Sedona and Red Rock State Park

If you take Highway 89A South from Flagstaff, Arizona, you will soon find yourself in Oak Creek Canyon, which is part of the Coconino National Forest. It was twisty, curvy road with a series of switchbacks that take you down to the breathtakingly beautiful canyon floor.

The road levels out and continues to Sedona and the Red Rock State Park.

The Red Rock State Park was completed in 1981, after the Arizona governor and others saw the need to preserve the area and make it accessible to everyone.

Our volunteer tour guide led us down to the Oak Creek River, and told us about the flora and fauna that live in the riparian area. No one there is allowed to use the water; because of laws made when there were few inhabitants of Arizona, all the water belongs to Phoenix, over a hundred miles south.

All the water used in this area and Sedona comes from deep wells.

We were there on June 18, and at that time, they had received 1.5 inches of rainfall in 2014. In comparison, the week before we left home in Alabama, we got over 7 inches of rain. The weather channel reported that the area had seen some rainfall this week; up to two inches in some areas. We have had approximately 6-7 inches of rain since Monday. It is a different world.

We so appreciate getting to spend some time here and soaking in all this natural beauty.

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