Arizona - Grand Canyon State
We spent a few days in Arizona for our 34th wedding anniversary which is in September. We flew to Phoenix on Friday evening after work, then rented a car to drive north to Sedona. I had made reservations to stay at the Graham Bed and Breakfast Inn, which turned out to be charming and romantic…. just perfect. It was dark when we arrived but when we opened the drapes the next morning, we were amazed to see the dramatic, brilliantly colored and spectacular view right outside our room! Sedona is known for its towering orange and magenta cliffs and dramatic red rock canyons. It is also known for its art which we enjoyed by visiting several art galleries in the quaint downtown.
We hiked one day in Boynton Canyon which is near the spectacular Enchantment Resort. As we drove into the property, we were startled to see a group of javelinas walking across the road. (Javelinas look like wild pigs, but are members of the peccary family, which consists of hoofed mammals.) I immediately jumped out of the car to take a photo but when they began clacking their teeth and growling at me, I took one quick shot and high-tailed it back into the car! I learned later that they can be aggressive, and it is best to stay away from them.
We had a delightful lunch and a bottle of wine on the deck of the resort while we enjoyed the view and just, well, relaxed. Later that day, we did something very touristy but lots of fun; we took a Pink Jeep Tour! The drivers on these 4-wheel-drive adventure tours are a little bit crazy, but so are the unsuspecting passengers. It is bumpy and rough and breathtaking, and periodically we were practically vertical! We explored cliff dwellings, viewed red rock art and rode to the very top of the Mongollon rim, a 2000-feet climb above Sedona. Our teeth were shaking from fear and from the rough road, but it was well-worth it and the only way to enjoy the full expanse of Sedona country.
On another day we drove north along scenic Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff where we visited Northern Arizona University. While Arizona is mostly desert, we learned that it snows in Flagstaff and there is pretty good skiing nearby. As we headed back towards Phoenix and our return flight, we decided to stop in the historic town of Jerome, which seems completely of another time. It was a copper mining town in the 1920’s with a population of 15,000 at its peak. By the 50’s it had dwindled to 50 and was called the largest ghost town in the United States. The Jerome Grand Hotel opened in 1927 as a hospital and is situated at over 5.000 feet. The road to get there is impossibly steep and it is hard to imagine how this 30,000 square foot, five level building of (poured-in-place) concrete was constructed on a fifty-degree slope. It was closed for 44 years then reopened as a hotel in 1996. It is considered an engineering marvel, even by today’s standards, and as one of the best-preserved buildings in Arizona. We were glad we took the time to visit Jerome and to learn about its colorful history.
We have only one regret about Arizona; we wish we had stayed for a full week instead of just a long weekend. We would have gone to the Grand Canyon, but we’ll have to do that another time.