We continue our nine-week road trip to Escape the Tundra in 2019, with a six-night stay at Cibola Vista Resort and Spa in Peoria, AZ. We had hoped to get a timeshare in Tucson to visit/revisit some sites in that area on our way by, but that didn’t go as planned. Since Cibola is one of our favorites of all of Bluegreen’s resorts, we opted for a double whammy – this six night stay, followed by a week in Sedona, then another six nights back at Cibola before moving on to Las Vegas.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
< Visit the first post of this series – Escape the Tundra 2019

As well as having spacious, beautiful accommodations and awesome desert landscaping, there are goats and donkeys (and horses) at a small ranch right across the street. Resort activities at the ranch include horseback riding and a cowboy cookout, and although we rarely partake in the resort activities, I sure do enjoy saying hello to the animals!

It’s pretty sweet when we get to the resort before check-in time and we have time to kill, because we usually end up at the Wild Horse for a beer and a cheeseburger. Truth is, we usually end up there more than once, at least for the beers. We also love the old westerns that are always on the TV, so we always sit at the bar for a better view. It’s just a couple of miles from the resort and kind of a dive bar, but it was voted the best burger in Arizona – and rightfully so.

Peoria is about an hour northwest of Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, so it’s a little far removed from typical “city” things to do, but we usually schedule in several day trips on our longer stays. On previous trips I’ve blogged about points of interest around Arizona that I enjoyed, which include several in the Phoenix area – The Arizona Biltmore, the Desert Botanical Garden and Taliesin West. Please check out my Arizona blogs for some great spots in other parts of the state that you might enjoy on your next trip, but try to avoid rush hour for your departure or return. There is a great highway bypass system (the 101, 202 and 303) that makes getting around the congestion of the city a lot easier, but during the rush hours even that gets bogged down.

Way back in the 70’s when I lived in Arizona, it left quite an impression on my impressionable mind. After several visits over the last ten years or so, my love of the state has been rekindled. For a while there, I became full-on obsessed and put together a small coffee table book that has a really nice overview of the state, complete with pretty photos and some history and light commentary. It is available for purchase via Amazon or digital download. Please visit this link for more information.

Looking back on the entire trip, the weather was pretty decent during this visit, although at least twenty degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. Our swimsuits stayed packed for the duration of our road trip, but given the frigid temps back home, we’ll take just seeing some sunshine… and sunsets.

One day we opted for about an hour’s drive to Goldfield, AZ – mostly because Jim hadn’t seen it yet. Goldfield is a little tourist trap that I just love, with reproductions of old buildings from it’s glory days in the 1890s. Back in the day, gold mining was its claim to fame and the old buildings make for some great photos. We had lunch at Miners Grill, which has a fairly limited menu, but with this sweet view of the Superstition Mountains, dessert is included!

“Come and visit Goldfield Ghost Town today! Walk down Main Street, explore the many shops and historic buildings. Tour the historic Mammoth Gold Mine and visit the Goldfield Museum. Pan for gold then take a ride on Arizona’s only narrow gauge train. You’ll also get to witness an old west gun fight performed by the famous Goldfield Gunfighters! Spend a fun filled day, rich in wild west history!” – READ MORE

After our visit in Goldfield, we continued on to The Apache Trail, through those Superstition Mountains. There are warnings about the road being quite treacherous, but if you take it easy it’s really not that bad. About 10 miles in you’ll pass by Canyon Lake – the smallest of four lakes created by dams on the Salt River. Click on the link for some great photos and ariel views of the lake. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the desert so green and lush!

Our next stop was Tortilla Flat (another 3 miles), a cute little ghost town with great ice cream, a restaurant and saloon, and a small museum. Most folks enjoy this “authentic remnant of the old west” and turn around because the blacktop ends another three miles down the road. If you’re adventurous, the dirt road is plenty wide, but pretty wash-boardy, so use caution – it’s about 28 miles to pavement.

We made it approximately five miles to a view point/rest area on the unpaved section and decided we had had enough and turned around. The views are worth the trip, but take it easy and enjoy the desert scenery along the way! Also, stay on your side of the road!

If you stay true to task and continue to the end of the wash-boarding, you’ll pass Apache Lake and then Roosevelt Lake and its Dam, which are definitely worth the trip. Although I’ve never visited Apache Lake, you can click on the link for some of my photos of Roosevelt Lake from a previous visit where I took an easier route and came in from the north.

After several more days of relaxing and visits with family, we are off to Sedona. On our way up Interstate 17 just north of Phoenix, we stopped in Rock Springs at the Rock Springs Cafe and Bakery for lunch. While visiting family, the pies here were recommended by almost everyone we talked to. Since we were pretty full after our lunch, we opted to take a pie to go – since the per-piece price was so much better! We thoroughly enjoyed the scrumptious mixture of blueberries and red- and black raspberries all week – with a scoop of vanilla.

Here we begin our week stay at Sedona Pines, with an RCI exchange. These units are free-standing modular homes that are compact, yet very efficient. Loaded with storage space and hooks for towels or nightgowns (which are sometimes in short supply at condos), as well as a large cupboard above the toilet that helped to de-clutter the vanity. The bed was very comfortable and the shower glorious! Jim says he could use more room, but I could actually live in this unit.

On several mornings there was snow on our deck, but it melted quickly as temperatures rose. We rarely sat on the deck because it seemed to always be shaded when we were home and, without the sun, there was a pretty good nip in the air. I sent the deck photo to my daughter back in Wisconsin and told her that it snowed last night. I could feel the disgust in her text as she sent me a photo of their snow. That kinda made us smile, but don’t tell her that!

We just love Sedona. In most cases snow is a pain in our butts, but in Sedona snow is like icing on the cake – or I should say icing on the beautiful red rocks. Although the photo below was taken on a previous visit in the month of March, I think it illustrates my point quite well.

On a previous trip I purchased a CD for the car – Sedona Drive Tour, but this time I bought the app. Both give drive times to spots in Sedona that some folks miss, as well as what to watch out for so you don’t miss the turns, etc. and some background information.

Today was proof that a little snow in the morning should not be disheartening. Bell Rock Pathway is a nice and wide, hard-packed trail about 3.5 miles long, where the views of Bell Rock (left) and Courthouse Butte (right) are excellent. Although the pathway is mostly flat, there are some steep hills and it gets rocky and rough as you round the bend on the left of Bell Rock. Part way in, a second option would be Courthouse Butte Loop. This trail is a little longer and seemed a little more desolate, but either will get you out into nature, and that’s a great thing on any visit to Red Rock Country! Here, National Park Passes are accepted, so make sure to bring the plastic sleeve to hang your pass on your rear view mirror.

If visiting churches is your thing, The Chapel of the Holy Cross should not be missed. This chapel was commissioned by Marguerite Brunswig Staude – a local rancher and sculptor who originally wanted it built in Budapest, Hungary. Since Hungary was in turmoil in the years following her inspiration (WWII), she decided on Sedona instead. With the help of Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, it was completed in 1956.

With its perch high atop the red rocks of Sedona, the views are stunning, but parking is tricky. There are many handicapped spots close-up and there is plenty of parking down the hill, but we were very excited to snatch one of the few spots in the lot closer to the top that only required a shorter (but still strenuous) hike to the entrance. The crucifix was added after my visit in 2016, so it was a lovely surprise. Click on the link to see some excellent photos of both the exterior and interior.

Since most of the sites in Sedona are considered State Parks, our national park pass was not accepted at a lot of the places here. I would highly recommend a Red Rock Pass, if you’re looking to save a little money. We didn’t do the math, but at about $10 a whack, it adds up fast.

Red Rock Crossing is one of my favorite spots in all of Arizona. We paid $10/car to get into Crescent Moon Picnic Site since we didn’t have the pass, but it’s so worth it. I’ve been here in the fall and it’s even more beautiful, but today there were very few other visitors – which always makes our visits more relaxing.

We walked along a path for a while and then on the rock along Oak Creek, which was running pretty full. It seems rock stacking is popular in Arizona as well as at home in Wisconsin. It was truly a fabulous day!

Cathedral Rock is in the background of almost every photo taken in this area, which is a big draw for photographers, especially when it is reflected in Oak Creek. Although this is not a great photo of the reflection, here are many excellent ones.

A person could go a little crazy taking photos in Sedona. I’ve been here four times in the last 5 years and I’m simply amazed every time.

A drive through Oak Creek Canyon is highly recommended, especially if you are headed to Flagstaff anyway. Although you’ll have to add on some time if you go that route because unless you want to risk running off the road as you gawk, you’ll want to stop – and often!

“Just south of Flagstaff, Arizona State Route 89A descends a breathtaking series of switchbacks into a scenic, smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon. Known for colorful rocks and unique formations, Oak Creek Canyon is famous the world around for its spectacular scenery.” – READ MORE

Midgely Bridge is another stop with tricky parking, but if you’re patient it’s so worth it. A relatively steep trail takes you under the bridge for great views of Oak Creek as it make its way into Sedona. This iconic bridge can be seen from quite a ways away!

We made a quick stop at Grasshopper Point because we didn’t think there was a whole lot to see here. Now that I’m checking the link for this blog, I discovered we were wrong! There are three popular trails accessible from the parking lot, as well as:

“Nestled in the base of Oak Creek Canyon is a large cliff side swimming hole known as Grasshopper Point. This day use site is popular with swimmers and picnickers alike. The swimming hole is shaded and cool, a good respite from the summer heat. CAUTION: Cliff jumping and diving are discouraged for personal safety. The pool has varying depths, hidden rocks and unforeseen objects that could be hazardous.”

Near the northern end of the Canyon is Oak Creek Vista, a beautiful stop for REALLY great views. People were talking about the snow that was heading this way later today, so we were glad we got our visit in early. Along with the fantastic views, vendors are on hand here to sell their Native American wares, if you tend to do a little shopping while on vacation.

Slide Rock State Park will cost you money without the pass, but another that is so gorgeous, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t take a look! It takes on a whole other look in the summer, when folks are trying to escape the summer heat, as the smooth rocks and downhill flow of the water make for an all-natural waterslide. I’ve been here before in the early fall when it’s packed with people laughing and having a great time, but these views are my favorite.

On our last day in Sedona, we opted for a little shopping in the Sinaqua Shopping Plaza. We found it very hard to concentrate on shopping with such great views in our peripherals!

Shopping in Sedona has gotten us into trouble in the past, and since we aren’t really supposed to be spending money for more “stuff” right now, we decided to discontinue the shopping and visit Open Range Grill and Tavern for nachos and an adult beverage. The view on their deck is outstanding and we tried sitting outside for a while, but it was just too chilly. After snapping the photo below, we moved inside to get out of the cold. It’s kind of amazing that this is the backdrop for a shopping area! It appears that I was inspired here more than once, since the snowy photo above was taken from the same place!

There is another fabulous shopping area that I’d highly recommend called Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. The buildings, the gardens, and even the fountains are amazing. With many unique shops, it’s an artsy and creative place, with plenty of coffee shops where you can relax and plan your next trip to Sedona.

Up next: Red Rocks to Sin City

Happy trails,
Barb