Arizona Vacation next week

[My Green Pets]

I'm going to be in Arizona next week for vacation. Don't have anything planned except where I'm staying.

Heber-Overgaard for 4 days and Sedona for 3.

Any recommendations? I prefer natural beauty to man-made stuff. And I love top-notch dining experiences

[estación seca]

Our State Web site has a good amount of stuff to do outdoors:
Indoors and Outdoors | az.gov

Go hiking in Sedona:
Red Rock State Park

Favorite hikes are Bell Rock and Airport Butte, but all the hikes are amazing.

Northeast of the State:
Northern | Visit Arizona

If you fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and drive north, allow an hour or two to stop at Montezuma Castle National Monument, where you can see an abandoned cliff dwelling just minutes from the Interstate:
Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

And just north is the turnoff to Montezuma Well, a sinkhole with a spring feeding Wet Beaver Creek, which runs by Montezuma Castle:
Exploring Montezuma Well - Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

If your vehicle is 4WD or a pickup truck, and you are coming from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, instead of taking the main turnoff to Sedona from Interstate 17, continue north on 17 to Schnebly Hill Road. Exit, turn left under the freeway, and follow the dirt road down the mountain to Sedona. It is a spectacular trip. I always take visitors this way.

If you enter Sedona from the north, either take Schnebly Hill Road as above, or, from Flagstaff, take Highway 89. It winds through forest, and then descends in Oak Creek Canyon.

It's been a long time since I was to Heber. It's not a fancy town. I don't know what to recommend there to eat.

There are a lot of resorts in Sedona. Many have very good restaurants. I don't eat in Sedona much, so I can't help with that.

Be sure to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Drink much more water than you imagine you need. It will be quite warm during the day, but humidity will be low. Nights at elevation will be cool to chilly. Be sure you drink enough water. You will never feel sweat nor stickiness this time of year, and will not realize how much water you are losing. If you develop a headache you will be at least a gallon of water down.

Rattlesnakes will be out. Walk noisily. Do not reach down and turn over things on the ground. Rattlesnakes prefer to leave rather than challenge people, and they do not chase, the way copperheads and water moccasins do.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Our State Web site has a good amount of stuff to do outdoors:
Indoors and Outdoors | az.gov

Go hiking in Sedona:
Red Rock State Park

Favorite hikes are Bell Rock and Airport Butte, but all the hikes are amazing.

Northeast of the State:
Northern | Visit Arizona

If you fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and drive north, allow an hour or two to stop at Montezuma Castle National Monument, where you can see an abandoned cliff dwelling just minutes from the Interstate:
Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

And just north is the turnoff to Montezuma Well, a sinkhole with a spring feeding Wet Beaver Creek, which runs by Montezuma Castle:
Exploring Montezuma Well - Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

If your vehicle is 4WD or a pickup truck, and you are coming from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, instead of taking the main turnoff to Sedona from Interstate 17, continue north on 17 to Schnebly Hill Road. Exit, turn left under the freeway, and follow the dirt road down the mountain to Sedona. It is a spectacular trip. I always take visitors this way.

If you enter Sedona from the north, either take Schnebly Hill Road as above, or, from Flagstaff, take Highway 89. It winds through forest, and then descends in Oak Creek Canyon.

It's been a long time since I was to Heber. It's not a fancy town. I don't know what to recommend there to eat.

There are a lot of resorts in Sedona. Many have very good restaurants. I don't eat in Sedona much, so I can't help with that.

Be sure to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Drink much more water than you imagine you need. It will be quite warm during the day, but humidity will be low. Nights at elevation will be cool to chilly. Be sure you drink enough water. You will never feel sweat nor stickiness this time of year, and will not realize how much water you are losing. If you develop a headache you will be at least a gallon of water down.

Rattlesnakes will be out. Walk noisily. Do not reach down and turn over things on the ground. Rattlesnakes prefer to leave rather than challenge people, and they do not chase, the way copperheads and water moccasins do.

No venomous North American snake will chase a person. Non-venomous black racers will if you run, but if you stand your ground they won't come close enough to bite. Cottonmouths will stand their ground, but they won't go out of their way to bite you. Copperheads are shy and rely on their cryptic coloration to avoid detection. They're very much like timber rattlesnakes that way. They often don't even rattle, but prefer to sit motionless. Once on a camping trip a couple of us walked with 2' of a timber several times before someone noticed it.

[Mountaineer370]

Lucky you to be taking a vacation in Arizona! I used to go there regularly, but I'm way overdue now. (If I had lots of money, I would live in Sedona -- or Prescott or Flagstaff.) Ditto to all of ES's suggestions above. I'll add a few of my favorite Sedona hikes (all in the easy to moderate category): West Fork, Soldier's Pass, Cow Pies, Marg's Draw, Vultee Arch.

As mentioned, Schnebly Hill Road will require a high-clearance vehicle, and be prepared to be bounced around! And, yes, the drive between Sedona and Flagstaff on Hwy. 89A is gorgeous, but I just recently read there is a major road-widening project going on there all summer, so you might want to be aware of that.

Can't help with dining recommendations. We traveled in an RV and didn't eat out much.

I hope your trip is great. Be sure to give us a report when you get back!

[My Green Pets]

Dry Season I knew you might have some suggestions but those are awesome!!! Unfortunately we will be renting a little car but now I'm thinking "upgrade" ! I will be checking out as much as I can. Only thing is i'll be with my mom who cannot walk fast or far, so no hiking (unless i leave her at the pool, haha).

mountaineer thank you for the suggestions and warning about the road construction. that could have messed us up if pressed for time!

---------- Post added at 08:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 AM ----------

i will post photos

[Mountaineer370]

Bell Rock Pathway is often suggested as an easy walk for people with limited mobility. Maybe that's one your mom could do. If not, there are countless beautiful scenic back roads to enjoy from your car in Sedona. And of course there are Jeep tours, but no AC in the open Jeeps!

[fishmom]

As I remember, Montezuma Well does not involve much walking either, and it is spectacular--well worth the time!

[estación seca]

Here is the link:
Arizona 89A Widening Summer 2017

This is the stretch from Flagstaff to the rim of Oak Creek Canyon. The road will be open without restrictons during morning and evening commuting times. I would still take this road from Flagstaff to Sedona, rather than I-17, even with the restrictions.

---------- Post added at 09:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 AM ----------

Originally Posted by fishmom

As I remember, Montezuma Well does not involve much walking either, and it is spectacular--well worth the time!

To get to Montezuma Well you have to walk up a fairly steep series of steps, sidewalk and paved trail. It would be like climbing 4-5 stories of stairs.

The Montezuma Castle trail is paved, almost completely flat, and the dwelling is not very far from the parking lot. The visitor center, adjacent to the parking lot, has extensive displays about the geology of the region, and how the Sinagua people, who built the dwellings, lived.

These are in the National Park System. You can buy an annual pass to get into all the US National Parks. Each park sells them. I usually buy a new pass the first time I visit a national park after the old one expires.

The hikes around Sedona are on wide, flat dirt paths. There is a fair amount of up and down, traversing dry washes. This might not be good for people not accustomed to trail hiking. Visitors can also climb many red rock formations, including Bell Rock. They are of rough sandstone. Hiking shoes provide plenty of traction to climb 45+ degree angle slopes. This is not difficult at all for most hikers, but people with limited mobility would not be able to manage this.

Arizona has a similar annual pass for the Arizona parks, also sold at the parks. It is probably not worth buying for a short visit unless you plan to visit a number of the State parks.

I did take my mom on some short hikes on her 70th birthday. It was one March, some years ago, after plentiful winter rains. We had incredible spring flowers. Confidence and walking tempo are the main issues.

[Arizona Jeanie]

Oh, lucky you! I live here and love it. Here are some of my favorite places:
In North Phoenix, not far off the freeway, is the Musical Instrument Museum. Either coming or going, I'd highly recommend spending at least a few hours there if at all possible. It's indoors and air-conditioned, and there is some sort of music for everyone. My first visit, I spent four hours and never got off the first floor. They also have an outstanding cafeteria (lunch only), not your usual.
Sedona is always lovely. Red Rock State Park is one of my favorites, there's a small museum, a picnic area and a range of trails. Some are mostly level and easy, with fabulous red rock views, and some are more challenging, for those who want them.
From Sedona, I suggest a day trip to Grand Canyon (South Rim). If you get there before 10:30 am, El Tovar is my favorite place for breakfast. There is a free shuttle system, so you can get out along the rim with little or no walking. Yavapai Point has a small but mighty geology museum, and some nice outdoor benches close to the rim. The rim trail is nice for strolling, or just ride the shuttles. If you're a bird watcher, sometimes the California Condors will be hanging out around the Village. (Even if you're not a bird watcher, they might be there anyhow.)
I know nothing at all about Heber-Overgaard, I'd be curious how you chose that area?
Have a fabulous trip!

---------- Post added at 03:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 PM ----------

I'm not much for fine dining, but my family once snuck me into L'Auberge in Sedona. Had a wonderful lunch, outdoors at a table close to Oak Creek. Reservations suggested!

[My Green Pets]

It has been a lovely week as I type this from our room in Sedona.

The drive from Phœnix on 87 was *amazing*. There were saguaro cactus for miles in either direction, and they were in BLOOM! For some reason I thought they were endangered and only a few left. But there were so many!! It was spectacular!!

Heber-Overgaard is on the Mogollon Rim (learned what that meant!) and it was remote, quiet, and cool temperatures. I rode a horse for the first time and enjoyed the hot tub on those 50°F nights! We drove through a canyon and saw mule deer, wild horses, and so many blooming Indian Paintbrushes and some cacti as well.

We have seen the Grand Canyon from several vistas, passed Humphreys Peak on the way down (snow capped—gorgeous!), Montezuma castle and the Well, drove down past painted desert and petrified forest in Holbrook, saw a bit of old route 66, saw meteor crater, and went down through Oak Creek Canyon (AWESOME drive!) on the way to Sedona. Shopped through uptown Sedona and took a pink jeep tour. Coffee Pot restaurant for breakfast, creekside and hideaway house for dinner. It's been lovely!

No time to visit Phœnix on this trip, but I'm ok with avoiding the 105°F heat. It's been cool, sunny, and beautiful all week where we've been.

I am most amazed by the drastic changes in landscape that you get in just a very short drive here. Sometimes unbelievable!

Thank you all so much for the recommendations!