Sedona, Arizona – Red Rock Country

Mr. Ken and I took a fabulous trip to Sedona, Arizona a few months ago. We went on a Road Scholar tour. Road Scholar is the old Elderhostel. Road Scholar provides educational travel opportunities for adults.

We flew into Phoenix and it was about a 2 hour trip to Sedona. The thing that stands out is the desert and the red rock formations.

The red rocks in Sedona were formed over millions of years by a combination of tectonic activity, erosion, and the accumulation of sediment.

Formation:

1. Seafloor: Sedona was once a shallow seafloor where sand and sediment accumulated. 
2. Sedimentary layers: The sediment deposited iron-rich minerals into layers of sandstone and limestone. 
3. Tectonic plates: Tectonic plate shifts caused the water to recede and the rocks to emerge. 
4. Erosion: Erosion by water and other natural processes exposed new layers of rock. 
5. Oxidation: Iron in the rocks combined with oxygen to form iron oxide, or rust, which stained the rock red. 

One of our field trips was to Airport Mesa, right outside of Sedona. I pictured runways and an airport, but no, it was a magnificent view of Sedona and the red rocks. Airport Mesa has unbeatable views overlooking Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock, Chimney Rock, and Coffee Pot Rock.  These rocks are aptly named since they look just like they are described. Airport Mesa is also the site of one of the many vortices in Sedona.

What is a vortex? Sedona vortexes (the proper grammatical form ‘vortices’ is rarely used) are thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration. These are places where the earth seems especially alive with energy. Many people feel inspired, recharged or uplifted after visiting a vortex.  

Here is a view from the top of Airport Mesa. Aren’t the colors magnificent?

Here is another magnificent view.

And here is our intrepid Mr. Ken, with the backdrop of Uptown Sedona in the valley below. A side note here – Sedona is always referred to as Uptown Sedona and not Downtown Sedona.

Here is a close up of the famous “Coffee Pot Rock.” (The coffee pot is at the far right). It is the highest point in Sedona and is a definitive site of energy release.

The beautiful scenery around Sedona will stay with me. Have you ever been to Sedona?

Stay tuned for more posts about our Sedona adventures. 🙂