Sedona Arizona - Red Rock Country - Spiritual reawakening
June 29, 2008 – 2:38 am
Arizona Resorts/ Arizona Travel Deals / Arizona Golf / Spas in AZ
Adventure on the rocks
Step away from the tourist strip and drink up the scenery
Have Your Aura Photographed. Psychic Energy Readings Here. Vortex Information. Therapy on the Rocks.
These are just a few of the enthusiasm-dampening signs along the roadside driving into Sedona. This is “Red Rock Country,” after all, where the stunning terra cotta-coloured buttes tower into view as you approach the city popularized for not just its stunning copper scenery, but also its vortexes — the natural energy that is said to deeply affect people spiritually.
This phenomenon has been studied and written about by both scholars and enthusiasts for years. According to a recent Northern Arizona University study, 64 per cent of people who visited Sedona said they came for a spiritual reawakening.
After reading about Sedona for years as a New Age haven set against a backdrop of drop-dead beauty, one expects a moment of discovery like driving west on the Trans-Canada — where suddenly around the next bend, the Rockies appear. Sedona’s rocks have that kind of impact, too, except after a view of the first few gorgeous rock formations set against a brilliant blue sky, the windshield fills with signs, strip malls and a long line of traffic along its main street.
First Nations people — including the Hopi, Zuni, Navaho and Yavapai — have regarded this geographic enigma — eons of layer upon layer of sun-burnt sand and limestone formations sitting 1,300 metres above sea level — as far back as 4000 BC. So special was this place to them that it served as a venue for religious ceremonies. In the 1980s, stressed-out seekers from cities across North America came in search of refuge. New Age Sedona attracted massage therapists, psychics and healers, as well as artists and writers. But when word trickled out that this place held a special healing energy which enhanced spiritual and psychic experiences, the tourists came en masse.
In the spirit of the real Sedona, when you visit, escape the ice-cream eating and latte-drinking crowd. Magical places are not far from the ticky-tacky strip — with its crystal boutiques and cowboy trading posts –on some of the hundreds of trails and byways just a few minutes from the sprawling town. You may or may not have a spiritual experience, but you’ll be rewarded with silence, save for the crickets (and cicadas?) in the desert, and jaw-dropping views.
Save your souvenir shopping for the end of the day.
HIKE: Because you’re at a national site, (Coconino National Forest) you’ll have to buy a $5 daily Red Rock Park Pass (weekly pass is $15, annual $20) at any of the visitors centers along the way.
Maps are available, as are good suggestions from staff for a variety of hikes. There are hundreds of trails around the area, some well-marked, others not, and some trailheads that begin in residential areas.
We hiked Brin’s Mesa, a moderate climb on trails speckled with prickly pear cactus, yuccas and juniper trees. The vistas along the way are stunning and once on the mesa, you’ll see the valley for miles and be able to pinpoint the most well-known buttes in the area.
Other recommendations from local hikers:
n Wet Beaver Wilderness: Located about three kilometres east of the Sedona exit from I-17. Though challenging, this is purported to be a hidden gem of hiking trails that includes the opportunity to swim as you hike through some of the canyon pools along the 17.4-kilometre Bell Trail.
n A second hiking recommendation from a native Sedonan is the West Fork hiking trail, considered the premier and most scenic hiking trail in the area. It’s accessed from Oak Creek Scenic Road and part of the Secret Mountain Red Rock Wilderness. The wooded trail, which winds along terra-cotta canyon walls along Oak Creek, is about 16 kilometres, and the first four or five kilometres are easy enough for young families. The last portion would appeal to the seasoned hiker/backpacker.
DRIVE: Oak Creek Scenic Road (off Highway 89A) On the west side of Sedona’s main tourist area, take this winding, two-lane road that rises to an elevation of 2,000 metres.
Along the way, you’ll see people fishing and beautifully treed campgrounds.
But the main event is the vista from the top, which overlooks the lushly treed Oak Creek Canyon. There’s an interpretive trail and you’ll also find local Indians selling handicrafts and jewelry here, seven days a week.
Play: Bring your bathing suit and wade or better yet cruise down the natural water slide on your bottom at Slide Rock State Park, located about 10 kilometres up 89A, the Oak Creek Scenic Road. The fee is around $10 per car.
Chill: Back on the main street (North Highway 89A) line up at the Black Cow Cafe for homemade ice cream.
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