traveling_artist

I've enjoyed reading everyone's notes and comments about Sedona. Now I hope you can help me out on this one: I'll be in the Sedona area for a week in Nov. and my travelling companions have had to cancel, so I'll be on my own. I know better than to hike alone, so can you suggest any places or trails that would be OK for me to visit or wander about by myself? Or even places to link up with guided walks? Similarly the jeep tours and horseback riding all seem to have 2 person minimums. Any thoughts? I'm interested in the sights (I'm a landscape painter), the vortex stuff, shopping (no problems soloing there!), and don't want to get caught in big crowds. Suggestions, please? Thanks!
Nancy

emd

I hesitate to recommend hiking by ones self, but I do it at times in Sedona ON THE TRAILS I KNOW ARE SAFE TO DO SO ON. But I have been hiking there for years and know the area. By this I mean trails where I know there will be people coming up behind me. That would be, for me, the trails like Bell Rock (very level and right off the main Hwy.), and others. You have to have your own comfort level w/this. I never hike alone, esp. in Arizona, without being prepared to spend a night out in the wild if I have to, and I have alot of protective gear when I hike. Ok, I know I will take a ribbing for this, but sometimes I can't find anyone to hike with out there. But as I said, I am very careful which trails I choose in those instances. And I make sure someone knows where I am headed if I am alone, so that if they do not hear from me by a certain time, they can at least know what my planned trails were.
I am very very familiar with the area and have been hiking there every year for many years. If you are new to the area or are not a very experienced hiker, I strongly suggest you join up with a group to do any hiking. There are alot of guided hikes and I would take advantage of one of those. Just do some searching on the web. One thing to be aware of is that there are alot of new age hiking outfits in Sedona. Not that that is good or bad, but be aware of what kind of hiking experience you want and what they offer.
On the horse back riding, I would not be concerned w/the two person minimum-- they almost always have a whole group of people to go, esp. at that time in Nov. So just call them and say you are alone, and see if they can fit you into their daily horse rides. I like Trail Horse Adventures, out by Red Rock State Park. They will take care of you no matter what your level of riding experience, and I entrusted my kids to them when they were very young, and for many years since then. Ditto the Jeep Tours- don't worry, they almost always have enough people to fill up the jeeps. Just call them.
There are alot of landscape painters in Sedona. Have you thought of trying to hook up w/them- check the internet before you go out there and perhaps you might have some way to hook up in a group at a gallery event or something.

traveling_artist

emd,
Thanks for answering - I had hoped you would. Your description of the Bell Rock trail (level, right off the highway, with other people sure to be coming along) is just the kind of thing I'm interested in hearing about. If you think of any others, please pass them along. I'll see what else I can find for organized groups. Glad to hear the good report on Trail Horse Adventures too. (The last vacation trail riding I did was in the Dominican Republic and the tack and saddle were in such bad shape that the saddle - and I - flew off half way through the ride. Kept my chiropractor busy for a while post vacation!) Safety and competence are good things!

bbqboy

My favorite places around Sedona(emd did a good job on it) include Jerome,
the revitalized Ghost Mining town, and Arcosanti- Paolo Solari's experimental community-
http://www.arcosanti.org
Both are enlightening places to walk around and through. Food and fun at both, in addition to being a visual carnival.

Brenda51

We live 15 minutes from Sedona and can tell you that the trails are safe.

You will feel very comfortable on your own throughout Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Check out the tourism websites for favorite trails and the jeep tours are always fun.

emd

Brenda, I wonder what your general statement about the trails being safe is about. Safe in what way? The few that are heavily traveled by tourists?What trials are you referring to? Many many of the hundreds of trails are in remote areas and if you slip and hurt your ankle and no one comes up behind you, you are in trouble. I am a good hiker w/good boots and compass and trail maps and book w/me, but I got lost on Broken Arrow trail last Feb.! Yes, that Broken Arrow trail, the one where all the jeeps go. I was on the way down early on Sunday morning and the trail just sort of disappeared on the rocks. I walked in circles for about an hour and stayed calm. I could hear the jeeps but not see them and I couldn't seem to get to them. Ditto for the neighborhood below broken arrow. Finally I found a way to get down, but I never could pick the trail back up. And I missed my plane out of Phoenix that day because of it. And my family and I got lost on West Fork trail once- yes, a heavily used trail but we crossed the creek and realized we were off the trail- took about 25 min. to find it.
So I don't know what "the trails are safe" means. They are trails, some in much more remote areas than others, and you better have good skills and equipment to get out of a jam if you get into one and no one comes up behind you. And in some months or on some trails, there are many times where no one comes up behind you.
Artist, Trail Horse Adven. uses good solid horses, not old nags. The beginners trail has some ups and downs, but my kids love it. Moderate trail goes through a creek on the horses, very cool.
Other than the warning on the trails alone, everywhere else is safe to go alone in Sedona- no one will bug you or mess w/you unless you want to strike up a conversation. I find the Village of Oak Creek, just about 5 miles before you get to Sedona, to be particulalry friendly. I have struck up many conversations w/people who live in the Village in the restaurants there and at the bar at the Marketplace Cafe (where they have live jazz piano several nights a week). Since you mention wanting to avoid more crowded places, you might like the Village, as aside from a few hotels (which I like, nice and less expensive than Sedona proper) it is really a neighborhood kind of place where people live.
Do you have these links? They provide some info on what art events are happening, other good info:

http://www.redrockcountry.org/passes...ts/index.shtml

http://www.gatewaytosedona.com/calendar/calendar.php?

http://www.gatewaytosedona.com/depar...rtTheaterMusic

http://www.canyonvilla.com/thingstodo.php
(that one has a link to trail horse adven. and also small group hiking tours you could hook up with)

www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acevents2.aspx
(city's official website, nice calendar of events too)

emd

Oh, and if you are there during a full moon, check out the full moon hike at Red Rock State Park- led by volunteers, you hike up to a vista to see the full moon. Very nice way for you to hook up w/others. Actually, any of their ranger or volunteer led hikes might be nice for you.

emd

I just found this and am going to go on New Yrs Eve- she has these outdoor arts and crafts just about every other weekend, in the Village area at Bell Rock Plaza.

www.bellrockartshows.150m.com

Fairhope

emd--I noticed you posted a Canyon Villa website, We will stay there in two weeks. Have you been there? Our first visit to Sedona.

emd

No, but have heard good things about it. THey have a very nice friendly website w/lots of good links and info even if one isn't staying there...I have a friend who owns at Junipine and I either stay there, or in the less expensive hotels in the Village, or rent a house for a week (doing that this winter).
Have a great time, and report back on Canyon Villas.

Fairhope

bbqboy Jerome is on my list of things to do--I even printed a list of restaurants but I have never heard of Arcosanti. Their site made it sound like it might be worth a visit coming back from Sedona to PHX. I am going to visit Montezuma too that day

Fairhope

emd Next time you go to the website you'll see me sitting in the Ocotilla room.lol

emd

wow. With that view you might just stay in bed the whole time.

Fairhope

Canyon Villa b&b is a treat for our 30th anniversary. I have never paid so much for a room!

emd

Oh forget the calculator and enjoy it! Your 30th anniversary? You really have something to celebrate. And maybe you can just stay in that incredible four poster bed alot of the time, and saunter out to the balcony to watch the stars. Do I hear "room service" ??? If they don't have massages there, I know a very good professional masseuse in Sedona who will bring her portable table to your hotel room. A massage after a day hiking or a day in the jeep is very nice.

LoveItaly

Hello traveling_artist, I know you will love Sedona but do think twice before hiking by yourself.

I say that as my late DH and I went to Sedona to stay with a relative of his. They had a second home in Sedona and consequently we "thought" they knew the area real well.

The three of us took a hike. And suddenly the "expert" had no idea where we were. We were lost! I didn't panic but I sure was concerned especially as it was getting late in the day.

Fortunatly, somehow, my DH got us back to civilization. He said later it was a miracle, LOL. He sure was my hero!

Fairhope

Have you purchased anything at Garlands? I am looking at a silver bead necklace on their website for my wife. Maybe it will still be there when we arrive.

emd

Fairhope, Garlands has a good reputation for quality. My friend has bought from them and gave me a bracelet she got from them (and she is s stickler for quality). They have a long-standing reputation in Sedona. You can call the Sedona Chamber of Commerce (# should be on the city website I gave you above) and ask about Garlands.
If you didn't want to take time out to go get the necklace while you are there and you think she will like it, maybe you could arrange to just have it wrapped and delivered to the hotel. Wow, this is starting to sound tres romantic. We definitely want a trip report!

traveling_artist

About horseback riding in the Sedona area - I came across a reference on the "Gateway to Sedona" site to "...horseback rides, with guides from the Yavapie Apache Nation who provide a deeper view of Montezuma Castle..." Does anyone know what tour company or trail riding organization this might be connected with? Any ideas on how I might find out more about them or other tail rides to archeological sites in the area? Thanks.
Nancy

Fairhope

I did a pretty good search for this and could only find that the Yavapi run a casino in that area--Cliff Castle

http://www.cliffcastlecasino.net/ccc_general.asp

Inside this site I found the Tourism #--567 3035. You might try that