Dillon and I have been adding a lot of mileage as we travel through the midwestern states. After we left New Mexico, we arrived at Arizona on Thursday. Our road trip recently has been a lot of daily hiking so those are some of the things I have on my list below. However, as we head to Las Vegas and then California, we plan to stay at certain places for longer so that we can relax by the water and enjoy visiting the towns.
Arizona
Our first stop was Petrified Forest National Park. We planned to do the small hike through Painted Desert Rim Trail. Although that was a quick and easy hike, it was out in the open so the sun was shining bright. That’s something to keep in mind if you plan to do hikes out in the deserts. Maybe pack a hat or sunglasses. The sun will be strong most of the time. Dillon wore his cowboy hat haha! His name actually comes from the TV show Gunsmoke so I called him Marshal Dillon for a good time after that. Lol.
Another short hike we did was the Giant Logs Trail. It’s also quick but hot. You walk through giant logs that have been around for a loooong time. They basically crystallize and form into quartz. But don’t take anything from the park! They have a rule against that. You can purchase the petrified wood as a souvenir at the gift shop.
We actually ended up doing two hikes this day. Our next stop was the town of Sedona to hike at Red Rock State Park! After some research previously, we had decided to do the Cathedral Rock trail.
After a mid-day coffee run, Dillon and I were ready to face another hike! We were aware that the Cathedral Rock hike is one of the most popular hikes at the park so the parking for it was pretty tight. After looping around a second time, we managed to snatch a spot. If you plan to make a trip there to do this hike, the parking lot is located at 500 Back O Beyond Road.
We were there later in the day, shortly before sunset. Our goal was to be up top in time for sunset. The hike is about 1.2 miles out and back. You gain about 700 feet. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I will say that this park is so underrated. I assume because it’s a state park and not a national park. Even Dillon who has done multiple road trips growing up never heard of Sedona. But we quickly learned how amazing this hike is!
For starters, we picked the best time to do this hike! Our view after hiking/climbing up top was MAGICAL. The rocks basically framed the gorgeous sunset. It was such a good reward for a short and sweet hike. Well, I can’t exactly call the hike easy, but the view up top definitely made it so worth it! The hike consists of a short walk that leads into some climbing. It sounds scary but the climb has natural rocks that you can hold on to or put your foot on top. I’m not a skilled climber whatsoever but I found that climb wasn’t too bad.
But as a disclaimer, if you are someone who has bad knees or ankles, maybe try another hike in Red Rock State Park. There were moments where the hike was pretty steep so I wouldn’t recommend it to those who have a physical disability for safety reasons. If you decide to do this challenging but rewarding hike, here are some tips:
- Start 1 hour before sunset so that you can watch sunset up top.
- Stay hydrated! Drink water before the hike or take a bottle with you.
- If you are carrying snacks, water bottles, etc., use a backpack so that you can have both hands free so that you can climb freely.
- Use shoes with a good grip or hiking boots! Definitely don’t use open-toed shoes.
- There are trail markers that look like a pile of rocks under a metal cage. You’ll also see white marks on the rock as trail markers. These guides will help you hike up in the best and safest way possible.
After the hike, keep in mind that most restaurants close at 9pm in Sedona. At least on weekdays which is when we went. So if you just finished a sunset hike and are ready for a meal, plan accordingly because restaurants may close soon.
The next day, we kept our hiking momentum going and went to Grand Canyon National Park on the South Rim area. However, this one we didn’t really “hike.” We stopped at an overlook to snap some pictures of the gorgeous view and walked along the paved sidewalk while seeing different angles of the canyons. We might have actually walked 3 miles out and back but it wasn’t really a hiking trail, just an overlook area with paved sidewalk. It turns out that hiking Grand Canyon is very tough! They have to rescue a lot of hikers due to heat exhaustion. If you plan to hike there in the future, definitely do your research and bring plenty of water!
The following morning, we visited Horseshoe Bend which is on the way to Utah. It is also not far from Grand Canyon. Just keep in mind if you decide to visit, expect there to be a lot of people because it’s one specific landmark and everyone is trying to get their picture. If you want to escape the crowds, try to go right when they open on sunrise. Also, it’s $10 per vehicle to park at their parking lot. Once you park, there is a small hike to get to Horseshoe Bend that is 1.5 miles out and back. But it’s pretty easy and flat for the most part. Horseshoe Bend was very unique. It was interesting seeing the Colorado River curve the way it does around a giant rock.
So this concludes our part of the trip in Arizona! I loved visiting Arizona! It was my first time there and I’m so glad I was able to see all those beautiful parks. Stay tuned for our drive to Utah where we did some more hiking!
