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Destination: Sedona Will Pull You In
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It's easy to surrender to the lure of this Arizona outpost, with its wealth of spas and stunning scenery
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BY KATIE ARNOLD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMANDA MARSALIS
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Aqua aerobics at Enchantment's spa; seafood at L'Auberge de Sedona's French-inspired restaurant; Cathedral Rock.
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Two hours north of Phoenix, manicured golf greens and lapis swimming pools give way to a jumbled, otherworldly landscape of desert red rock. Sandstone mesas and cliffs—streaked in shades of peach, gold, umber and rust—rise up from a forested valley floor, with millions of years of erosion and upheaval captured in freeze-frame. Welcome to Sedona, Arizona, where geology is king and red rocks are the local religion.
From its arresting natural beauty to its vibrant community of artists, healers and adventurers, there’s nothing subtle about this town of 11,000 on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. But Sedona’s grandeur is earthy and unpretentious. Instead of architectural icons, its major points of reference are literal landmarks: buttes sculpted by wind and rain and stained with desert patina. Galleries showcase vivid paintings in saturated colors that echo the colors of the land, and the top-rated spas draw on the centuries-old traditions of the Sinagua Indians, to whom this canyon country was sacred. For travelers, Sedona delivers a perfect blend of reverence and indulgence.
HEALING
If Phoenix is known for its golf resorts and Napa for its wineries, then Sedona is famous for its physical and spiritual healing. A thriving cottage industry of meditation, yoga and massage has flourished here since the 1960s, making the canyon feel like one big outdoor spa. New Age wellness is so deeply rooted in the town’s cultural history that even skeptics can’t resist getting sucked in.
Exhibit No. 1: You can’t go five minutes in Sedona without hearing the word “vortex.” That’s local lingo for places in the ground where the planet’s natural energy is thought to be particularly strong and palpable. Legend has it that if you spend time near any of Sedona’s four main vortexes—Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Airport Mesa and Boynton Canyon—you can feel the earth’s vibrational pull buzzing around you. Believers claim they come away with profound mental clarity, renewed energy and feelings of blissful enlightenment.
As hokey as it sounds, Sedona’s vortex fever is surprisingly contagious. Even if you don’t feel the vortexes—they’re just unmarked spots in the ground, after all—you can’t fail to appreciate the area’s natural beauty. The “convenience store” of vortexes, Airport Mesa, is located right in town, on the broad back of Table Top Mountain, and has lots to offer. (It’s named for the tiny airstrip on top.) A quarter-mile scramble from your car delivers you to a craggy knob with 360-degree views of Sedona and the sea of red surrounding it. The vortex is supposedly just below you in a hillside notch—but even if you don’t sense its seductive hum, you’ll linger to gape at blocky Courthouse Rock in the distance. Go at sundown to watch the buttes glow orange in the fading light.
Cathedral Rock, five miles southwest of downtown, is widely considered the most powerful of Sedona’s four hot spots; like everything in these parts, the trip is worth it for the scenery alone. From the historic Crescent Moon Ranch in the shadow of Cathedral Rock, a ¾-mile footpath winds along Oak Creek to a swimming hole and a sandy beach dotted with tiny rock cairns, hand-stacked monuments to the crenellated towers above you. Ponder the earth’s electromagnetic energy or simply cool off with a plunge in the creek—there’s a rope swing on the far bank.
SPAS
It’s an unwritten law of nature that New Age healing and spa treatments go hand-in-hand. “You have to take care of yourself first before you can care for others,” a therapist at Mii Amo Spa explained during a recent “morning ritual,” where guests gather to silently set their intentions for the day. Part of the sprawling Enchantment Resort at the mouth of Boynton Canyon, Mii Amo is the swankiest, most exclusive address in Sedona—its tai chi classes, clay body wraps and hot-stone massages are reserved for resort guests only.
For the rest of us, Sedona has a surplus of places to be pampered. One of these is Serenite, Amara Resort’s spa, on the banks of Oak Creek. (It’s shared by Amara’s sister hotel, L’Auberge de Sedona.) Recently revamped, Serenite has seven new treatment rooms and a creek-side cabana, along with saunas and a heated pool. The spa’s treatments draw raves from residents and visitors alike: On a recent morning, a construction worker took a break from pounding nails to get a custom massage, choosing from Swedish, deep-tissue or reflexology. Stop by to exfoliate your scaly desert skin with a mineral salt scrub, sign up for a one-on-one yoga lesson or get your chakras realigned with an energy-balancing session.
Therapy on the Rocks, considered one of Sedona’s most authentic healing experiences, is run by wellness guru John F. Barnes. His specialty is myofascial release, a type of massage that manipulates connective tissue to help treat everything from chronic back pain to migraines. The setting—high above Oak Creek, with views of a 50-foot waterfall from the stone relaxation patio—can be just as restorative as the treatments.
ADVENTURE & CULTURE
The region’s varied backcountry includes the 1.8-million-acre Coconino National Forest and a number of wilderness areas. The Boynton Canyon Trail, five miles round-trip, skirts knobby red-rock spires (one is known as Kachina Woman for its human shape), prehistoric Indian ruins and 1,000-foot sandstone walls. The challenging Devil’s Bridge Trail (1.8 miles round-trip) winds through piñon and juniper in the Red Rock–Secret Mountain Wilderness to Sedona’s tallest stone arch: Devil’s Bridge, 54 feet high and 45 feet long.
In Oak Creek Canyon, the West Fork Trail follows the West Fork of Oak Creek for nearly 12 miles—but the best views and swimming holes are in the first three miles. Closer to town, the unpaved but mostly flat 3½-mile Bell Rock Pathway passes just beneath Bell Rock and links Sedona with the village of Oak Creek—a terrific trip for a family. End your day at Slide Rock State Park, six miles up Oak Creek Canyon from Sedona. Erosion has carved a smooth slide in the creek, and even when temperatures hit the 90s, the water remains a refreshing 63 degrees.
Sedona’s many galleries match the vivid colors and shapes of the landscapes. The showroom at Exposures International is packed with splashy abstract oils by Jim Rabby (from $3,275), renderings of ancient pictographs from painter Bill Worrell (posters from $50) and bronze sculptures by Joshua Tobey ($425–$70,000). Nearby, the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village is a faux Mexican colonial plaza with a glass art gallery, fine jewelers and restaurants. After shopping, stop by the Oak Creek Brewery & Grill to toast your shopping finds with a handcrafted cold one.
EAT
L’AUBERGE
Splurge-worthy French-American
dishes on the banks of Oak Creek.
301 L’Auberge Lane; 928-282-1661;
dinner for two, $100*
COFFEE POT
Friendly service, 101 kinds of omelets
and plenty of local flavor at this beloved
greasy spoon. 2050 W. Hwy. 89A;
928-282-6626; breakfast for two, $20
OAK CREEK BREWERY & GRILL
The award-winning Doc’s Pale Ale
is just one of nine microbrews served
at this casual brewpub in the Tlaquepaque
Arts & Crafts Village. The food is
surprisingly sophisticated. 336 Hwy. 179;
928-282-3300; dinner for two, $40
GARLAND’S INDIAN GARDENS MARKET
Stop here for deli sandwiches and
ice cream on the way to Slide Rock
State Park. This old-time general store
has shelves of kitschy Southwestern
souvenirs, like tom-tom drums and
rubber rattlesnakes. 3951 N. Hwy.
89A; 928-282-7702
*Prices cover a meal for two
without drinks, tax or tip.
PLAY
BIKE & BEAN
The go-to source for mountain bike
rentals, maps and trail info. 6020 Hwy.
179; 928-284-0210; bike-bean.com;
bikes from $24 for two hours
SEDONA SPIRIT
Guides lead three- to six-hour hikes to
the vortexes and beyond, with an optional
wilderness yoga session. 928-282-9900;
yogalife.net; from $90 per adult
PINK JEEP TOURS
Ferrying clients into the backcountry on
four rough-and-tumble wheels since 1960.
800-873-3662; pinkjeep.com; from $45
per adult
STAY
RCI-affiliated resorts in and around
Sedona include:
SEDONA VACATION CLUB/
LOS ABRIGADOS
The red-rock spires of Sedona are the
backdrop for this peaceful 20-acre resort
on the banks of Oak Creek, just a half-mile
from downtown. 160 Portal Lane, Sedona
Member reviews:
“Joey’s Bistro is very good for Italian food.”
“You can drive to the South Rim of the Grand
Canyon and back in one day.”
SEDONA PINES RESORT
This 19-acre oasis has Sedona’s largest heated
pool and cozy, modern cabins, just minutes
from downtown. 6701 W. Hwy. 89A, Sedona
Member reviews:
“We ate at the on-site restaurant on an evening
when the owner was the duty chef, and it was
absolutely outstanding.”
“Hiking up to the Kachina Woman in Boynton
Canyon was a highlight.”
HIGHLANDS RESORT AT VERDE RIDGE
You’ll need a car to best enjoy this resort area,
18 miles from Sedona and three miles from
Cottonwood in the Verde Valley. 625 S. Verde
Santa Fe Pkwy., Cornville
Member reviews:
“We loved Nic’s Italian Steak & Crab in
Cottonwood.”
“Jerome, an old mining town, is nearby, with
some spectacular work by local artists (glass,
ceramic, paintings).”
WYNDHAM SEDONA
In the heart of Oak Creek Canyon, just three
miles from downtown Sedona. Great red-rock
views by day and stargazing by night with the
astronomy program. 1500 Kestrel Circle, Sedona
Member reviews:
“The staff had lots of ideas for hiking and
sightseeing, and our short trip was a delight.”
“The resort is wonderfully maintained, quiet,
relaxing and clean.”
For more information, including more member
reviews, visit RCI.com or call:
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476
Club members, please call your specific Club
or RCI telephone number.
NON-RCI-AFFILIATED RESORTS:
ENCHANTMENT RESORT
Elegant Southwestern casitas and every amenity
you could ask for, in a private red-rock playground.
525 Boynton Canyon Rd.; 800-826-4180;
enchantmentresort.com; doubles from
$350 per night
CRESCENT MOON RANCH CABIN
Possibly the best deal in town: a historic
Coconino National Forest cabin, with three
bedrooms and front-row views of Cathedral
Rock. 300 Red Rock Crossing Rd.;
877-444-6777; recreation.gov; $200 per
night for up to 10 people
L'AUBERGE DE SEDONA
This boutique inn on Oak Creek has just
undergone a major overhaul. The spiffy
private bungalows have bamboo floors,
marble baths and roomy terraces. 301
L’Auberge Lane; 928-282-1661;
lauberge.com; doubles from $195 per
night
BRIAR PATCH INN
Haute yet homey log cabins, three miles
upstream from town on Oak Creek. Ideal
for families. 3190 N. Highway 89A;
928-282-2342; briarpatchinn.com; doubles
from $219 per night
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: Summer 2010
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