Sedona-Grand Canyon
April 1-7, 2017 7 days / 6 nights
Escorted by Jocelyn
On the first of April 2017, fourteen intrepid travelers set out from Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix to the beautiful and mystical red-rock country of Sedona, Arizona. Our fourteen included three sets of sisters, with all but one of us from California. She joined us from San Antonio, Texas.
We set up housekeeping at Best Western Arroyo Roble for a week of adventure. Our rooms faced red-rock formations that Sedona is known for, in this case Snoopy with Woodstock on his nose and Lucy watching from another rock up above. Sedona was founded in 1902 and became a setting for silent and then talking movies, hundreds of them.
Our first day began with the most amazing full breakfast at our hotel, followed by a tour of Sedona. We got the lay of the land, including the Chapel of the Holy Cross, views of Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, the famous turquoise arches of McDonalds (a highlight of every tour we took), and Tlaquepaque, the shopping and dining square we visited regularly.
Dinner was at Cowboy Club, a classic Sedona watering hole. We sampled the rattlesnake appetizer and cactus fries. Dinner was early so we could get ready for our Star Party. We met Dennis Young at his favorite dark sky site. He gave us up-close and personal views of the moon, Jupiter and a variety of stars and galaxies, through his 28" telescope and high-powered binoculars.
The next morning we drove through Oak Canyon to the Grand Canyon's east entrance from the Navajo Nation where we saw the Little Colorado River Gorge and the western edge of the Painted Desert. We stopped along the way to purchase Navajo crafts and jewelry.
Our first stop in the canyon was at the Desert View lookout on the east rim. We had plenty of time to take in the amazing views of the Colorado River and Painted Desert from the observation tower. Next, we headed to a second viewpoint which also offered spectacular views, all the time watching a storm approach from the north. Big blobs of snow started to fall.
We gathered for a delicious dinner at the Arizona Room, one of the Grand Canyon's fine restaurants located in the Bright Angel Lodge. As we looked toward the north rim of the Grand Canyon, all we could see was snow, blowing horizontally. Dinner was excellent, however we thought our goal of watching the sun set over the Grand Canyon was not to be.
After dinner we slipped and slid over the icy and snowy paths back to our van. Our guide decided we should try for one last view, just in case. As we drove toward the viewpoint, the clouds began to part. The faster he drove, the faster the clouds parted. After we parked, we were treated to the most spectacular sunset, with the Grand Canyon covered in snow. And we were alone. All of the other tourists had left, not expecting to see the sun set.
The next morning we headed in the other direction, to the former mining town of Jerome above the Verde Valley. Our guide drove us through historic Cottonwood, once called the “Bootleg Capital of Arizona”. From there, through historic Clarkdale, built by Senator Clark who owned the largest copper mine in Jerome. Clarkdale was designed as one of the first company towns in the United States. Next, we drove 1800 feet up Mingus Mountain into Jerome, a former Billion Dollar Copper Camp once known as “The Wickedest Town in the West”. We enjoyed a local lunch and wine tasting in Jerome, and had time to explore this National Historic Landmark.
Dinner reservations were back in Sedona at Rene@Tlaquepaque. The square was a 25 minute walk from our hotel, so we got our exercise every day, exploring Sedona.
Our adventure the next day was rafting down the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry, just above Grand Canyon National Park. We spent four hours aboard a motorized pontoon raft floating on the smooth Colorado River. The Canyon walls rose over 1400 feet on both sides. We could look up at travelers on the rim, while they looked down at us. We saw beautiful rock formations and wildlife, as our guide provided educational narration about the area. We stopped for a short hike to see Indian petroglyphs and dip our toes in the cold Colorado.
We had a dinner at 89 Agave, a short walk from our hotel on Highway 89A, the main thoroughfare, filled with shops and galleries, and mind, body, and spirit healing therapies.
Our adventure would not have been complete without an off-road, Pink Jeep Tour through the National Forest. First, we ventured into the wide-open outback for some four-wheeling fun through Diamondback Gulch . Next, we visited the Honanki Heritage Site for some insightful facts about this 700-year-old Sinaguan cliff dwelling, enjoying a picnic lunch along the way.
For our last evening together we walked to Cress on Oak Creek at L'Auberge for an exceptional farewell dinner. We had enjoyed a variety of adventures, good meals and lodging, and most important, good company with one another as we spent our week together in the breathtaking southwest.
We set up housekeeping at Best Western Arroyo Roble for a week of adventure. Our rooms faced red-rock formations that Sedona is known for, in this case Snoopy with Woodstock on his nose and Lucy watching from another rock up above. Sedona was founded in 1902 and became a setting for silent and then talking movies, hundreds of them.
Our first day began with the most amazing full breakfast at our hotel, followed by a tour of Sedona. We got the lay of the land, including the Chapel of the Holy Cross, views of Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, the famous turquoise arches of McDonalds (a highlight of every tour we took), and Tlaquepaque, the shopping and dining square we visited regularly.
Dinner was at Cowboy Club, a classic Sedona watering hole. We sampled the rattlesnake appetizer and cactus fries. Dinner was early so we could get ready for our Star Party. We met Dennis Young at his favorite dark sky site. He gave us up-close and personal views of the moon, Jupiter and a variety of stars and galaxies, through his 28" telescope and high-powered binoculars.
The next morning we drove through Oak Canyon to the Grand Canyon's east entrance from the Navajo Nation where we saw the Little Colorado River Gorge and the western edge of the Painted Desert. We stopped along the way to purchase Navajo crafts and jewelry.
Our first stop in the canyon was at the Desert View lookout on the east rim. We had plenty of time to take in the amazing views of the Colorado River and Painted Desert from the observation tower. Next, we headed to a second viewpoint which also offered spectacular views, all the time watching a storm approach from the north. Big blobs of snow started to fall.
We gathered for a delicious dinner at the Arizona Room, one of the Grand Canyon's fine restaurants located in the Bright Angel Lodge. As we looked toward the north rim of the Grand Canyon, all we could see was snow, blowing horizontally. Dinner was excellent, however we thought our goal of watching the sun set over the Grand Canyon was not to be.
After dinner we slipped and slid over the icy and snowy paths back to our van. Our guide decided we should try for one last view, just in case. As we drove toward the viewpoint, the clouds began to part. The faster he drove, the faster the clouds parted. After we parked, we were treated to the most spectacular sunset, with the Grand Canyon covered in snow. And we were alone. All of the other tourists had left, not expecting to see the sun set.
The next morning we headed in the other direction, to the former mining town of Jerome above the Verde Valley. Our guide drove us through historic Cottonwood, once called the “Bootleg Capital of Arizona”. From there, through historic Clarkdale, built by Senator Clark who owned the largest copper mine in Jerome. Clarkdale was designed as one of the first company towns in the United States. Next, we drove 1800 feet up Mingus Mountain into Jerome, a former Billion Dollar Copper Camp once known as “The Wickedest Town in the West”. We enjoyed a local lunch and wine tasting in Jerome, and had time to explore this National Historic Landmark.
Dinner reservations were back in Sedona at Rene@Tlaquepaque. The square was a 25 minute walk from our hotel, so we got our exercise every day, exploring Sedona.
Our adventure the next day was rafting down the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry, just above Grand Canyon National Park. We spent four hours aboard a motorized pontoon raft floating on the smooth Colorado River. The Canyon walls rose over 1400 feet on both sides. We could look up at travelers on the rim, while they looked down at us. We saw beautiful rock formations and wildlife, as our guide provided educational narration about the area. We stopped for a short hike to see Indian petroglyphs and dip our toes in the cold Colorado.
We had a dinner at 89 Agave, a short walk from our hotel on Highway 89A, the main thoroughfare, filled with shops and galleries, and mind, body, and spirit healing therapies.
Our adventure would not have been complete without an off-road, Pink Jeep Tour through the National Forest. First, we ventured into the wide-open outback for some four-wheeling fun through Diamondback Gulch . Next, we visited the Honanki Heritage Site for some insightful facts about this 700-year-old Sinaguan cliff dwelling, enjoying a picnic lunch along the way.
For our last evening together we walked to Cress on Oak Creek at L'Auberge for an exceptional farewell dinner. We had enjoyed a variety of adventures, good meals and lodging, and most important, good company with one another as we spent our week together in the breathtaking southwest.