Ever since a dear friend of ours told me about the mystical, magical place called Sedona, I’ve been compelled to visit this beautiful red sandstone canyon. So when Steven and I were batting around ideas for our 10-year anniversary celebration, I casually threw out the idea of a van life road trip to Sedona, just the two of us.
(I know, I win #wifegoals.)
If you can believe it, in the two years that we’ve had the Sprinter, we hadn’t done a single overnight just the two of us. And since Steven converted the van into a livable space, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to celebrate the past 10 years together!
But I’ll be honest… we set out on this anniversary trip without a ton of research prior to hopping in the van. Maybe it’s the procrastinator in me, but there’s something fun about doing your homework on the looooooong drive to your destination. If you’re not like me and love to plan ahead, keep reading!
The Route
Because we were dropping off the kids when our family in the Central Valley, we had a 10.5 hour drive ahead of us that we planned to break up into two days. This route would have taken us through a pretty barren and boring stretch down Highway 99, so we opted for a longer route through Yosemite. Scenery counts when you’re on a lengthy road trip!
We had chatted about our first overnight stop, debating the merits of Mammoth Lakes vs. Alabama Hills. Over the past couple of years we had visited the Mammoth Lakes area, which is gorgeous. I had never heard of Alabama Hills, but Steven had passed through the area after his solo hike on the JMT last year and recalled that there were some great dispersed camping sites there. (For those unfamiliar with dispersed camping, it’s basically camping outside of a designated campground, without any services like restroom facilities, water or garbage. Also known as boondocking, it’s a great way to camp for free, in pristine places, away from the crowds. If you’re interested in dispersed camping, just remember — pack it in, pack it out.) We stopped off at the Eastern Sierra Visitors Center just outside of Lone Pine, Calif. to gather some information about how to learn about where we could boondock.
Alabama Hills is easily one of the coolest places we’ve ever camped. Surrounded by the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada, these rounded rock formations are stunning. There were quite a bit of spots to set up camp, too. After setting up camp — basically parking the van! — we trekked over to the Arch Loop Trail to explore.
In the evening, we settled in with some Spotify tunes (this is a seriously good playlist!), dinner and vino. As parents, it can be difficult to go deep into conversation with the kids around. Being out under the stars, Steven and I drank, laughed and talked about our goals and dreams. Those are the moments we live for as a couple!
Speaking of stars, Alabama Hills is the perfect spot to check out the night sky without much light pollution. Even with the naked eye, we could see so many bright and beautiful stars!
The next morning, we woke early and hit the road. We were aiming for Death Valley or Las Vegas, thinking we’d take three full days to get to Sedona. (It’s approximately 510 miles from Alabama Hills to Sedona.) Around 10am, we drove through the extremely barren lands of Death Valley National Park. Even at that time, it was almost 90 degrees, with the temperature rising every minute! Steven and I stopped off at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes to quickly explore.
Given our early start, we decided to keep on trekking. We stopped through a place I never thought I’d ever go — Amargosa Valley, NV — which is a whole lotta nothing except for this bright, neon green gas station in the middle of nowhere. The Area 51 Alien Center! This place is unlike anything I’ve ever seen… but they definitely had the best snack choices of any of our stops along this route.
We flew through Vegas and kept on going towards Sedona. Our goal was to find a campsite, but given that we came in at dusk, options were limited. Our first choice was the Manzanita Campground in Sedona. The campground host, Lydia, told us that they were booked up for the night, but if we came back the next morning at 7am, she’d put us down for the next opening.
Once the sun had set, we knew that we had to boondock somewhere just outside of Sedona. We found a spot in the Coconino National Forest that was heavily populated by other RV and van life travelers. Not the most ideal (or photo-worthy) location, but when you just need a place to sleep, it works.
The next day, we stopped by the Manzanita Campground and secured our spot. It’s a great location, right next to the Oak Creek. I should note that it’s designated as a tent-only site, but the host was kind enough to let us park our home on wheels for a few nights. (We did see a few other van setups during our stay there, as well as some trucks with pop-up tents. Just note that there’s no way an RV can stay there given the space limitations. Check out Pine Flat or Cave Springs. Both are located in Oak Canyon, just outside of Sedona.)
The Hikes
Cathedral Rock: If anyone had asked me about what I was most excited to see in Sedona, it was by FAR a vortex. (For those unfamiliar, a vortex is believed to be a special spot on the earth where energy is either entering into the earth or projecting out of the earth’s plane. AKA good vibes, maaaaan.) In my quick homework, Cathedral Rock is one of the places that popped up quite a bit for being a well-known vortex. I envisioned a place on the red rocks where one could meditate in peace and quiet, opening up mind, body and soul to a spiritual awakening.
To get there, take Highway 179 past Oak Creek Village. Make a left on Back O’ Beyond Road. Travel west about one mile. The trailhead will be on your left-hand side, and there is overflow parking is available further down on Back O’ Beyond Rd.
Cathedral Rock is a very short trail, but I’m probably not the first to report that it can get quite challenging in the climb up. While the first half of the hike up is moderate, the back half is difficult. I should note that around the halfway point, you’ll reach a plateau that offers stunning views. It’s perfectly acceptable to chill here!
I was determined to reach those most epic of views, so we went onward… or upward. After hiking up the rocks, you’ll reach a crevice that rises at a 45-degree angle for approximately 40 ft. We brought Ruby with us, and there were moments where I’d have to crawl up the rocks on my hands and feet, turn around, and wait for Steven to hoist Ruby up to me! If you’re planning on doing this short but intense trek, make sure to wear shoes with a grip. We saw a few folks sitting at the halfway mark (again — which is still stunning) because they had on tennis shoes with little tread.
Not much further up is the end of the trail, but it wasn’t quite clear which way was correct. We consulted my AllTrails app to ensure we were on the right path, which was a big help.
The end of the trail is quite spectacular! I’ll be honest thought — it didn’t offer the peace and quiet meditation that I was hoping for. There were quite a few people up at the pay-off, including a bachelorette party, and getting those Insta-photos were top priority. There is what looks to be a sketchy path along the red rock that offers the best photos. I waited quite until at least 10 people had gone before deciding it was safe for us to do too!
A quick note on this trail — and pretty much all others in Sedona: get there early. By 9am, most lots are full to the brim. Not to mention that the heat can be pretty brutal later in the day!
Brins Mesa Trail to Soldier Pass: This is another solid hike — but one that isn’t overran with tourists. Brins Mesa is a 4.5-mile, moderately-challenging hike that offers up some great views of Sedona. The Mesa itself is worth bringing a picnic lunch to pause, refuel and take it all in. While this hike is technically an out and back, it does connect to Soldier Pass and Seven Sacred Pools to extend your hike out a bit farther. Overall, we put in a solid six miles. Another one to bring a LOT of water on — it’s hot, and mostly exposed!
To get there, head north on SR 89A for 0.2 miles to Jordan Rd. Turn left onto Jordan Rd. and continue almost a mile to Park Ridge Dr. Turn left onto Park Ridge Dr. and continue to where the paved road ends. Continue about a half-mile off-road and over a wash until you reach the Jim Thompson Trailhead.
West Fork Trail: Hands down, this was my favorite trail in Sedona. Our friends over at @slowdownseemore recommended it, and I’m so glad we had enough cell service to get their suggestion! This is a relatively flat, super easy seven-mile hike.
The parking lot for the trailhead is about 25 minutes from central Sedona. We got there early in the morning, as the days prior we saw lots of cars stuck in traffic trying to get into the parking lot, which has a fee of $11.
West Fork is called Hiker’s Paradise, and for good reason. The entire stretch of the trail hovers on the edge of Oak Creek, and there are so many creek crossings that we lost count! As you peer up, your eyes take you from the surrounding forest up towards the red rock piercing against a bright blue sky. It’s INCREDIBLE! There’s lot of shade along a majority of the trail as well.
At the end of the trail, you can actually progress further into the canyon — if the water isn’t too high. Unfortunately for us, it was quite high… and we weren’t ready to get waist down in freezing water! I clocked our entire trek at just under 10 miles, and it took us around 3.5 hours. Bring lots of water and snacks! Just don’t forget that whatever you pack in, pack out.
Bell Rock: I desperately wanted to do explore this trail, but halfway into our trip I fell sick. As I recovered in bed, Steven and Ruby went to explore the base of the trail. I will FOR SURE be back to Sedona in the future to explore this natural attraction, as well as many others nearby.
The Food
When we’re camping, we don’t eat out as much as a normal vacay. We love setting up around the campfire, drinks in hand, enjoying the natural ambiance around us. With that said, we did enjoy a few nights out based on some recommendations of a friend who grew up in Sedona. Score!
Javelina Cantina: OMG. This place is to-die-for. Order the Mexican Street Corn, the Goat Cheese Enchiladas and a big ass Margarita. We split it between the two of us and we were stuffed!
Sedona Beer Company: Steven and I are suckers for a good craft brewery, especially one that has good food to boot. This place is really dog-friendly (they brought Ruby treats when our food came out!) and has a laid-back vibe. Go for the Sweet Potato Waffle Fries and the Octoberfest!
Red Chopstick: Another excellent Sedona staple. We were craving some Chinese food, and this place delivers. I honestly can say that this is some of the best Chinese food I’ve ever had! We ordered the Walnut Shrimp (candy for adults), Chow Mein and General Tao’s Chicken. DELISH!
Thoughts Along the Way Back Home
After I got sick, we decided to cut our trip short by a day and head towards home. (Such a bummer, but we did get to stop for a night in Joshua Tree. We can’t wait to go back in December with the kids!) I will admit that I was a bit bummed at just how touristy Sedona is, especially downtown… but if you’re spending most of your time checking out the natural scenery, it’s all good. Sedona is such a beautiful place, and I can say definitively that we’ll be back… probably on our way to the Grand Canyon!
All in all, I felt like we made the magic in Sedona come to life. When you travel full-time with your kiddos, it’s so important to make time together as a couple to connect, love and dream big. Happy 10th Anniversary, Steven! Here’s to many, many more years together chasing new adventures!
Have you been to Sedona? What were your favorite hikes or attractions?
