[R]e[V]iews of Sedona and the GC

We’re halfway through the RV portion of our week on the road, and getting a hang of the rig, the parks and the pace.

The first stop after leaving Scottsdale was Sedona, where we stayed at the Sedona Ranch RV Park. Without much context on RV park quality, it seemed fine but unremarkable. In hindsight I can now appreciate the shaded and private parking spots, the clean nearby bathroom and shower, and the creek that ran through the edge of the property.

It was a short drive into downtown Sedona, a town that has taken its reportedly mystical energy qualities and turned it into a mecca of crystal stores and psychic readings. Kind of cool, kind of cheesy. We weren’t there long enough to really form a full opinion. But one description that is for certain - this place is stunningly beautiful.

We got to dive into the scenery on one of the region’s famous Pink Jeep Tours, which take you off-roading, up and over steep boulders and right to the heart of the red rock panoramas that literally take your breath away. So touristy. So worth it.

From there we wound our way to the Grand Canyon, arriving late in the day to another campground, this time right inside the National Park. 

The Trailer Village RV Park was about as sexy as its name. It’s a giant parking lot with a few trees and an assortment of big and little RVs that looked like they had been there days or years. What the site lacked in ambience, it made up for in location, with the South Rim of the Grand Canyon just a 10 minute walk down a paved path through the woods.

That afternoon we made our way to Mather Point, a popular South Rim lookout point due to its accessibility and paved rim trail serving up the classic panoramic views of the Grand Canyon. The sheer size of the canyon is impossible to wrap your head around. I was last there almost 25 years ago and it felt like I was experiencing the beauty of it all for the first time again. Nature is cool.

I rate this viewpoint as a 3 out of 10 on likelihood of falling off a cliff.

The next day, we picked up bikes and hit the trails out to Yaki Point, an easy, paved route that winds through woods and out to the cliff edges. Scenic, fun, yet totally nerve-wracking to watch my kids cruising around bends that have very little space or barrier between a wrong turn and a long drop.

We could have easily spent many more days exploring the park and the trails recommended by friends. Next time, we’re going down that canyon. Maybe on a mule.