The drive from the campground in Cottonwood thru
Sedona, AZ to
Flagstaff, AZ is only about 50 miles and climbs to 7,000 feet. You can take the boring Interstate 17 north, but I elected to take a designated National Scenic Byway US 89A known as
Oak Creek Canyon Drive. The rich red colors of "red-rock country" in the Sedona area come from oxidized iron in sedimentary rock deposited 280 million years ago. Sedona is also know for it's spiritual energy Vortices around Cathedral Rock.
The drive north quickly goes from the red-rock desertscape of Sedona to the ponderosa pines of Flagstaff. I stopped at the
Oak Creek Overlook at the edge of the
Mogollon Rim. Thirty million years ago seismic forces thrust this section of the earth's crust thousands of feet above the surronding land. A short trail leads you to where Native Americans sell their crafts. Continuing north leads you through the ponderosa pines of the 1.856 million acre
Coconino National Forest into Flagstaff, a former town with the San Francisco Mountains in the background. The
San Francisco Peaks are a volcanic mountain range located just north of Flagstaff. The highest summit in the range, Humphreys Peak, is the highest point in the state of Arizona at 12,633 feet in elevation. Click on the photos below to view in a larger format and as a slide presentation.
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| Cathedral Rock Vortex |
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| Midgley Bridge north of Sedona |
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| US 89A Scenic Byway |
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| Native American Crafts at Oak Creek Overlook |
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| Photo of City of Flagstaff taken from Mars Hill at 7,300' |
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San Francisco Peaks in background at 12,633'
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