Red Rocks and Chicken Point

Yesterday was our last day in Sedona and we had a blast! We met 2 folks that grew up and went to high school with my family as we were coming off our last trail. The conversation started when we commented on their 75th Anniversary Edition Jeep and the Pittsburgh sports logo in the back window.

I can't remember if I mentioned that one our first day Michael met a woman who grew up with his mom & went to school with his aunt. Crazy coincidences considering each of the towns has a population of just a couple thousand - at best!

We started off with a simple breakfast at the hotel and headed over to Red Rock State Park, which is on Red Rock Loop Rd. off of 89A. They have a 5 mile loop trail system that goes up to the House of Apache Fire (not open for touring) built by Jack and Helen Frye in 1947 as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of corporate life.


It appears they are doing some work on the house and I am hopeful they will be opening it to park visitors - I would love to see the inside and imagine life there. You can read about the history of the house here - it's supposedly one of Sedona's best love stories!

The trail system isn't regal, but you do get some good views and I would recommend it for families with young children. On a cool morning it was a nice start for us and we did run across a family of mule deer out for breakfast.

Stopping point along one of the Red Rock State Park trails. 

Once the weather warmed we headed over to Little Horse Trail, a 2 mile hike up to Chicken Point that offered great perspective back over Oak Creek Village. About 1.5 miles in we took advantage of a flat sunny rock and soaked in the warm sunshine.

I would consider the hike moderate in difficultly but with some portions where you need to watch your step - and your balance. The 4 mile round trip took us just over 2 hours to complete.

We passed a number of mountain bikers on this trail - and on other trails - more than we have ever seen hiking in Sedona. We speculate that this is due to lower foot traffic this time of year. We both agreed that they are way braver than we are to attempt some of the twists and turns along the edges.

Between hiking and dinner we went on a quick walk through Tlaquepaque, which was decorated for the season with a large Christmas Tree and beautifully strung lights. Tlaquepaque North was open for business this trip and they have a cute kitchen store and a few other stores already set up.

We had to skip Elote this year, though it continues to be our #1 recommendation for dinner. 

I did not post yesterday because after a good dinner at Barking Frog Grille we decided to relax for the rest of the evening. This also included an 8:30 bedtime, which is really the norm for us anyways! Why change for vacation - especially in a town that goes to bed early and boasts such beautiful sunrises?

If you are looking for affordable lodging we also suggest the Days Inn in the heart of Sedona. It's clean, offers enough for a small breakfast (oatmeal, bagels, yogurt and cereal) and all areas of town are easily accessible. We've stayed here on all but one trip and have never been disappointed.

We will be boarding the plane for home shortly and, as always, have enjoyed sharing our trip with you!