Dirt-Diva and Devil's Bridge

Difficult to discern the Devil's Bridge, but the
evergreens in "foreground" are actually behind us.

As we left the Painted Desert and headed for Flagstaff, AZ, the San Francisco Peaks loomed in the distance with snow-topped mounts. The entry was gradual but we began to feel more comfortable in our surroundings. Streetlights, strip malls and landscaping made us feel right at home. The cement sidewalks and groomed settings make me wonder who is really taking better care of Our World? Perhaps those forced to reuse and repurpose due to poverty-driven scarcity actually produce less waste.

During our first full day at Sedona, we decided to take a hike. We like to hike and also take pleasure in requiring our kids to join us kicking and screaming the whole way. After scrutiny of what challenges we enjoy in a hike and what our kids can realistically handle, we settled on Devil’s Bridge. This is a 1.8-mile hike round trip; to a natural stone arch with 400-foot elevation change.  This is normally a little short for our liking; however, due to the fact that we had a minivan, we were unable to drive-up the 4WD road access to the trailhead.  (Believe me, we tried!) This dropped us off 2 miles from the starting point. We now had a fairly flat, additional 4 miles round trip hike.  

Tomcar

Sinagua Indian Ruins (Ancestral Puebloan)

The bridge itself is large enough to walk out onto and the view of the surrounding bluffs colorfully remarkable. The other convenient feature is that to get under the arch is only an additional 0.25 miles. This trail is really a perfect family hike with a one + for difficulty; and if you have a stupid minivan you actually get a decent workout, too. (Dirt-Diva card is so revoked driving that thing.)

Paleo-Indian Petroglyphs

Our next day was filled with the joys of ATV’ing. We strapped our brood into a 5-seater Tomcar, a cargo-style ATV designed and built by the Israeli military. It was a little wet and cold but nothing a Colorado Girl can’t handle. (Dirt-Diva reestablished!) At the end of our muddy, splashy, red-dirt stained bash-about were archeological ruins and petroglyphs. The Palatki Ruins (d. 1100-1300) and the 6000-year-old rock art easily accessible by foot (approx. 3/4 mile loop). Two different groups of people lived in this area at different eras, as well as a more modern-day hermit until the USDA Forest Service took it over as a Heritage Site. 

Paleo-Indians, the Sinagua Indians and Charles Willard have all called this place home. One warning: when you get to the site, first go left, explore, then go right and the trail will loop back to the trailhead. Otherwise, you will do like the Wrong-Way Wood’s and miss half of it and then have to huff-it back to see the second-story red-clay building and the rock art. Which, due to the cloudy weather, was fairly difficult to see but not impossible. Also, a four-wheeling tip: if you have hip, knee or back issues and are not driving, hold a water bottle or other object between your knees during the foray. This “turns-on” your inner thigh muscles and creates a higher level of stability against the bouncing.

Pano Under Devil's Bridge

            Unfortunately, we did not have time to experience a Vortex or any of the multiple yoga studios in Sedona, AZ. So, I guess we will have to return, perhaps for a Myofascial Release training.