SEDONA
Ever since psychic Page Bryant claimed to discover several "vortexes," or psychic energy sites, in the hills around Sedona, the town has become a magnet for New Age enthusiasts and psychic healers. But these spiritual seekers don't have this beautiful place to themselves: For nonbelievers as well, Sedona is really something special, it's a welcome oasis sitting beneath massive red-rock cliffs at the mouth of beautiful Oak Creek Canyon. What was a small farming community just 30 years ago is now a major travel destination.
The town itself has been more or less transformed by the thriving tourism business and is filled with upscale art galleries, Southwestern souvenir and craft emporiums and crystal shops. The town's shopping showplace is Tlaquepaque (TLA-kay-PAH-kay), an adobe-style complex of shops and galleries. There are also a large number of resorts and bed-and-breakfasts catering lo the influx of visitors. The busiest season is summer, when visitors from the southern part of the state head for Sedona to cool down.
The best part of Sedona, however, is the dramatic natural scenery that surrounds the town. One way to see it is by taking a jeep tour—several operators offer them-—that goes up into the surrounding canyons and hills (some provide tours of the vortexes). If you'd rather pilot your own vehicle, the Red Rock Loop Road is a good route to follow. Of the many rock formations in the area, one of the best known is Cathedral Rock at Red Rock Crossing, star of countless Sedona postcards and the backdrop for many Western movies. If you really want to get out among the red rocks, you'll find several good hiking trails in the area. Many of them can be managed in less than half a day. On the way back to town, swing by the Chapel of the

Holy Cross, a striking Catholic shrine that is built atop a stone bluff. After you've seen the red-rock vistas that generally lie to the south of town, drive north on Highway 89 A, which follows Oak Creek Canyon for some 15 mi/25 km on its way to Flagstaff. The road winds between steep cliffs and leads past various camping areas and pull-offs that provide access to the creek. Along the way, you'll find Slide Rock State Park, which is highlighted by a natural waterslide carved into the granite streambed. (It's more thrilling for kids than for heavier folks, but we still took our shot at whooshing down the channel.) At the far end of the canyon, the highway switchbacks up a steep incline. At the top, there's an overlook where you can get a great view of the entire Oak Creek area.
Another spectacular trip is the train ride on the Verde River Canyon Scenic Railroad that runs from Clarkdale (southwest of Sedona). Expect to see crimson cliffs, the Verde River, prehistoric Indian ruins and maybe even a bald eagle.
Several parks and historic areas are nearby, including Montezuma Castle National Monument; Red Rock State Park (hiking trails along Oak Creek); Dead Horse Ranch State Park (fishing, hiking and camping-—near Cottonwood); and Tuzigoot National Monument (an ancient Indian pueblo—also near Cottonwood). There are two festivals of note in Sedona: the internationally acclaimed Jazz on the Rocks Benefit Festival, held on the fourth Saturday in September, and the annual Festival of Lights in December. Sedona is 90 mi/145 km north of Phoenix.