Weekend Guide in Sedona Arizona with Hiking Tips
If gorgeous red rocks, vortexes, yoga, chai tea, and secret cave hikes interest you – Sedona Arizona should be on your list! In the summer of 2019 I went on a girlโs weekend trip and it did not disappoint. Here is a quick weekend guide for how to spend your time along with some tips that we learned in our experience ๐
Friday
Afternoon:
Hike Devilโs Bridge: We went in the afternoon, but I read that it is a beautiful place to be for sunset. The hike is only 2mi round trip out-and-back if you have 4-wheel drive by taking Dry Creek Road to the parking lot at the trailhead.
Tip: If you have a high clearance vehicle it is definitely worth doing the 4-wheel drive to avoid walking on the dirt road. There are a lot of boulders so take your time. You will see the trailhead and small parking lot on the left. While hiking, take a right at the fork in the trail to go to where you can walk across the bridge.
Evening: Dinner at Mariposa Restaurant. Watching the sunset on the red rocks in the enclosed patio with floor-to-ceiling windows was incredible – not to mention their food was amazing! We got about 4-5 different sides and shared amongst the group of 5 of us.
Tip: Make sure to make reservations in advance because this is a popular place.
Saturday
Morning:
Hike Cathedral Rock: The trek is only 1.4mi round trip, but it is a steep hike, constantly uphill and there isnโt any shade so I highly recommend going in the morning
Tip: Once you get to the top, you can follow the trail to the left and climb the rocks to a pillar that a lot of people end up missing out on (I read about this on themandagies blog post. It is definitely worth seeing and it turns out that this spot is a vortex!
Afternoon:
Lunch at Indian Gardens Cafe and Market: Cute off-the-road local spot with a great patio
Hike Soldier Pass: This hike is a 4mi round trip hike, although when we went we turned around after going to the cave. There is a lot to see on this hike which makes it worth doing. You’ll see Devilโs Kitchen Sinkhole, Seven Sacred Pools, and a cool cave that you can go inside.
Tip: To get to the cave, you will want to follow the fork in the trail to the right after passing the โWilderness Areaโ sign on a tree. There were quite a few people there when we went so we were able to follow their voices, but if you look towards the right as you are walking across the flat area of the trail you will be able to see the arches where the cave is. If you can climb up inside the cave it is great to take in the view through the cave โwindowโ
Evening – if you have the energy, Go to Salt Rock for dinner and drinks. Their cocktails were great. Get the potato appetizer. Just do it. This restaurant is right off the mainstreet so you can stop by some shops while youโre there.
Sunday
Morning:
Yoga on a vista. We went to Airport Mesa, which is a vortex. You will see the sign for Airport Mesa while on the highway, and there is limited parking directly off the road, however the parking lot was full when we went so we continued north .6mi and parked in a parking lot where we had to pay $3 and walk there.
Tip: Go in the morning to avoid crowds.
Have chai at The Chai Spot in Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. The Chai Spot is a social-enterprise dedicated to peace-building, and to socio-economic empowerment of women and children in Pakistan. 50% of their profits support women and children in Pakistan! Good chai and a cozy balcony make it a great place to chill after a hike.
Note from VisitSedona.com regarding Vortexes: Sedona vortexes (the proper grammatical form โvorticesโ is rarely used) are thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration. These are places where the earth seems especially alive with energy.
xoxo,
