Phoenix: Arizona to Kanab: Utah – Point of Interest: Sedona

The next leg of the journey was to drive from Phoenix in Arizona to Kanab in Utah – a total of 5 hr 9 min (332 miles) non-stop driving. Everyone in Phoenix recommended if I like nature I should check out Sedona on the way, so that was the main stop along the drive. After seeing Sedona in person, wow – I wish I’d spent more time there! It’s incredible.

Near Sedona I stopped at Red Rock Visitor Center for a hike, taking plenty of water and sunblock in the heat of the day, 100.4°F didn’t stop me!

At the visitors center I learnt that the colour of the red rocks is due to hematite which is a reddish rust-colour form of iron oxide. The hematite came from iron oxide dissolved in water which seemed into the layers of sandstone rock in the area.

At the visitors centre I also discovered information about the natural history of the area – if you are interested in geology:

360 to 320 million years ago the area was covered in tropical seas with corals and crinoids which formed limestone rocks
320 to 290 million years ago the area changed into swamps, river deltas and sand dunes
280 to 275 million years ago rivers deposited silt and mud layers forming alternating red and orange bands – during this time sand dunes with large reptiles dominated the area
270 million years ago erosion resistant rock layers with fossilized marine life protected the underlying strata from weathering, resulting in the spires and buttes of Sedona
15 to 6 million years ago magma and lava flows formed layers of dark basalt on the valley floor, today you can see it on the black rock that forms caps on the top of messas and buttes

While I was there I walked some of the Woods Canyon Trailhead. It’s a 10.6 mile walk there and back moderately challenging route that takes about 4 hours to complete. It’s got quite a few activities you can do on the route like hiking, camping and horseback riding. I hiked for about an hour, and enjoyed the changing scenery with the red rocks around, cacti and desert plants.

Sedona’s town was next on the list to stop at. Along the drive there is plenty of lay-bys on the road where you can stop and take a look at the view, but note there are many places where you need a booking or buy a ticket to stop your car, so do pay attention to the road signage.

For my next trip in this area, staying in Sedona is definitely on the list! That deserves its own holiday.

Near Willow Springs and Bitter Springs I drove past interesting rock formations.

The drive to Kanab in Utah also takes one past Colorado River’s Lake Powell dam which has a visitors centre and would make an ideal stop.

Despite a long drive and an early morning, the day was so jam packed with interesting things to do and see along the way that time passed quickly and the roadtrip for the day was enjoyable.