Sedona, simply put, is magnificent. It’s hard to imagine traveling to the Southwest and not visiting the Grand Canyon or Sedona. So why not do both? We believe when you have one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World within driving distance, take advantage of it. Most people make Sedona the base camp for a Grand Canyon expedition as there are more places to stay and eat (not to mention spas, shops, galleries) than the Grand Canyon Village, however, we don’t tend to do what “most people” do, but more on that later!
Sedona, for us, was just a pit stop to build up an appetite for what we were going to experience the following day at the Grand Canyon. However, a short afternoon hike up the stunning multi-hued stone formation had enough of an impact for us to want to return to Sedona should we make another trip to the Southwest US of A.
The Cathedral Rock is a popular short, steep ascent from the Back O’ Beyond trailhead to the saddle points or “gaps” in Cathedral Rock and is a famous natural landmark on the Sedona, Arizona skyline, and is one of the most-photographed sights in Arizona. The hike is short, spanning 0.7 miles, but a strenuous trail nonetheless, which quickly rises 608 feet in elevation and requires both hands and feet at certain points. It’s not a long hike in comparison to what can be done at the Grand Canyon, but it was our first ever hike in a desert climate, so if you are planning to hike up Cathedral Rock, make sure you have 2-4 liters of water as there aren’t any fountains or refill stations as you climb. The trail traverses the east side of the mountain and thus the hike is better taken in the afternoon so one is hiking in the shade. At the top, there is a narrow plateau with steep slopes on each side. The width is about that of a wide sidewalk and several stones are perfect for sitting. One can enjoy the view if not afraid of the heights.
The views as you approach the summit of the hike appear to be action shots from the popular HBO series Westworld. Looking out into the distance can be quite mesmerizing, and reached this point, it isn’t even remotely possible to take a bad picture; the baby boomer generation can cut your feet out of the shot and you’d still want to post it on social media, that’s how beautiful the skyline is.
Onward to the Grand Canyon village we went.
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