From Show Low, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ (Days 5 & 6)
i woke up in Show Low and headed West again on AZ route 260. This country road followed the Mogollon Rim along the border of Fort Apache IR and Apache Sitgreaves NF until it crosses the rim and starts downhill into the Tonto NF. It was here, crossing the rim, that i snapped this photo, looking down into Tonto.
Shortly after crossing the rim, i saw a pull-off for a trailhead, and made a snap decision to park and do some hiking in this spectacular area. i found myself on the Highline Trail, a beautifully maintained, 51-mile walk from Christopher Creek to Pine. i walked about 4 miles of it and then got a very odd feeling. As it was a spur of the moment hike and i had brought only water and not my whole pack, i didn't have my knife and was feeling very vulnerable. Mountain lions have quite a healthy population in Arizona and New Mexico. So i decided to turn back. i had a lot of driving left to do anyway. But what i did see was stunning. Here is the trail heading up the mountain.
Between the mountain towns of Payson, AZ and Pine, AZ, there is a unique geological structure called the Tonto Natural Bridge. Before being allowed to pay your $3 and enter the park, the rangers will give you a cross-examination regarding your gear! "Do you have at least 2 liters of water?" "Do you have sturdy hiking boots?" "Be prepared to be out of the park by 7pm or we will be sending a rescue crew."
The hiking in the park was strenuous, but not impossible. On the other hand, it does get VERY hot in Arizona, and there were a lot of out-of-state tourists there. Given the level of caution, though, i would be willing to bet there was a major accident of some kind. You can hike both over and under the natural bridge. And running through it is a little trickling stream, probably responsible, over thousands of millenia, for carving the thing.
After the natural bridge, i headed toward Sedona, but took some sage advice from a local and stayed the night in Clarkdale, instead. It was much cheaper, and i had a great night in the smallest room of the trip. Once i was settled in my room, i headed back out to see Jerome, AZ. The residents call it "the largest ghost town in America." There are plenty of abandoned buildings in Jerome, many from the 19th century. But it is not a ghost town. It's become another artist community, but getting there is really the fun part! To reach Jerome on US 89A, you have to navigate your car up a series of switchbacks, and the whole town sits on a 30-degree slope!
The next morning i drove the remaining 15 or so miles to Sedona. Sedona is an artist town with lots of shopping and new age wisdom. For instance, the locals believe there are four or five "vortexes" around town. These are places of power, supposedly humming with energy. But amid all the tarot readers and crystal medicine, there's a lot of history too. For instance, this cliff dwelling from 7000 years ago...
One of the vortexes is at Cathedral Rock. i hiked in, anxious to feel the "energy," and sat patiently at the base of the rocks for a good half hour. Nothing. Maybe i'm just not "tuned in."
As i hiked back, though i was rewarded. It was hot, and so i climbed down to the stream and sat on the cool rocks in the shade. i drank some of my water and watched the rapids to my right. After a few minutes, a family of common mergansers started darting up the river, fighting against the rapids. Mom, dad, and about seven baby mergansers swam right in front of me. The chicks were all fighting for a spot on mom's back, pushing each other off and slipping off in their clumsiness. Dad gave me the best shot, but i was absolutely kicking myself for not having a telephoto lens here...
i headed back into the town of Sedona proper, and then up one of the high hills surrounding the town to get a picture of the whole thing.
The last sight on my list as the afternoon wore on was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Built right into the red rocks, it is a spectacular structure. i didn't go in, but walked around outside and took tons of photographs. Isn't the sky just ridiculously blue here?
i left Sedona on 89A going north. The road winds through the base of Oak Creek Canyon, and the going was VERY slow. Another set of switchbacks led me up the mountain and out of the canyon. With that i followed to Flagstaff where i stayed night 6.
Shortly after crossing the rim, i saw a pull-off for a trailhead, and made a snap decision to park and do some hiking in this spectacular area. i found myself on the Highline Trail, a beautifully maintained, 51-mile walk from Christopher Creek to Pine. i walked about 4 miles of it and then got a very odd feeling. As it was a spur of the moment hike and i had brought only water and not my whole pack, i didn't have my knife and was feeling very vulnerable. Mountain lions have quite a healthy population in Arizona and New Mexico. So i decided to turn back. i had a lot of driving left to do anyway. But what i did see was stunning. Here is the trail heading up the mountain.
Between the mountain towns of Payson, AZ and Pine, AZ, there is a unique geological structure called the Tonto Natural Bridge. Before being allowed to pay your $3 and enter the park, the rangers will give you a cross-examination regarding your gear! "Do you have at least 2 liters of water?" "Do you have sturdy hiking boots?" "Be prepared to be out of the park by 7pm or we will be sending a rescue crew."
The hiking in the park was strenuous, but not impossible. On the other hand, it does get VERY hot in Arizona, and there were a lot of out-of-state tourists there. Given the level of caution, though, i would be willing to bet there was a major accident of some kind. You can hike both over and under the natural bridge. And running through it is a little trickling stream, probably responsible, over thousands of millenia, for carving the thing.
After the natural bridge, i headed toward Sedona, but took some sage advice from a local and stayed the night in Clarkdale, instead. It was much cheaper, and i had a great night in the smallest room of the trip. Once i was settled in my room, i headed back out to see Jerome, AZ. The residents call it "the largest ghost town in America." There are plenty of abandoned buildings in Jerome, many from the 19th century. But it is not a ghost town. It's become another artist community, but getting there is really the fun part! To reach Jerome on US 89A, you have to navigate your car up a series of switchbacks, and the whole town sits on a 30-degree slope!
The next morning i drove the remaining 15 or so miles to Sedona. Sedona is an artist town with lots of shopping and new age wisdom. For instance, the locals believe there are four or five "vortexes" around town. These are places of power, supposedly humming with energy. But amid all the tarot readers and crystal medicine, there's a lot of history too. For instance, this cliff dwelling from 7000 years ago...
One of the vortexes is at Cathedral Rock. i hiked in, anxious to feel the "energy," and sat patiently at the base of the rocks for a good half hour. Nothing. Maybe i'm just not "tuned in."
As i hiked back, though i was rewarded. It was hot, and so i climbed down to the stream and sat on the cool rocks in the shade. i drank some of my water and watched the rapids to my right. After a few minutes, a family of common mergansers started darting up the river, fighting against the rapids. Mom, dad, and about seven baby mergansers swam right in front of me. The chicks were all fighting for a spot on mom's back, pushing each other off and slipping off in their clumsiness. Dad gave me the best shot, but i was absolutely kicking myself for not having a telephoto lens here...
i headed back into the town of Sedona proper, and then up one of the high hills surrounding the town to get a picture of the whole thing.
The last sight on my list as the afternoon wore on was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Built right into the red rocks, it is a spectacular structure. i didn't go in, but walked around outside and took tons of photographs. Isn't the sky just ridiculously blue here?
i left Sedona on 89A going north. The road winds through the base of Oak Creek Canyon, and the going was VERY slow. Another set of switchbacks led me up the mountain and out of the canyon. With that i followed to Flagstaff where i stayed night 6.
posted by ellie at 13:22
1 Comments:
Gorgeous Elle! Maybe one day I'll head out West...
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