Tag: sedona vortex sites

A Cathedral at Sunset #arizona #sedona #cathedralrock

On By Alethea KehasIn Travel Adventures32 Comments

It was with some reluctance that we drove away from the Grand Canyon to make our way back to Sedona. We had been lucky to beat the rainstorm, which we were not prepared for, and we were still determined to take in a Sedona sunset before we flew home. As it was, we chose the perfect spot.

Sunset near Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Arizona

After getting some tacos to-go, we drove to the famous Cathedral Rock formation in Sedona. It was a site we had passed often during our travels, and we did not want to miss seeing it close-up before we left for home.

Cathedral Rock is magnificent to behold at any time of day, but offers a special magic at sunset.

The climb up Cathedral rock is considered short, but difficult, and we soon discovered why. Had we been better prepared and more rested, we may have made it to the top of the trail, but after venturing up the lower portion of the rather slippery rocks, we decided it wasn’t worth the risk of injury.

It’s a steep and rather treacherous climb to the top of Cathedral, but many people attempt it.

We were not disappointed, though. The entire natural monument is stunning, from all sides and depths.

Cathedral Rock in Sedona is considered to reside on one of the famous vortexes. It is a wonder to behold and feels both majestic and sacred.

And, it is especially magnificent at sunset when the light illuminates the red rocks and brings depth to its shadows. Faces and forms appear and one gets the sense you are in the presence of ancestral spirits lingering in the stone, watching…

Cathedral Rock and its spirits in stone

Instead of climbing to the summit, we walked around the base of Cathedral walk, following the trail of the setting sun. It was magical.

It was a long day filled with wonders that far surpassed the imagination, as well as many moments of deep gratitude for this beautiful and wondrous Earth we reside upon.

The path back to the parking lot, surrounded by wonders

Arizona Adventures Day 2 Continued: In Search of Cathedrals and Sunset #Sedona #ChapeloftheHolyCross

On By Alethea KehasIn Travel Adventures8 Comments

After our long hike through Boynton Canyon and the Subway, we loaded our tired and very thirsty bodies into the car and began searching for a refreshing lunch. We found it in the form of an acai bowl cafe not too far down the road. Inside the air conditioned eatery, I inhaled my frozen tropical treat in record time and sat shivering from the shock of cold until we made our way back into the sunshine.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona is nestled into the surrounding landscape without feeling obtrusive

Our day, though, was not finished. We had passed by the famous Chapel of the Holy Cross on the way to Boynton Canyon, and decided we would make a stop on the way back to our hotel. The chapel, nestled into the red hills of Sedona is open to the public during daylight hours and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Unlike urban sprawl below it, it almost feels like it belongs.

The views from the chapel are stunning and well-worth the short trek to take them in.

It is said that the chapel, like Boynton Canyon, is situated on one of Sedona’s famous vortexes. Even if one doesn’t feel a surge of energy here, it is undeniably a peaceful and beautiful place as you will see in the slide show below:

After spending some time admiring the chapel and its surrounding landscape, we returned to the hotel to relax and hose off. As we were determined to take in a Sedona sunset, we chose a nearby, albeit over-priced restaurant to have dinner before we got in the car for one more adventure. Our destination, the famous Airport Mesa, which is also reported to be a vortex site.

A trail towards the setting sun

We passed by the natural stone mesa to park our car, and began walking along a trail towards the setting sun. In retrospect, I would have preferred standing atop the red rocks, but we had thought we might get a better view from the trail. As it was, the sunset was not as magnificent as we had hoped, but one can never really complain about the views in Sedona.

Our sunset view

It had been a long day filled with lots of walking, and we were all quite tired, but instead of driving home, we made our way up to the top of the Airport Mesa road where there is a large parking lot and viewing area to see the stars come out. We didn’t last long.