Hiking Bell Rock was an exceptional choice for our last day in Sedona

On our very last morning in Sedona, Jeff and I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed out to walk the resort grounds while the kids slept.  We found a beautiful spot, surrounded by rocks and colorful flowering cacti, to watch the sun rise over Bell Rock.  It was a fitting start to the morning, as Bell Rock was to be our hike for the day, our very last in Sedona.  We picked up our free Starbucks breakfast of coffee, croissants, and yogurt parfaits and carried them up to wake the children.  

The Bell Rock Pathway

Afterward, we made the short drive to the trailhead of the Bell Rock Pathway, a 3.6 mile hike which was rated easy-to-moderate. Bell Rock seemed like a perfect opportunity to get a last, non-strenuous hike in, and conclude our Sedona adventure before making the drive to Phoenix for our flight. 

Look for the Trail Markers

However here is another pro tip:  Should you decide to make the hike up Bell Rock, and desire to stay on the “easy to moderate” trail, it is best to pay close attention to the trail markers.  Somehow, we lost track of the trail (which we later found to have been clearly marked) and soon found ourselves bouldering, leaping over crevasses, and looking for finger holds on nearly vertical sections of rock layers.  For the path we had happened upon, climbing Bell Rock was like climbing a giant, tiered wedding cake – straight up, then flat, then straight up, then flat again.  It did not take long to realize we had probably taken a wrong turn somewhere.  

Completely Undaunted

Undaunted, we climbed on, and ended up having absolutely one of the most spectacular hikes ever.  There were times when we were probably in some real danger of slipping and falling, and other times when we had to work together to be sure everyone made it safe to the next level.  But at the top, the panoramic views were our payoff for all the effort.  

Dirty….yet completely satisfied!

Sweatier and dustier and thirstier than we had expected, we made our way back down to the base. We had to chuckle as we discovered the clearly marked trail signs we had missed – and the scores of people going up the easy to moderate trail we had originally sought.  We knew they were about to see some amazing sights, but we also knew they would not have to work quite as hard to get there.  

What an accomplishment, and an exceptional hike!

As we turned around and looked up from the ground at the route we had unintentionally taken, we all had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment for the accidental adventure we had discovered all on our own.  After all, isn’t that what life and travel are all about!!  

And so ended our amazing Southwest Adventure . . . another awesome vacation planned by the Let’s Get to the Point team – down to the details of having sunshine everyday and not a DROP of rain the entire week!!!!!!

Let’s Get to the Point!

Also, here’s a link to the step-by-step process that we followed to see places that I once thought were completely untouchable for an average family of six, like mine! As well, please follow along on my social media channels, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  

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