hiking in Sedona

animal face in the rock (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Sedona is all about taking hikes in the national forest and viewing spectacular rock formations. Our hike this morning began at the Brins Mesa Trailhead parking lot, less than a 2 miles from downtown Sedona. Our route took us up the Brins Mesa Trail where we turned onto Soldiers Pass trail. This eventually linked with the Jordan and then the Cibola Pass trails, returning us to the parking lot where we began our journey. In all, it was a 5.2 mile loop, a bit more than we had bargained for! Click the link for a good description of the hike.

My recommendation: stick to the Brins Mesa Trail. It was the most scenic part of our hike. After ascending to the mesa (altitude 5100 feet) and enjoying the panoramic views, just turn around and go back (downhill) to the parking lot. If you take the hike during the morning hours, the eastern sun will illuminate the rock faces. Well worth doing ... you'll be well rewarded with enchanting views.

sunrise view from our Vista Cottage at L'Auberge de Sodona (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Where to stay in Sedona? We are spending our two nights at L'Auberge de Sedona where we were upgraded to a beautiful Vista Cottage. With 470 square feet of space, a jetted soaking tub, and both indoor and outdoor showers, choose this room for the red rock views. The photo above gives an idea of the view I enjoyed this morning as the morning sun illuminated a rock formation in the distance over the autumn leaves.

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copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.