Just got back from our trip, I ran out of adjectives on day 3. Breathtaking stuff. I'll post pictures once I go through the 2,000+ the wife and I took.
Day 1 - Flew into Phoenix, took the scenic drive through Sedona (Hwy 89A thru Oak Canyon) to Flagstaff. Probably 3-4 hours with stops. If you've never been through Sedona it will stop you in your tracks. Best way to describe it is every place you look is a postcard.
Day 2 - On our own, went to
Wupatki National Monument &
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. From there to
Meteor Crater National Park and finally off to Winslow, AZ because I was close enough to
Stand On a Corner. Busy day but not rushed and was able to hit everything of note around Flagstaff. Finished the day with a trip to
Buffalo Park to attempt some stargazing but picked the absolute worst time of the month for that with a full moon.
Day 3 -
Horshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon Tour with Grand Canyon Tours out of Flagstaff. Felt like it was a little pricey for someone to pretty much drive you around but worth it not having to coordinate everything. Also stopped off at
Glen Canyon Dam along the way for lunch. Whatever your tip entails, these should be must stops along the way.
Day 4 - Spent the day at the Grand Canyon. Walked the South Rim trail for a couple of miles then drove up to the
Desert Watchtower before heading back to Flagstaff. Total of about 6 hours there, great trip for the day.
Day 5 - Checked out of Flagstaff and into Sedona. Our hotel had a great view. Just bounced around town getting a feel for the area.
Day 6 - Went up to
Airport Mesa (right across 89 from our hotel) and tried to hike around some. Wife just isn't up for hiking so threw in the towel about halfway. Still got some good pics of the area but was a little disappointed as this was considered a moderate trail for the area.
Day 7 - Given the hiking thing from the day before decided to just drive all over taking in the sites. Saw all the red rocks you could see without going off road. With a little research it doesn't take long to put together a quick itinerary and spend the day driving around Sedona. Stopped at the
Chapel of the Holy Cross for a quick pic then off to
Boynton Canyon and finally
Red Rock Loop Road to get a last shot of some of the picturesque scenery from a different view.
Just beautiful countryside almost everywhere you look. Really enjoyed it and was just the right amount of time at each location, never felt rushed and got to see everything on the list (except for the Milky Way but that was on me scheduling trip during a full moon
). Pictures just don't do it all justice.
Couple of pics I uploaded earlier today, same spot (Chipolte in Sedona) different days
Pic 1,
Pic 2. Also my favorite from the
Grand Canyon. Was walking the South Rim trail, you round a corner and this view just hits you like a ton of bricks, literally took my breath away. Again, pictures just don't do the majesty and size of the canyon justice.