21-23.5/19-21 Sedona from Chapel to Vortex

No matter what red— vermilion, scarlet, blood, rust, cardinal…—you choose, you will find it in Sedona—and pink jeeps as well. No matter which way you point your camera, what your film or white balance setting, the atmospheric condition, haze or polarizing filter, you will get red rocks. Of course, as usual, the best pictures are taken in the early morning or late afternoon. [I will note when these photos were taken.]


We are among 5 million people that go to the center of Arizona’s Red Rock Country each year. Amateur and professional photographers are attracted to beauty of Sedona. Hikers and fisherfolk wander the numerous trails. Artists of all pervasions look for inspiration in the surroundings and various art and music festivals. There are luxurious golf courses, fine dining, and other high class amenities. And there are those seeking metaphysical energy in this area supposedly abounding in vortexes.

For the Paweks it’s pictures and flowers. The pictures were there in all their glory, but the flowers suffered from the dry year—not that Jean was skunked, but she only found several hundred, and many of those without blooms.
In this mini-tour, we’ll describe the main photo spots, but we only touch the surface of the photographic opportunities















Pix 1-morn. Overlooking the town, we see it is surrounded by red and cream colored peaks—with various descriptive names like, Coffeepot Rock, Castle Rock, Snoopy Rock, Bell Rock, etc., etc.

Pix 2-aft. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Catholic shrine for the spiritual inspiration of all. Its hugh size contributes to its grandeur. And its integration into the rock emphasizes its power and majesty—a truly awesome sight!.


Pix 3 & 4-morn. Along Dry Creek Road, the rocks vary from a pinkish-red to a rusty-red, but all are impressive. This road leads to several new housing areas with a golf course (membership fee $180,000).


Pix 5 & 6-noon. Tlaquepaque village has numerous stores, restaurants, and galleries. The village is among grand sycamores of Oak Creek with flowers everywhere around pretty plazas set with shady fountains.


Pix 7-morn. This the view place at the end of the paved road on Schnebly Hill Road. Pix 1 was taken from this spot. The scenery on the road beyond this point is gorgeous, but the road is rough, rocky, and corrugated. We tried a little ways, but the Dream Machine complained so much, we quit after a couple of miles. Which brings up…


Pix 8 -morn. Pink Jeeps are found on all the back roads, as well as red jeeps green hummers, and other tour groups. They will take you to all the best off-the-paved road places. Only wanting to spend 4 nights in Sedona, we found plenty to photograph from the paved roads; a longer stay would suggest a Pink Jeep ride. (I would guess the tour companies lobby to keep the city from paving these roads.)



Pix 9-morn. A half-mile walk from where we gave up on Schnebly Hill Road, brought me to this overwhelming sight. I call it the Ship of State.






Pix 10-aft. At a place cryptically called, “Red Rock Crossing/Crescent Moon”, which is where one can ford Oak Creek on red slick rock and is now in Navajo land named Crescent Moon Recreational Area, you have the “classic” view of Cathedral Rock at sunset. Pix 10 is the Dome of Cathedral Rock taken about an hour before sunset.








Pix 11-sunset. This is it!—Cathedral Rock reflected in Oak Creek at sunset—a truly grand vision (Even the birds stop to admire it, near bottom of picture.).















Some notes. 
Vortex: Sedona supposedly has 7 major vortexes, some transmit “electric” energy which energizes and inspires visitors, while others are “magnetic” and emit a calming influence.
Actualy, there are four kinds of energy: gravitational, electro-magnetic, nuclear strong force, and nuclear weak force. You cannot have electric energy without magnetic energy and vice versa. It is doubtful that there are electro-magnetic energy density aberations this far from the magnetic poles; although there may be gravitational anomalies in this area.

If you have a Golden Age Passport, you do not have to buy a Red Rock Pass, $5/day, $15/week, to park, if only to take a picture, on Forest Service land. This fact is not publicized at all. Nor is it noted that stopping by the roadside but not leaving your vehicle requires no Pass even if you don't have a Golden Age Passport.