By David Weiss | Wall Street Journal
YOU’D THINK the eye-popping topography of Sedona—the ancient roseate cliffs, the red-rock spires—would be its main draw. But the sparsely populated, high-desert Arizona city, located halfway between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, has taken on a reputation as a hub for all things New Age. Believers say mystical energy “vortices” in the desert will cure what ails you.
And yes, state highway 89A running through town is lined with tchotchke shops selling crystals and votive candles, but I found it hard to notice anything but the stunning backdrop to such touristic honey pots. First-time visitors will scramble to find worthy superlatives to describe it.
Fewer than 10,000 people call Sedona home, but every year around 3 million visitors converge on this destination that can be some 20 degrees cooler than big sister Phoenix. As the hospitality industry works to keep up with that demand, new and renovated resorts are continuing to offer yogis what they’ve come for while highlighting the region’s other attractions, most notably the 400 miles of hiking trails and wide-open wilderness to explore.
For day-hikers, checking into the 70-acre Enchantment Resort by the glorious Boynton Canyon yields both aesthetic and practical benefits. The hotel’s Trail House offers guided tours and pro-level equipment rentals. “Adventure advisers” can steer you to trails matching your experience and ability. At the Mii Amo spa, book post-hike treatments like “intentional” aromatherapy massages—which sound much more appealing than unintentional ones. The “Labyrinth Walk” promises to “clear the mind” of anyone willing to silently pace in circles.
