Boynton Canyon, Bell Rock, Birthing Cave was a gripping experience
Sedona, that name is magical, it is a city located in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is known for its stunning red rock formations and beautiful desert landscape, which have made it a popular tourist destination. A second time for the Outdoorsy Tribe. The city is surrounded by the Coconino National Forest and is located just south of Flagstaff. Sedona is known for its spiritual energy and is home to many holistic retreats and spiritual centers. It is also a popular destination for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and rock climbing. The city has a vibrant arts scene and is home to many galleries and studios featuring the work of local artists. Overall, Sedona is a unique and beautiful place that offers something for everyone.
The tribes visited Sedona days after Christmas into the new years. Sedona at this time has unusual weather where it could go either way. We had the pleasure of experiencing Sedona through a different lense, a raw lense, no sunlighting to alter the colors of the vibrant red rock. But good temperatures and no snow or rain made it a perfect time for us to experience the beauties of Sedona. Also the amazing inclusive culture is very dog friendly, and feel free to bring your furry friends to most places. Sedona has a lot to do, but we mainly aimed to experience the extravagant nature, and extraordinary food and art culture.
The tribe's first dose of adventure was Boynton Canyon leading to Subway Cave paired with its short detour to a stunning vista point. The trailhead is located just off State Route 179, and the hike itself is about 6 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 800 feet, the detour to the vista point adds 0.4 miles to your total mileage. The trail is considered moderate in difficulty and it took us around 4-5 hours to complete.The trail was well-marked and well-maintained, making it a popular choice for hikers of all skill levels. During the summer you should alway bring lots of water and food due to the dry conditions. As we started the hike we fairly quickly approached the wooden sign at a fork leading to the vista point. The vista was a quick walk up but it was the first time the views of the magnificent landscape started revealing itself. As we reached the vista point, some enjoyed the views as others took on the challenge to scale the large rock formations . The tribe then field up and set out back onto the trail. We paid attention to where we were stepping as rocks, and muddy patches were to be careful about along the trail.
The trail was shaded at some points, not extremely crowded, and consisted of a gradual incline. Soon we approached a right run heading up to the caves with about 0.4 miles remaining. The last push was definitely the most vsterntenous but it was definitely worth it. Towards the end we notice the trees revealed two largely connected caves above us with clear paths to climb to them. We all headed up the easy route to take a snack break at the farther part of the cave, as we reached the top no matter how hungry we were we couldn't wait to capture how astonishingly the cave opened up into the endless greenery, mountains, and red rock views Sedona, AZ. After a quick refueling the tribe was eager to take on the red rock slide-like climb to the famed Subway part of the cave. The tricky climb was worthwhile, as we realized how the cave gives its name. The cave opens up like a subway into astonishing views of sedona, and is an insta worthy location. The way down is gradual but remember to keep your eyes on the trail, to watch for any obstacles.
The next spot on the tribe's list was Bell Rock which is a popular hiking destination and a distinctive red rock and is also a popular spot for rock climbing, hiking, and sightseeing. Bell Rock is a large, bell-shaped rock formation that stands at an elevation of 4,919 feet (1,499 meters) and is composed of sandstone and conglomerate. It is a popular spot for photography, and its distinctive shape makes it one of the most recognizable landmarks in Sedona. The area surrounding Bell Rock is home to lots of animal and plant viewing. The tribe set out on this quick out and back 1-1.5 mile round trip steep hike, the distance depending on how far up the rock one chooses to go. We started off on a gradual well marked trail, which soon turned into quite the opposite. It wasn't well marked and was almost scrambling level steep, we had to think and execute the perfect path to go up.
We noticed some markings for trails but it wasn't enough to guide us. Overall the hike was pretty crowded with everyone from skilled hikers to the everyday person, but the openness of the region kept everyone in their own area. After reaching the base of the main rock, we split up as a group, with the daredevils going as far up the can and the rest admiring their accomplishments from the base. The last part of the head up was the most tricky and wanted to be taken lightly, with some focus and planning which route to take, three tribe members reached an awesome point which felt like the top but we were nowhere near scaling this massive rock. As we refueled, meditated and took some amazing drone shots the rest of the tribe started to head down, as we wanted to make another hike that day.
The last major hike we did was the Birthing Cave hike. This was a well marked, gradual climb trail leading to a picture worthy cave, known as the Birthing Cave. Birthing Cave hike is a 2 mile, 300 ft elevation gain out and back type trail, it is also not very crowded.The tribe started off by parking, just off the road in a makeshift parking lot. The hike started off flat, and in a pretty vegetated area. None of us could locate the so-called cave we were hiking too. During this time due to the rain there were lots of muddy patches on the trail so bring shoes that could get dirty. As the climb began the massive cave emerged from the sides of the red rock canyons. The last part of the climb was steep and was made difficult due to the slippery mud. The hike up wasn't very crowded, but because of the beauty of the cave the cave at the time we reached was very crowded. As the crowd cleared, the natural details of the cave started to emerge. Everything from the small scoop of rock in the middle to the unusual shape of the roof on the cave, it was almost too hard to capture its beauty in one picture. The way down required all fours, and due to the mud our hands got dirty. Overall the hard part were worth it.
Sedona is a truly special place that should not be missed, if you get the opportunity. With its stunning red rock formations, beautiful natural surroundings, and rich spiritual energy, it is the perfect destination for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Whether you are seeking relaxation, adventure, or self-discovery, Sedona has something to offer for everyone. So if you are planning a trip to Arizona, make sure to add Sedona to your itinerary - you won't be disappointed!
Learning's from the tribe - Sedona is known for its vortexes and you have to be there to feel the energy and feel the recharge.
Comments