A few weeks down the road, we decided since Dakota seemed to do well with car rides and we wanted to see the fall leaves, why not attempt a day hike trip to Sedona. We also felt cooped up in the house and at 3 1/2 weeks old figured she was ready :) What better hike to target than one we’ve been loving since 2007, the West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. Thankfully doing this hike during the week was an option, because this is one of Arizona’s “wait in line to see fall” hikes. I’ve already done a blog on this one so I will just repeat that it never disappoints. And that being fed before and after the hike, Dakota was a champ and slept the whole time in our lifesaving wrap. We skipped eating in Sedona to get the little one home, and were very pleased we made the trip!
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted a blog…preparing for the little bun in the oven had us quite busy, and truthfully I was less than enthusiastic about being outdoors in the heat running around during the 3rd trimester. Dakota Shea Hansen finally came to us a week late on September 23, 2017 at 1 AM, weighing 6 lbs 14 ounces. Nick and I were actually quite surprised when a tiny little girl was born since both of us had been leaning towards thinking it was a boy all along. It’s been quite the rollercoaster with this little newborn around, but we are so in love and blessed by her in our life!
A few weeks down the road, we decided since Dakota seemed to do well with car rides and we wanted to see the fall leaves, why not attempt a day hike trip to Sedona. We also felt cooped up in the house and at 3 1/2 weeks old figured she was ready :) What better hike to target than one we’ve been loving since 2007, the West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. Thankfully doing this hike during the week was an option, because this is one of Arizona’s “wait in line to see fall” hikes. I’ve already done a blog on this one so I will just repeat that it never disappoints. And that being fed before and after the hike, Dakota was a champ and slept the whole time in our lifesaving wrap. We skipped eating in Sedona to get the little one home, and were very pleased we made the trip!
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October was a double birthday month for Preston and Josh, and the intent was to celebrate in style. So the gang was heading to End of the World, about a 45 minute drive down a dirt road south west of Flagstaff. Our usual hangout is on Schebly Hill Road, where you get a great vantage point of the canyons and city of Sedona. The new spot was well worth twice the driving time, because it turned out to be the Schnebly Hill view on crack. After pulling our jaws off the dirt floor, we settled in and had Nick's homemade enchiladas for dinner, and April made cupcakes for dessert (there would be Rainbow donuts for breakfast too, whoops). It was a grand old time celebrating the birth of some truly awesome friends!
It’s a milestone: Nick’s 30th birthday! Where else to congregate with friends and fam than our favorite campspot on Schnebly Hill Road. You sure can’t beat great company and a walk to the Sedona lookout for sunset, followed by homemade enchiladas and berry pie from Rock springs cafe!
Some of the best camping spots in Sedona are relatively less visited, and part of me would like to keep it that way ;). On the other hand they are too ideal not to share. If you’re looking for a spot that is free, private, and has an outstanding view of Sedona just around the corner, then 4 miles in on Schnebly Hill Road is your match made in heaven. Heading west on Schnebly from the i17, camping is permitted on this road a few miles in, but due to the rough roads and “primitive camping” there are less people than you would think, especially a few miles in. Plus the further you drive, the closer you are to the Sedona lookout point which we had checked out at sunset in this post. If you visit you surely won’t be disappointed, just be sure to leave our favorite spot in it’s natural state and you will be a welcome visitor :D
Nick’s birthday weekend called for a celebration, so it was time to try the trendy Devil’s Bridge Hike in Sedona, then camp overnight on Schnebly Hill Road. This is a relatively short hike, about 3/4 a mile on a dirt path, then another 1/4 mile climbing up to the "arch”. All the while I wasn’t sure if I would even cross the narrow bridge made out of a rock formation. Once we arrived Nick, Kaoa, and Josh predictably crossed the bridge with ease, while the squeamish Amber’s took a little more convincing. We finally crossed, then jogged back down the trail to get some grub at Oak Creek Brewery. Location: From Phoenix, take the 89A north towards Sedona, and turn on Dry Creek Road. You will travel on this road for about 3 miles before you make it to the parking lot for the trail. Accessibility/Parking (Volkswagon Golf or Jeep Cherokee): VW Golf, the trailhead is right off the main road. Challenge Level (1: A female in her late 20’s in decent shape thought it was easy as pie to 5: Gonna need a forklift to help me finish this): I’d rate this right in the middle, a 2.5. The first half provides no shade from the sun, and the second half there is a climb in elevation to get to the bridge with some steep steps made out of rock. Best Time: I’m convinced there isn’t a bad time for hiking in Sedona. This is one of the more popular hikes there, so if you can plan for a weekday or early morning it might be helpful. Overall Rating (1: Wouldn’t recommend 2: Bleh 3: Fun but wouldn’t do it again 4: Loved it 5: A favorite, must plan return trip immediately): 4, only because the competition is steep and this is relative to some of my favorite hikes we’ve done in Sedona. It was very crowded, but a really fun hike to the bridge that I would highly recommend! If you live in Arizona, West Fork Trail is a MUST visit during the fall season. Nick and I have hiked this trail three times to experience the change in season that Phoenix lacks. If you are willing to shell out the cash and there is availability, I would highly recommend staying overnight at the L'Auberge de Sedona as well. Photographs are mostly from our fall 2014 trip. The Franz family brought my sister, her husband, and "Baby Jude" who were visiting from Seattle.
Location: The parking area is 10+ miles north of Sedona, AZ off of SR 89A. Accessibility/Parking (VW Golf or Jeep Cherokee): VW-Very Accessible, right off the main highway and no dirt road. During peak season and hours (like weekends during the fall), there will likely be a line to park. Challenge Level (1: A female in her late 20's in decent shape thought it was easy as pie to 5: Gonna need a forklift to help me finish this): I would rate this trail a 1. It is very flat, and my twin niece and nephew did this at age 2 1/2, as well as my parent's 11 year old spoiled Yorkie. There are multiple areas where you have to cross a stream, but other than that you could do it with your eyes closed. Best Time: FALL, but this is a good year-round hike. Overall Rating (1: Wouldn’t recommend 2: Bleh 3: Fun but wouldn't do it again 4: Loved it 5: A favorite, must plan return trip immediately): Considering we have done this multiple times and it still hasn't gotten old, a for sure 5. If you're looking to enjoy nature on a moderate hike, as opposed to a Hulk-like adrenaline rush, no reason not to love this hike. It was labor day weekend 2014, and a few of us decided it was finally time to try out the #instagramaz made famous Wet Beaver Creek. Thrill seeker Layman was in town from Cali, and we knew we had to impress. Kaoa and Amber were only weeks away from saying "I do", and secretly hoping they wouldn't break a leg or get some bad tan lines. Josh and April were down. We piled in two cars and drove about 2 hours to the trailhead. After the super warm hike in, the guys were able to get their cliff jumping fix. The girls, well, we can say we survived the summer hike to Wet Beaver Creek.
Location: About 30 miles south of Sedona. Take exit 298 from I-17 N. Continue on Beaver Creek Rd. to Forest Service Rd 618H. Accessibility/Parking (Volkswagon Golf or Jeep Cherokee): VW-We drove to the parking lot in a Honda Civic. From there you can walk directly to the trailhead. Challenge Level (1: A female in her late 20's in decent shape thought it was easy as pie to 5: Gonna need a forklift to help me finish this): This hike would rate in the 3-4 range. To get to the waterhole at the end, you do have to trek down a trail that is mostly exposed to the sun. Amber and I were overheated and chugged water and ate skittles to survive. You will climb up a mountain before descending into the creek. The distance round trip is 7 miles and takes approximately 4 hours, so start early. Best Time: Summer if you want to cliff jump, or swim in the watering hole. Just prepare for the warm hike in. Overall Rating (1: Wouldn’t recommend 2: Bleh 3: Fun but wouldn't do it again 4: Loved it 5: A favorite, must plan return trip immediately): 4, but would still love to do this again. Next time we would start earlier, bring a hammock and lunch, and relax down by the creek. It was the end of Nick's birthday road trip up to Antelope Canyon and Horeshoe Bend. The thought entered our mind, "let's take Schnebly Hill Road across to Sedona". Our hasty research showed that the road was rough, but little did we know it would end in tears and a near trip to the divorce court. In our Volkswagon Golf, we dragged down the hill, eventually having to turn around and take the road all the way back. In other words, plan accordingly, and drive in a vehicle with plenty of clearance, because this is one of the roughest roads I've been on. Or even better, take the “Pink Jeep Tours" out of Sedona, who have skilled drivers and the appropriate vehicles. On a more positive note, the 360 views of Sedona and it's surroundings make it worth every bump.
Location: The road runs east to west starting at I-17 (Exit 320) just south of Munds Park to AZ 179 near Sedona. Accessibility/Parking (VW Golf or Jeep Cherokee): Jeep Cherokee! This road is extremely, well extreme. Challenge Level (1: A female in her late 20's in decent shape thought it was easy as pie to 5: Gonna need a forklift to help me finish this): Even though it's driving rather than physically walking, definitely a 5...If you are afraid of heights or get car sick, be prepared. Best Time: Anytime since you are in the car. Overall Rating (1: Wouldn't recommend 2: Bleh 3: Fun but wouldn't do it again 4: Loved it 5: A favorite, must plan return trip immediately): We actually did return with friends who had SUV's, so I would give it a 5. Great way to view Sedona and a fun off-roading type adventure. This is another amazing, and seemingly less popular hike in Sedona. Nick and I went with our younger sisters April and Janelle, and Janelle's boyfriend Thom who is from Australia. I am actually quite amazed by how awesome the pictures turned out from this hike. I can't take any credit for them as it was all God's beautiful landscape before us, however several of my favorite photographs on our then recently purchased Canon Rebel were taken here.
Location: South of Sedona, Upper Red Rock Loop Road (Crescent Ranch) off of SR 89A. Accessibility/Parking (Volkswagon Golf or Jeep Cherokee): Easily accessible, however we got a little lost finding the trailhead. There was a small parking fee. Challenge Level (1: A female in her late 20's in decent shape thought it was easy as pie to 5: Gonna need a forklift to help me finish this): I would rate this trail a 1. It is very flat, and only a few miles. A few small streams to cross. Best Time: I thought it was phenomenal in the winter, but I'm sure any season would do. Overall Rating (1: Wouldn't recommend 2: Bleh 3: Fun but wouldn't do it again 4: Loved it 5: A favorite, must plan return trip immediately): I would hands down give this hike a 5. We saw rock formations, streams, holly berries, an old ranch building, tons of stacked rocks (cairns), and stunning views of Cathedral Rock. |
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October 2017
AuthorAmber Hansen |