Driving down State Route 89-A was such a treat for us. We kept asking ourselves, “Is this Arizona?” We had no idea the landscape would be so lush with an abundance of trees. We drove south from Wupatki National Monument through Flagstaff to Sedona.

We found a quaint little campground just north of Sedona called Pine Flat. We were ready to settle in for the evening so we’d be rested for a big day ahead, but the universe had different plans for us. The rain came and we quickly packed and headed south in search of a motel in the Sedona area.

We arrived into the town of Sedona a bit earlier than planned, but that’s what we love about the adventure—you never know what will happen, and we’re free to shift in the wind (or rain).

Instead of cooking our own dinner that evening we had to eat out. We found a pretty neat Mexican/American restaurant near our motel, The Barking Frog. It was a great place to wind down in the nice cozy atmosphere.

We woke up the next day to stunning views of the iconic Sedona moutain ranges west of the main strip. After air-drying our tent and other wet things, we had lunch with a magnificent view then headed off for a four mile hike to Devil’s Bridge.

Here’s a perfect example of getting a killer hike out of an unfamiliar land. Sedona was great, but the next time we’re in the area we want to visit Jerome and Cottonwood.