Beth Larsen, Sedona Arizona

Favorite Sedona Hikes

One of the benefits of living in Sedona (and the Verde Valley area in general) is that it is incredibly beautiful, and one of the best ways to experience its beauty to to hike through it. You can hike pretty much year-'round, but in the Spring the landscape fairly calls out to you to break away and enjoy Mother Nature's gifts. You could probably hike a different trail every day of the year if you wished, but there are a few that I think of as pretty hard to improve upon, and have become favorites.

• Devil's Bridge - overall one of the best bang-for-the-buck hikes in terms of views versus effort you'll ever find. It's only about a mile and fairly easy, with a short steep climb to the top of a dramatic red rock arch which pays off with stupendous views of the valley. Access it off Dry Creek Rd.
• Vultee Arch - another beautiful hike into a box canyon off of Dry Creek Rd. This one's about 1 1/2 miles each way, and takes you to another natural arch.
• Bell Rock and the Bell Rock Pathway - do part of it or all of it as time and your mood allow. This trail loops around Bell Rock and also has a loop around Courthouse Butte, or you can take it all the way to the Chapel area and the Little Horse Park trailhead. If you do that expect it to take a couple of hours. It's fairly level (except for Bell Rock itself, which has numerous trails - mind your step near the edges, as the prehistoric sandstone is soft and crumbles) and a great cool weather hike. It's also a favorite for mountain bikers, but it's broad enough that there's room for everyone. In summer, start early as there is zero shade. Pick up the trail just north of Bell Rock Blvd in the Village of Oak Creek.
• Speaking of summer, in hot weather the coolest hike is undoubtedly West Fork up in Oak Creek Canyon. It is also (justifiably) one of the most famous of Sedona's trails, so if you want to avoid the hoards, try to go mid-week. I had not been in years and went with a visiting friend this last summer, and was glad I did. I'd forgotten how truly wonderful it is. There's a short very easy portion that takes you down to the creek that pretty much anybody can enjoy at the Call of the Canyon entry (Zane Grey used the area as the location for his novel of that name). If you want to go farther, wear your old tennies because your feet will probably get wet, as the trail crosses the creek several times. There's plenty of shady spots and the creek to cool you. The entire canyon is about 12 miles but the most popular portion is the first 3 miles.
• Wet Beaver Creek - at least that's what we've always called it. I like to think of it as the less-crowded alternative to West Fork. It's another hike that's great in warmer weather as it follows Wet Beaver Creek, south of the Village of Oak Creek (take SR 179 under I-17 for a couple more miles to the trailhead parking area on the left). This is a great hike for wildflower lovers. Turns out that there are several trails that depart from this area, and the ones I usually take are Bell Trail and Weir Trail (1 1/2 to 2 hours). For the hardier hikers among you, pick up the Apache Maid and White Mesa trails.

If you're looking for a good guide book, I recommend Richard and Sherry Mangum's Sedona Hikes.

You will need a Red Rock Pass to park at any of these trailheads. Pick one up at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce near the 'Y' on Forest Road or click here for more places to purchase a pass. A final word: always carry plenty of water and wear sunscreen, year 'round. Happy Hiking!

RE/MAX Sedona's agents are at it again - working hard for our Sellers and bringing some great opportunities to tour these select properties to Buyers. Saturday November 1st is also the Amante Community Garage Sale, so put your bargain-hunter hat on and come on out to the Verde Santa Fe!

FEATURED LISTING AND ABSOLUTE "BEST BUY": 597 South Santa Fe Trail in Amante at Verde Santa Fe - lowest price per square foot on the Verde Santa Fe Golf Course in all of Verde Santa Fe's 7 neighborhoods! A short stroll to the Clubhouse (see photos of some of the many amenities below). This gated community is just a 15 minute drive to West Sedona, 5 minutes to Cottonwood, AZ and about 25 minutes to I-17, giving you easy access to Flagstaff an hour north and Phoenix about 1 1/2 hours to the south.

RE/MAX SEDONA OPEN HOUSE TOUR AT VERDE SANTA FE:

-SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1ST, 10:00AM TO 2:00PM

Property Information

Community Information

Download RE/MAX Sedona Verde Santa Fe Tour Sheet

Outdoor Fireplace at Amante Clubhouse, Verde Santa Fe, Cornville AZ

Amante Clubhouse Pool at Verde Santa Fe

Hot air balloons are a frequent early-morning sight over the Verde Santa Fe Golf Course.

Late October in Sedona is a glorious affair, with crisp blue skies and the intense golds and greens of the trees against the red rocks.

If you've been wondering what kinds of bargains await buyers shopping for Sedona real estate, what better excuse than the October RE/MAX Sedona Open House Tour?

RE/MAX Sedona's Open House Tour is held on the last Saturday of every month. Mark your calendars!

September's tour was a big success, with 15 gorgeous homes to preview. You still have time to plan for next month's tour!

NEXT TOUR: Saturday, October 25th 1:00pm to 4:00pm A few days before the tour we will release details and a tour sheet for October's open house tour, so please check back - then:

DOWNLOAD OPEN HOUSE TOUR SHEET & DIRECTIONS HERE

You can also see the October Sedona Open House Tour homes for sale in our full page color ad in the Friday Red Rock News ad on 10/24/08 or stop by our office for a tour sheet and map.

When/Where: Sedona Arizona - homes are open from 1:00pm to 4:00pm - RE/MAX Sedona 1225 W Hwy 89A Suite 102.

Come join us - October is a fabulous time to enjoy Sedona's beautiful weather and the fall colors!

This photo was taken as a spring storm rolled into Uptown Sedona - I'll have to wait a little while to get a photo of this scene dressed in its fall finery - but it's gorgeous all year 'round. It's like living in a National Park!

Wondering what your dollar will buy you in a Sedona home these days? Here's your chance to tour 15 beautiful Sedona properties on RE/MAX Sedona's Open House Tour. Pick up a Sedona Open House Tour sheet at our office at 1225 W Hwy 89A Suite 102 or see our full-page ad in the Red Rock News. If you can't make it this month, mark your calendar for the next tour, Saturday October 25th. It's always the last Saturday of every month.

For more information call Beth at 928-284-2501 or Toll Free 800-282-4166 or

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A FREE TOUR SHEET AND DIRECTIONS.

When/Where: Sedona Arizona - homes are open Saturday September 27th, 2008 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Fall is a fabulous season in Sedona, and not just for the weather but for the wonderful variety of events planned. Sedona Jazz on the Rocks is undoubtedly the best-known event. SJOR was established in 1981 out of a desire to nurture and support jazz as a living art form (and because the only thing more wonderful than being outdoors in Sedona at this time of year is doing it with a great LIVE soundrack)!

Every year since its inception, the Jazz Fest has grown from the core one day event to a series of diverse but related offerings, including concerts, jam sessions, art walks, dinner/shows, educational sessions and more, and now runs for several days.

It starts today and runs through Sunday, September 28, 2008.

Read more about Sedona Jazz on the Rocks here.

Buy Tickets for Sedona Jazz on the Rocks online here.

If you just can't make it this year, mark your calendar for next year's Jazz Fest: September 22-27, 2009.