A Scenic Drive Adventure | STATE ROUTE 89A through Oak Creek and Sedona

Few roads in Arizona have as much variety in landscape, flora, and recreational activities as State Route 89A. Stretching from Flagstaff to Prescott, segments of this road are considered a must-do for anyone seeking some of the most scenic views found in Arizona outside of the Grand Canyon. Today we decided to hop in the car for a day trip and explore some of this stretch of road that we usually only see passing by. ▬▬ C A C T U S A T L A S . C O M ▬▬ ⚪ Read our review - https://cactusatlas.com/adventures/sc... ⚪ Get more information - https://cactusatlas.com/information/s... On previous trips on this road, we’re typically returning home from Flagstaff and just opt for the “scenic drive” rather than traveling on I-17. Never have made it a point to take a leisurely drive and stop at some of the overlooks or quaint cabins and markets. With a day off work, we decided to hop in the car for a day trip and explore some of this stretch of road that we usually only see passing by. Our trip began just south of the city of Flagstaff. After turning onto 89A and making our way south, our first new adventure was a pull-off called Oak Creek Vista. This is an absolute must for anyone looking to take in some majestic views of the pines, perhaps stop and have a picnic lunch, or just stretch their legs and take in some fresh air. After having made our way around the short loop trail, we headed back to the car and began our descent towards Oak Creek. This next part is perhaps one of the most fun or white-knuckle parts of the drive depending on your fear level. A series of switchbacks and vertical cliffs loom above as you make your way down in elevation. From here State Route 89A parallels Oak Creek and many campgrounds, trails, and pull-offs can be found. Oak Creek kept teasing us with brief glimpses of the water gently flowing so eventually we had to pull over when we found an opportunity and take a peek. Talk about idyllic! Our next stop is what we consider our greatest find on the trip. Behind this little market cafe, we always passed by is the Butterfly Garden Inn, formerly Don Hoel’s Cabins. A number of wood cabins sit tucked away in the trees and while there we were fortunate to have been given a tour of two unoccupied cabins by an employee. I can say without a doubt that we will be back to check these out in the future. In order to keep up care, maintenance, and protect the land, a Red Rocks Pass is required to park and leave your car unattended and a great number of stops. Thankfully a lot of the markets and centers along the way offer daily, weekly or annual passes. An America the Beautiful Interagency Pass will waive the Red Rocks Pass fee. Just a short stretch later and the red rocks of Sedona appear after rounding a bend. Sedona offers a lot of trails, shopping, and dining that we’ve only ever scratched the surface of. Between the trails, vortexes, Pink Jeep Tours and more one can easily spend an entire day (or two) here. VIDEO FILMED: 05/29/2020 ▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬ ⚪ Oak Creek Vista - https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cocon... ⚪ Directions to Oak Creek Vista - https://goo.gl/maps/ibWjRrKfqn5kxWZy7 ▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬ 00:00 Intro 01:04 Oak Creek Vista 05:00 Switchbacks of 89A 05:42 Pine Flat Campground 06:31 Oak Creek 08:32 Butterfly Garden Inn 11:34 Indian Garden 14:07 Sedona ▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬ ⚪ Gear we use - https://www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus... ⚪ See where we've been - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi... ⚪ Music from Epidemic Sound - https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra... (As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.) _____________________________________________________________ ✅ Find us on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook - @cactusatlas. ✅ Check out our website - https://cactusatlas.com Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions. Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking and day trips as well as campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!