Flagstaff & Sedona Arizona Area

Today we visited Walnut Canyon, Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments, located near Flagstaff. Walnut Canyon is very steep with dwellings in the side of the mountain. The Sunset Crater was an active volcano around 1100. It left untold amounts of lava mounds and cinders. The Wupatki were Indians who lived in the area before the volcano erupted. Remains of their lives are prevalent in the area.

We had snow today. Well actually it was on the San Francisco peaks just NW of Flagstaff, (see picture #1). Normally the snow atop the mountains, 12600 feet high, is gone by May 15th, but they had a colder than normal winter in the Flagstaff area this year. They average 110 inches of snow yearly at this 7000 altitude.

Driving to Sedona after lunch, we took the scenic route through Oak Creek Canyon and it didn't disappoint. Spectacular red rock formations towered high on each side and in the distance. We stopped numerous times to take pictures, because each new formation seemed more beautiful than the last.

Once in Sedona, we obtained information on three other must see rock formations, the Bell, the Cathedral and the Chapel (which is a Catholic Church built on the side of a beautiful semi circular rock formation). They are spectacular. Picture #2 is an example of what we saw.

We arrived at our motel in Sedona and were given an upgrade in a room, because of my good looks, so we are looking at a sunset off the rock formation you see in picture #3.