![]() Just shows you how greed can spoil such a stunning landmark. Many hiking trails and parking areas are along this road. The road is also known as State Route 179 which runs between Interstate 17 and ends within the Sedona city limits. ![]() I am truly disappointed and saddened that Sedona has morphed into this. The Red Rock Scenic Byway is one of the best Scenic Sedona Drives, It is a 7.5-mile road through Sedona’s Red Rock Country. All of the commerce is located outside the parks in the adjoining towns. There is nothing to distract you from the natural beauty. Arizona just 110 miles north of Phoenix, about 40 miles south of Flagstaff, and only a few hours south of the Grand Canyon. When you go to places like Arches or Zion National Park, the only buildings there is a visitor center and maybe some scattered porta potties and camping grounds. The national parks and monuments have it right. It is a beautiful drive loaded with switchbacks for a very unique experience. Another scenic drive not to miss is the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Road (SR 89A) north of Sedona from Flagstaff. But there will be a ton of tourists and traffic to deal with. Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona at sunset. For the casual driver, there are still some beautiful viewpoints like the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Airport Mesa and Red Rock Loop Road. Browse 8,200+ red rocks state park arizona stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. ![]() We were mostly driving the Red Rock Scenic Drive (State route 179) and didn’t do any hiking. I was raving to my husband about this place, since he never visited, and was dumbfounded on how much it changed. Red Rock State Park offers a chance to explore this distinctive canyon landscape that includes Cathedral Rock, a famous Arizona landmark. I couldn’t even get to one of the viewpoints because the parking lot was full and closed off the two times I tried to visit. Now the Scenic Drive is filled with roundabouts and traffic. It was surreal, literally having this beautiful place to myself. When I was here previously, I took a drive on the weekend, and there were very few other vehicles on the road. I was shocked at the rampant commercialism. While the scenery is still breathtaking, the scenic byway is now filled with retail stores and restaurants, hotels and private residences. It became one of my favorite places I have visited. I first visited Sedona about 10 years ago, and was mesmerized with its raw beauty. The most popular hike is the Boynton Canyon Trail, which takes you to an ancient holy site that is said to be filled with powerful energy.
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