Verde Valley Visit

Sorry, I just cannot help making alliteration when at all possible.

Now that you’ve forgiven me for that corny title, let’s get down to the good stuff.

My posse and I took a recent girls’ trip to the Verde Valley tucked between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon part of Arizona.

The girls like to do a little overnighter to try to beat the heat and soak up all the goodness our beautiful state has to offer.

This year we did not beat the heat, but had a great time anyway.

Here’s what we did that was a little different.

Sedona

The gem of the Verde Valley is undeniably Sedona.  The stunning red rock formations, high desert flora and high-altitude blue skies are about as majestic as anything the good Lord has planted on this earth.

This trip started with a picnic visit to Sedona’s Crescent Moon Ranch.  This park sits on the banks of Oak Creek in the shadow of majestic Cathedral Rock.

Barb turned me onto this park after a few visits she has made with her lady friends.  She wasn’t able to make this trip, but we toasted her and enjoyed her spirit.

The park charges a $15 admission per car.  There are plenty of picnic tables and a non-water outhouse.  In fact, there was no water in the drinking fountains either. 

Bring lots of water!

After a gigantic picnic lunch, we headed to the creek for a bit of wading and sitting.  The hiking paths are paved and are not what you might be looking for if you’re a serious hiker.

The temps while we were there were hovering at the 100⁰ mark, so hiking wasn’t really on our itinerary.

If you are interested in the chicken salad I made, I’ll share it on my next post because this is likely to get long.

Cottonwood

Don’t let Sedona’s dazzle seduce you into missing all the charm the rest of the Valley has to offer.

Old downtown Cottonwood has long been a favorite for us.  Visiting the shops and restaurants is not overwhelming.  Just the right amount of stuff to see.

We have stayed at The Tavern Hotel.  It is really beautiful but it has gotten a little pricey with its popularity.  The rooms start at about $230 a night now and go up over $300 in October.

The past couple years our troop has stayed at Iron Horse Inn right in downtown. 

The property is old and small, but very well maintained and clean and comfortable.  What more can you ask?

Oh, I’ll tell you what!  A courtyard.  A beautiful outdoor space with tables and chairs and a fountain.  Perfect for happy hour and early morning coffee.

The hotel is right across the street from the Jail Trail trailhead.  It’s fantastic for an early morning hike along the Verde River.

Cottonwood boasts some really good restaurants in the old downtown.  The special treat is breakfast at Crema Craft Kitchen.

Oh, yeah.  Some of us really cheated with pancakes and mimosas.  Not naming any names here, but boy was that good!

Clarkdale

This year we skipped the wineries Verde Valley has to offer and boarded a train!

The Verde Canyon Railroad boards in Clarkdale, the town neighboring Jerome (I wrote a little about Jerome here).

The train ride is a first-class experience through the stunning Verde canyon.  The train personnel give little history and geography lessons during the trip.

Fun fact:  Mr. Andrew Clark for whom Clarkdale is named is also the Clark behind Clark County Nevada, Las Vegas’s locale.  He was the mining/railroad magnate who developed the area and mined millions from the land.

He was quite the spicy individual and worth a look if you like western American history.

Wrap Up

Thank you for joining us as we ate, drank and drove our way through a portion of the Verde Valley.  I hope this inspires you to visit the area.

Or take a trip within a 100 miles of your home and see what there is to explore.  Don’t forget your picnic though!

As always God bless you and yours for a wonderful weekend.