We recently spent 2 weeks working from our RV in the Southwest. We found the Thousand Trails RV Resort in Verde Valley to be a perfect home base. The campground was just a short distance from Sedona’s beautiful and sacred sights.
For most of our visit we stayed around downtown Cottonwood, enjoying the charming details that can only be found in a desert town off route 66. Some highlights included wine tasting at Alcantara Vineyard and dining at the little roadside diners which dotted downtown.
Cathedral Rock
On our weekends we were able to venture farther out from camp and enjoy some of Arizona’s best sites. One must see landmark was Cathedral Rock.
It really isn’t much of a hike unless you go all the way to the top but it was a perfect place to spend the morning. This dog friendly vista has a small parking area so plan to arrive early. You’ll see lots of Instagramers, healers and tourists seeking spiritual serenity and great views at this famous vortex. It’s also the perfect starting point for you to explore other highlights of Sedona including antique shops & roadside art galleries.
Horseshoe Bend
The following day we decided to head north from Sedona to see how far we could adventure. Our first stop was at Horseshoe Bend. About 3 hours from Sedona, this site is popular on Instagram and for good reason! The sweeping views of the canyon are picture perfect.
Park entry is $10 per vehicle. The recreation area is also dog friendly and they even gave our pup a treat at the gate. Expect to walk about one mile round trip from the parking lot to the bend and back. We were pleased to see that the path was made of pact gravel with ADA accessible slope. We also loved that the outhouses were clean!
Overall the views did not disappoint and we liked that the site was accessible to guests of all levels of mobility. We wouldn’t recommend a day trip just for the viewpoint but those without a pet in tow can make the drive worthwhile by visiting Antelope Canyon which is located nearby. If you are planning to visit Antelope Canyon to hike or kayak these two spots would make a perfect day trip in itself!
For us, we simply stopped to stretch our legs and break up the drive toward our real destination.
Zion National Park
It goes without saying, you can spend much more than just one afternoon in Zion but we are glad we made a day out of it. This expansive national park is home to one of the most intense hiking paths in the country.
Although we would love to spend more time in Zion, we were happy to just drive through the park and walk around the visitor center. Some may think we were crazy for heading all the way to Utah and back in just 24 hours but we enjoyed driving along the scenic highways and seeing what our beautiful country has to offer.
If you are bringing your pet into one of the National Parks, remember to BARK: Bag your pets waste, Always leash your pet, Respect wildlife, Know where you can go.
Our total day included about 12 hours of driving. Leaving at around 7AM we made it to Horseshoe Bend by mid morning and Zion by around 2pm. This left us a few hours to explore the park before getting home by midnight. Although it was a long day it was the perfect way to spend it and make the most of our travels!
Loving The Layover 