use sites, state parks, and national monuments, visitors find themselves pulling out their wallets just about every time they turn around to look at another rock. Here's the lowdown on what it's going to cost you to do the red rocks right.

A Red Rock Pass will allow you to visit Palatki Ruins and the V Bar V Ranch petroglyph site and park at any national forest trail head parking areas. The cost is $5 for a 1-day pass, $15 for a 7-day pass, and $20 for a 12-month pass. Passes are good for everyone in your vehicle. If you plan to be in the area for more than a week and also want to visit Grasshopper Point (a swimming hole), Banjo Bill (a picnic area), Call of the Canyon (the West Fork Oak Creek trail head), and Crescent Moon (Sedona's top photo-op site), you'll want to buy a Red Rock Grand Annual Pass, for $40. These sites each charge $7 admission per vehicle, so unless you plan on visiting at least three of them or expect to be around for more than a week, the Red Rock Grand Annual Pass is not a good deal.

There are also two state parks in the area -- Slide Rock ($8-$10 per car) and Red Rock ($6 per car). Admission to the Montezuma Castle or Tuzigoot national monuments will cost you $5 per adult.

If there are two or more of you traveling together and you plan on visiting the Grand Canyon and three or four other national parks or monuments, you might want to consider getting an America the Beautiful Pass ($80). This pass is good for a year and will get you into any national park or national monument in the country. If you're 62 or older, definitely get an America the Beautiful Senior Pass ($10), which is good for the rest of your life. Persons with disabilities can get a free lifetime America the Beautiful Access Pass. Any of these three passes can be used in lieu of a Red Rock Pass.

For more information on the Red Rock passes, visit www.redrockcountry.org.

Around Town -- Sedona's most notable architectural landmark is the Chapel of the Holy Cross, 780 Chapel Rd. (tel. 928/282-4069), a small church built right into the red rock on the south side of town. If you're driving up from Phoenix, you can't miss it -- the chapel sits high above the road just off Arizona 179. With its contemporary styling, it is one of the most architecturally important modern churches in the country. Marguerite Brunswig Staude, a devout Catholic painter, sculptor, and designer, had the inspiration for the chapel in 1932, but it wasn't until 1957 that her dream was finally realized. The chapel's design is dominated by a simple cross forming the wall that faces the street. The cross and the starkly beautiful chapel seem to grow directly from the rock, allowing the natural beauty of the red rock to speak for itself. It's open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

The Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Rd. at Arizona 89A (tel. 888/954-4442 or 928/282-3809; www.sedonaartscenter.com), near the north end of uptown Sedona, has a gallery that specializes in works by local and regional artists.

To learn a bit about the local history, stop by the Sedona Heritage Museum, 735 Jordan Rd. (tel. 928/282-7038; www.sedonamuseum.org), in Jordan Historical Park. The museum, which is housed in a historic home, is furnished with antiques and contains exhibits on the many movies that have been filmed in the area. The farm was once an apple orchard, and there's still apple-processing equipment in the barn. Hours are daily from 11am to 3pm; admission is $3.

While Sedona isn't yet a resort spa destination on par with Phoenix or Tucson, it does have a few spas that might add just the right bit of pampering to your vacation. Therapy on the Rocks, 676 N. Hwy. 89A (tel. 928/282-3002; www.myofascialrelease.com), with its creekside setting, is a longtime local favorite that offers massage, myofascial release, and great views of the red rocks. For personal attention, try the little Red Rock Healing Arts Center, Creekside Plaza, 251 Hwy. 179 (tel. 888/31-9033 or 928/203-9933; www.redrockhealing.com), which is just up the hill from the Tlaquepaque shopping plaza and offers a variety of massages, wraps, scrubs, and facials. In the Village of Oak Creek, there's the Hilton Spa, at the Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa, 10 Ridge View Dr. (tel. 928/284-6900; www.hiltonsedonaspa.com), offering a variety of treatments (try the Painted Desert clay wrap or Sedona stone massage). There are also exercise and yoga classes, a pool, and tennis courts. Prices for a 60-minute treatment range from $129 to $139.

It may be a bit premature to start calling Sedona the next Napa Valley, but there are a few wineries in the area. Two of them, both located in the community of Page Springs about 20 minutes west of Sedona, are open to the public for tastings. To reach these wineries, drive west from Sedona on Arizona 89A, and turn south on Page Springs Road. You'll first come to Oak Creek Vineyards and Winery, Page Springs Road (tel. 928/649-0290; www.oakcreekvineyards.net), which is across the street from the Page Springs Fish Hatchery. The tasting room here is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm. At press time, this winery had plans to add a restaurant. Page Springs Vineyards & Cellars, 1500 N. Page Springs Rd. (tel. 928/639-3004; www.pagespringscellars.com), is the more impressive and reliable of the two wineries, although as of 2006, they were still making most of their wines with grapes from California, not from their own vineyards. Rhone varietals are the specialty here. The tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Echo Canyon Vineyard & Winery is my favorite local winery, but it is not generally open to the public. However, this winery can be visited on Jeep tours operated by Sun Country Adventures (tel. 877/783-6000; www.scadventures.net). The 2 1/2-hour tours cost $95 per person.

Sunset at the Amitabha Stupa -- There's just something about Sedona that brings out people's spirituality, and one of the latest spiritual attractions to find a home among the red rocks is the Amitabha Stupa (tel. 928/300-4435; www.stupas.org), a Tibetan Buddhist shrine erected in a residential neighborhood in west Sedona. The 36-foot-tall stupa is up a short path that winds through juniper trees festooned with prayer flags. The stupa is often visited by devout Buddhists, who leave offerings at the base of the stupa, but the public is welcome any time from dawn to dusk. To find the stupa, drive north from Arizona 89A on Andante Drive and turn left on Pueblo Drive. Park outside the gate on the right.