While staying at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, Arizona we had so many options of things to do that it was hard to choosel. So we did what we usually do and just dove in. We have been to this area many times before but are always looking to try something new and different. But sometimes we mix the old with the new and visit places we have been before but also add in some new things.
Red Rock State Park And Sedona
We have been to Sedona countless times over the years and boy has it grown since I first visited about 30 years ago. We love the red rocks in the area and all the terrific off-roading and hiking but we like to stay out of the city traffic as much as posssible. It seems hard to do these days since it was so crowded everywhere we went. But we did manage to find some places that we had to ourselves.
We visited Red Rock State Park and got out on the trails and hiked quite a few of them and spent most of the time hiking without seeing anyone. It is a beautiful state park with some nice hiking and terrific views.
And you can’t go to this area without hitting a vortex or two in Sedona. We gotta get our energies renewed and all that. Our favorite vortex is the Airport Vortex because of the incredible views. There was lots of trail restoration going on at the time which made for difficult parking and difficult trail hiking. Oh well…we got our masculine energy renewed which is supposed to help with self-confidence!!!
But don’t worry, we visited some of the other vortexes also to ensure we were evened out. We stopped at Bell Rock Vortex (masculine, feminine, and the balance), Red Rock Crossing (the feminine side – ensuring goodness), and even stopped at Boynton Canyon (The Balance vortex). Actually we just went there to visit the Enchantment Resort when we should have been hiking Boynton Canyon. Hopefully alll this vortex visiting will help us to become better people!!!
Native American Ruins
There are quite a few old ruins in the area that we visited. Of course, the popular Tuzigoot is just around the corner from Dead Horse Ranch State Park which makes for an easy visit.
We also ventured out on National Forest Road 525 for about 10 miles to visit the Honanki Ruins. A bit of a bumpy road but well worth the drive. A beautiful vista awaits you along with some pretty fabulous ruins. Yes, Pink Jeep Tours are crawling all over the area but we did manage to find some peace and quiet in places.
Jerome
No visit to the Cottonwood area is complete without a quick visit to the town of Jerome, high up on the hill.
Cottonwood
Dead Horse State Park is just a few miles from the quaint, charming historic old towne Cottonwood. A cute place to walk around and take in the sights.
Clarkdale
Another charming town is Clarkdale which is just a few miles from Cottonwood. It is home to the train depot for the Verde Canyon train ride.
Hiking Around Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Dead Horse Ranch State Park offers a large number of hiking trails right from the campground. One day we headed out to Lime Kiln Trail and on to Thumper Trail and then to Raptor Trail for a nice 7-8 mile hike. Beautiful. Had great views of Tuzigoot on the way back. The trail is shared with horse back riders and mountain bikers but we only saw a few horses and only a few other hikers. For the most part we had the trail to ourselves.
We loved all of these places. I can’t wait to get back, hopefully, in March:) Glad you had a great time!
Thanks Pam…we sure did!!!