236. Sedona (40): One-Year Anniversary

I can’t believe I’ve been in Sedona for a year! I still remember clearly when I came down to this charming town on December 10^th, 2013. While I was still traveling in UT, I noticed a small studio in Sedona for rent. Since I’ve been to this area twice before, I knew I wanted to stay here for an extended period of time. Three months, I thought, would be plenty for me to hike all the trails around the area. So I signed a 3-months contract with the landlady, with a possibility of extend. A year later, I am still here, in the same house. 🙂 I am definitely having a “Red Rock Fever” and I doubt I will be “cured” any time soon. I don’t want to be “recovered”. 🙂

The red rock around Sedona is amazing. One can spend half a day driving around the area to get a pretty good taste. However, one can also live a life-time exploring the wilderness, yet still won’t be able to see everything! The more I stay, the more places I discovered and even more sites I want to explore. This is the magic of Sedona—endless opportunities to view red rocks, to discover special rock formations, aches, windows, coves, and to find ruins, rock arts.

Also, anyone has seen the place I am renting understands why it is so hard for me to leave. The house is right next to a park and I have got the best view in Sedona—Cathedral Rock is in my backyard. I joked that I won’t leave unless my landlady kicks me out. 🙂 The pictures showed in this post were either taken right in the backyard or within five minutes’ walk.

164. Cedar Break National Monument and Beyond

Cedar Break National Monument isn’t too far from Zion. I have been there before, in the summer. This time, I was hoping to visit it in the winter.

However, I didn’t know it is closed in the winter until I got there. Since there are two entrances, once I found out one was closed, I drove to the other, hoping I would be luckier. Yet, it was closed as well. The only way in, if I had to do, is to walk on a snow packed road.

So I did, for more than a couple of hours. Still, I couldn’t see much other than the first two pictures I post below. At least I tried and I did see it before in warmer season. It is a very unique area, similar to Bryce Canyon National Park (I will post about it soon). That is why I was hoping to hike there again.

On my way back, though, I stopped at a rocky area. To this day, I don’t know whether there is a specific name for the place, but it is on UT-143, just few miles north of Brian Head Ski Area. As you can see from the rest of the pictures here, there are lots of tall, strange shaped rocks.

As a fan of rocks, I had to stop and to explore, even without information. I walked around for more than a couple of hours, totally amazed by the bizarre looking rocks. At times, I felt like I was on another rocky planet, especially with no one or any man-made things around. Totally amazing! I am so glad I stopped there, a place without a name.

PS. my photo website: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/qing-yang.html