Today started dark and early with a 4:45 wake up to head to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunrise. It was absolutely worth waking up so early! It’s amazing how early the sun comes up here, by 5:30 the sun had risen and it was bright outside! On our way back to the hotel we got see a male elk up close on the side of the road. He just stayed there grazing as we pulled over, turned around, and snapped a few pictures. We also saw a female and then another male across the street from the hotel in town! After going back to sleep for a couple of hours, we departed the Grand Canyon and headed toward Sedona. It was an absolutely beautiful drive on Arizona 180 thanks to Erin’s route guidance. We enjoyed a beautiful up close view of Arizona’s tallest peak, Humphrey’s Peak, as we made our way through the Kaibab National Forest and Coconino National Forest. After Flagstaff, we headed down 89A into Sedona. The views along the drive were breathtaking as we enjoyed the red rocks and canyons. Once in Sedona, we headed to the visitor’s information center to find a good hike that wouldn’t be too crowded. With their suggestion, we headed out to Baldwin Trail for a 2.4 mile loop with excellent views of cathedral rock. It was a nice easy hike with very nice views along the way. The worst part of the hike was the wind, which was a seemingly constant 25 mph. With all the red dirt, it covered our hiking boots and jeans pretty nicely. We’re sure we’ll be sneezing red sand for days! From there, we headed up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross which allowed for some spectacular views as well. We had planned on staying in Sedona until sunset, but we thought better of it and headed toward our stop for the night in Prescott Valley. We decided to ignore the GPS and go the scenic route, and we are glad we did. We headed south on Arizona 89A and what an amazing drive it was. We headed up about 4000 feet over 10-15 miles, passing through an awesome town called Jerome, at the top of the mountain which had just amazing views of the valley below. Erin didn’t enjoy the drive quite as much as I did, but it sure beat the interstate. We are at our hotel in Prescott Valley, ready to retire for the night. Tomorrow is just a day of driving to El Centro, CA just outside of San Diego.Miles Traveled: 200 Highest Elevation: 8,066 feet
Hi Guys! Sounds like you are having the time of your life! Larry's folks lived in Prescott for several years, and we love that picturesque town as well as the awesome drive up through Jerome and to Sedona, with the cliffs and red dirt and rocks, and amazing views. The drive through there can get pretty steep and curvy - fortunately, I was never the driver! We didn't hike, but the towns themselves have lots of fun little shops to browse through. I don't know if you are going on down to San Diego, but it is also a great place to visit. Be sure to go to the Zoo! And down to the Navy Piers. We lived there for two years and loved living there. So glad you are taking this great trip!
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