Red Rocks and Vortexes: Adventures in Sedona

There is a spiritual vibration in the mountains surrounding Sedona even before you set foot in the city. From the hillside walls of the Chapel of the Holy Cross to the misnomered Montezuma Castle, the miles of green scrub brush and sprawling landscape have seen many a hoof and foot over the years. Explorers, adventurers, seekers looking for more than themselves. A place different from what they’ve known, better than before. A place of truth and center.

Along Highway 89A, as you roll into Sedona from the south, Red Rock State Park welcomes you with a detour from your intended path, already offering a different point of view. Hiking trails wind out from Miller Visitors Center, past rivers and rock formations, and houses on hilltops. Views from the rooftop deck include Cathedral Rock, Seven Warriors, and the storied House of Apache Fires, once owned by TWA President Jack Frye and his wife, Helen.

If you ask most Sedona residents, they’ll tell you that energy abounds no matter what you choose to do during your visit. The central Arizona destination has grown exponentially over the last few decades, weighted heavily through the 60s and 70s by its metaphysical pull. Today, naturopaths, yoga studios, and crystal shops line the main arteries into the city, with spas and desert resorts welcoming visitors, many still seeking Sedona out for its energetic adjustments.

The vortexes of Sedona are popular with the ethereal tourism crowd, offering believers more than just a day trip. These “transformational energy centers” are said to be located throughout the city, each a scientifically explained crisscross of natural electromagnetic lines. Though there are numerous vortexes to choose from, the Airport Mesa vortex is easiest to access when visiting the city proper. While parking is limited, a pre-sunset view from the mesa provides plenty of picturesque inspiration from both scenery and sky, in addition to any added energy benefits.

Time your afternoon visit right, and you can make your way up the road to Mesa Grill, where chef Mercer Mohr and his staff offer impeccable meals and service just as private aircraft launch into the Arizona sunset.

Interested in seeing more of Arizona? Explore Mesa, Phoenix, and Tucson here.

~Jennifer Matthewson

Photo credit: Jennifer Matthewson / Daily Blender