2006.04.02 Northeast Arizona.
Last Day:
Oak Creek Canyon starts 14 miles south of Flagstaff on US 89A. Make sure to stop at the
Oak Creek Canyon Vista at the the north tip of the canyon. The next 9 miles zigzag down to the bottom of the canyon. At the Call of Canyon ($7 parking), we hiked the
West Fork Trail into a narrower canyon (6 mile/rt) along a brook. Steep, red walls, and maybe 10 creek crossings.
Further down south (7 miles north of Sedona),
Sliding Rock State Park ($8) is a fun place.
Views spectacular, rocks redder, air drier, warmer, but the natural water slide cools you down. Tons of sun-bathers and kids splashing and running with bare foot.
Sedona is a chic touristy town at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon. Isolated rugged buttes rise from flattened land. They are said to invoke the
power vortexes by the believers. As 89A approaches to town center, you feel the draw. Cars just pulled along the road, double parked. Everyone is in awe. The best place to be inspired is from the starkly beautiful
Chapel of the Holy Cross, just south of town on US 179.
Designed by Marguerite Brunswig Staude, built in 1956. Breathtaking view all around. More of these, I may be converted! Another spot to feast on a 360
o vista is on Airport Road (off 89A), where you can climb on the
Airport Mesa in less than 5 minutes (and soak in a "masculine or electric energy").
Arcosanti is an interesting utopia commune, aimed to create a modern eco-friendly urban living. It's in the middle of nowhere (exit 262 off I-17, ~1 hour north of Phoenix), 2 miles poor dirt road into the desert. We stayed in one of their spartan guest homes.
Oak Creek Canyon starts 14 miles south of Flagstaff on US 89A. Make sure to stop at the Oak Creek Canyon Vista at the the north tip of the canyon. The next 9 miles zigzag down to the bottom of the canyon. At the Call of Canyon ($7 parking), we hiked the West Fork Trail into a narrower canyon (6 mile/rt) along a brook. Steep, red walls, and maybe 10 creek crossings. 
Further down south (7 miles north of Sedona), Sliding Rock State Park ($8) is a fun place. 
Views spectacular, rocks redder, air drier, warmer, but the natural water slide cools you down. Tons of sun-bathers and kids splashing and running with bare foot.
Sedona is a chic touristy town at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon. Isolated rugged buttes rise from flattened land. They are said to invoke the power vortexes by the believers. As 89A approaches to town center, you feel the draw. Cars just pulled along the road, double parked. Everyone is in awe. The best place to be inspired is from the starkly beautiful Chapel of the Holy Cross, just south of town on US 179. 
Designed by Marguerite Brunswig Staude, built in 1956. Breathtaking view all around. More of these, I may be converted! Another spot to feast on a 360o vista is on Airport Road (off 89A), where you can climb on the Airport Mesa in less than 5 minutes (and soak in a "masculine or electric energy").
Arcosanti is an interesting utopia commune, aimed to create a modern eco-friendly urban living. It's in the middle of nowhere (exit 262 off I-17, ~1 hour north of Phoenix), 2 miles poor dirt road into the desert. We stayed in one of their spartan guest homes.
