This route is one of the best both in Arizona and in the western United States. Natural beauty, fantastic scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities abound here! The route starts out in the lush forests of conifer trees near Flagstaff and takes you to the canyon and rock formation around Sedona, AZ. As you drive through the higher regions of the Old Creek Canyon you'll be passing by forests with lots of aspen, oak and maple trees. From Flagstaff, drive south a few miles and you'll come to a huge cliff overlook that offers an amazing view of the wonderful canyon you'll be diving into. As you descend into the canyon, you'll be taking in some spectacular views of towering rock formations as well as beautiful landscapes made up of different color rock walls. In the canyon you'll be able to see scrub oaks and different types of cactus as well as some of the most famous AZ red rock formations. This canyon run really stands out because of the diversity of landscape it features in 30 short miles. For more spectacular views you can just keep heading south down to Prescott, AZ.
Towns/Cities You'll Pass By/Through
Flagstaff and Sedona on the ends points of this trip have plenty of things to check out and places to eat. Other than that, this route doesn't have towns along the way as it's all beautiful nature from start to finish.
Attractions & Points-of-Interests Along the Way
There are plenty of both natural and city attractions along this route. You can also enjoy a plethora of outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking, camping fishing and many more. Flagstaff, AZ, the trip's start point, offers gas, food and lodging. Along the way, you'll find many trail heads that lead you deeper into the canyon. If you're up for some fun, make sure you visit "Slide Rock State Park." This is God's version of a waterslide. You can slide down this chute until it levels out dropping off into a natural pool. Close to the Park is Grasshopper point, a wonderful swimming hole. Your road trip ends in Sedona, AZ, which is a wonderful art town. You can take a walk around the town checking out all the art, craft and gift shops. And there are tons of restaurants or hotels here too. South of town there's the "Chapel of the Holy Cross" where you can see a distinctive 90-foot cross in the midst of a sweeping landscape of red rocks.
Reviewed by Guest on May 13, 2010 (5 out of 5 members found this review useful.)
Comments: What a road, what a ride. I actually started from Prescott early and road north through Jerome to Sedona and then up through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Talk about scenery sensory overload. I left out early morning (7am) on a Thursday so traffic was fairly light, but as I got near Sedona and north of there you have to be weary of the cages and RV's, such is life on a popular road. The ride to and from Jerome was great and then you drop down into a valley on the way to Sedona. The artsy town of Sedona is not my cup of tea, but fantastic scenery all around with the contrast hues of the red rocks and the green growth of trees and shrubs. North of Sedona the road gets interesting again as it winds it way through the canyon along side the creek before rising in elevation north to Flagstaff. Once out of the canyon there is a parking area and overlook to visit and an opportunity to look back south down into the canyon you just came out of, that is assuming it isn't too busy, the day I was there it was packed. Regardless of the traffic, which really wasn't that bad, I would ride this road again in a heartbeat, in fact, I planned to as soon as I get back out west and I am close enough to make it happen!!
Reviewed by Guest on March 31, 2012 (2 out of 2 members found this review useful.)
Comments: I would recommend this road to anyone who loves nature, adventure, or just driving. I went on this trip for my batchlor's party and we had a blast hiking some of the nearby hills and playing in the natural waterslide. We went in early May and the water was very cold (I think it was 47) but that didnt stop us from having fun. A great place for couples, families and friends. We honestly had nothing we disliked about this trip. I hope to go there again soon.
