Sedona

Since Sedona was our fourth stop of the day, we were thankful we got there while there was still enough light to see the red rocks for which it is famous. The light wasn't good enough to get any good pictures, but it was gorgeous in real life!

We got our first shots at a view point on the highway coming in to town...

The pictures just don't do the brilliant red rocks the justice they deserve.

The traffic in town was a bit crazy thanks to a highway closure just out of town. So we just headed right to the little shopping area to scope out a place for dinner...

There were little courtyards everywhere. It was just like a maze full of fun and interesting things to see. None of the shops were open. But it was probably better that way. You can spend money if you can't shop. :)

We even got to meet some famous people just hanging out...

There was also this charming little chapel...

This building was designed in such a way that you couldn't tell where the structure started and the rock ended...

After dinner we hit the road and headed back south to Phoenix. It was getting dark fast but we did faintly see some more red rock on our way out of town...

One of the many things we miss about living in Arizona is the storms. So God gave us one on the way back into town complete with pouring rain, lightning and thunder. Sure do miss a good thunderstorm!

Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments

I have a problem. Once we sent out in a direction it's hard for me to not just keep going. Once we were out of Phoenix so many other places and things were so close. Case in point... Montezuma Castle National Monument. A giant cliff dwelling and it was only an hour away. I just had to go and my sweet hubby obliged.

It was a nice drive to the north and west of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. We didn't realize how high up in the mountains we'd gone until we saw snow on the side of the road!

I thought I'd been there before with the boys years ago, but as soon as I arrived I knew I hadn't. I had no idea how big and high it is.

Montezuma Castle is neither a castle nor had anything to do with Montezuma. It was built between 1100 and 1425. It was abandoned 40 years before Montezuma was even born.

It is 5 stories high, with 20 rooms, and is 90 feet up built into the limestone cliffs above Beaver Creek.

Why did they go to so much work to build this "apartment" complex? Even dragging up logs for the roof supports.

It is speculated that it was for protection from both the flooding creek and from enemies. They even posted a lookout at the top of the structure to watch over the farmers and hunters below.

It was quite a complex. I wonder what it was like when it was bustling with people living their everyday lives carving out a place for themselves in the desert.

Wandering back to the visitor's center we went by these trees along the creek. They were so white they looked like winter camouflage...

Our admission to the "castle" included admission to a second site: Tuzigoot National Monument. It was only 35 minutes away. We had to go...

Tuzigoot was a 2 to 3 story pueblo with 110 rooms built between 1125-1400.

There were not many doors but they used ladders and trapdoors...

The view was pretty nice, too.