Documenting Lovely Moments
Exploring Downtown Sedona and the Wonderful Sedona Red Rocks
Sedona red rocks have drawn visitors from all over the world for obvious reasons. The sandstone formations, surrounded by the Coconino National Forest, were absolutely stunning. We checked out iconic landmarks such as Bell Rock and Chapel of the Holy Cross. Then we headed to Downtown Sedona for lunch and shopping. After leaving Sedona, we made a stop at Montezuma Castle National Monument in Camp Verde area.
Sedona Red Rocks
We woke up early, grabbed a quick breakfast at our hotel, drove to Bell Rock Trail, and started our morning hike. Bell Rock is one of Sedona’s famous rock formations, known for its shape that resembles a massive bell. There were not many visitors yet when we were there. When we left around 9:30 am, it was starting to get crowded but still wasn’t too bad. We had a pleasant hike and enjoyed the cool desert air.
Our next stop was the famous Chapel of the Holy Cross, a Roman Catholic chapel built in the 1950’s into the red rock buttes of Sedona, which we thought was pretty cool. We did not get to hike Cathedral Rock due to a limited time, but we spotted it during our car ride towards downtown Sedona.
Downtown Sedona
We ate lunch at downtown Sedona, then walked around Main Street and shopped for unique gifts and souvenirs. It was cool that the shopping area had a backdrop of Sedona Red Rocks. Everyone we met was nice and friendly, and one gentleman told our kids to look for the Snoopy Rock behind one of the buildings. The kids were excited to spot the rock formation that looked like a sleeping Snoopy dog.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Leaving Downtown Sedona, it was time to move on to Phoenix. On the way, we made a final stop in Camp Verde to visit Montezuma Castle National Monument. With the America the Beautiful pass, our admission fee was waived. If you don’t have a pass, the fee to enter would be around $10/adult. The trails at Montezuma Castle National Monument were well-paved and mostly flat. We learned about the daily life, architectural skills, and the cultural significance of the Sinagua civilization. It was amazing to see the well-preserved castle that was built over 600 years ago. We were impressed with how they constructed their homes high up in a cliff, using only the natural resources available. It was definitely a place worth visiting.
There are so many beautiful places in Sedona that we did not get to visit on this trip. They include the Devil’s Bridge, Cathedral Rock, Airport Mesa, and more. Hopefully we get to come back and check out these places in the near future.
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About Us
I'm a happily-married mom of two. Our family enjoys an active lifestyle and spending quality time together. We love creating memories through travel, learning about different cultures around the world.
