|
|
|
Driving to the Grand Canyon & Sedona in the Spring
|
March 16, 2008
8 days
Arizona
By Ingrid
|
|
A spring-break family vacation to Northern Arizona. Planning on lots of hiking (& some shopping for when our legs are tired!).
Tags:
caverns, family, hiking, kids, scenic, trails, views
Trip Notes
| Both the Grand Canyon & Sedona are Top US Destinations! We're driving, which means 2 days traveling each way so we'll be going on a Saturday, returning the following Sunday, but if you're flying in, you can make this a 6 day trip. |
|
Day 1
Driving from the Bay Area to Barstow is about 6 hours. Get a hotel with a pool! Dinner at a coffee shop nearby...and check out Mitchell Caverns in the morning.
|
|
Day 2
Check out the Mitchel Caverns for 2 hours, then it's a 6-hour drive to the Grand Canyon. Get to bed early to catch the sunrise!
|
|
Day 3
Wakeup at 4:30am. to catch the sunrise (6:10) at Mather Point - the closest overlook to the park entrance.
Bright Angel restaurant opens at 6:30.
Hike the Bright Angel Trail for a unique Grand Canyon experience.
Nap or rest back at the hotel room, then take the shuttle to Mohave and Hopi points to watch the sunset.
|
|
Day 4
After checking out, drive the East Rim Road for about an hour, just enjoying the view. Then stop for a picnic & enjoy the view before heading down to Sedona, which is 2 1/2 hours south.
******
Oak Creek Canyon: Oak Creek vista (consider Red Rock pass), West Fork trail (at Call of the Canyon Day-Use Area, between milepost 385 and 384), Thomas Point Trail (same parking; 1mi up the East Rim)
Did You Know?
In 1901, T. Carl Schnebly and his wife, Sedona, moved to the fairly unpopulated Arizona area and after complaints from residents that it took to long to get their mail, Schnebly applied for a postal permit under the name "Schnebly Station" and "Oak Creek Crossing." Both names were rejected as they were too long to put on a cancellation stamp, and Schnebly tried again using his wife's name, Sedona, which was approved by postal officials in 1902. Sedona is famous for its Red Rock topography. Its desert locale is a magnet for visitors from around the world looking for unsullied peace, quiet and dry meditative air.
******
Boynton Canyon is very sacred to the Yavapai Native American Indian people. They consider it their place of origin, or Garden of Eden. At the entrance of Boynton Canyon, look for the rock formations of Kachina Man and Kachina Woman to the right. Local people say it's important to ask permission of the ancient ones of this land before entering the canyon out of respect for its sacredness. Hikers have reported seeing an old man with long white hair, kept in a braid. He is said to be a Native guardian of the burial sites in the canyon.
|
|
Day 5
Slide Rock Park has picnic facilities. Smaller picnic areas before (Banjo, Halfway) and after (Encinoso) the park.
|
|
Day 6
Parking lot for Bell Rock is just North of Big Park, East side. Bell Rock is 1 mile (you can climb up...) and Courthouse Butte loop is 5 miles.
|
|
Day 7
Heading back home! A 6-hr drive, then just rest up at the hotel (after a dip in the pool).
|
|
Day 8
Check out the Calico Ghost Town before tackling the 6-hour drive to home. May swing out to the coast for some nice coastal views as we drive home.
|
|
|
|
|
Save As
My Trip
