Sedona Arizona - Land of Mystery

Sedona Arizona is a land of beauty and mystery. It is primarily these two attributes that attract almost 5-million visitors annually. It seems that Sedona appeals to the mind, body and spirit in a way that few places do.

Sedona's Red Rocks

The red rock formations of Sedona are a function of erosion not the uplifting of mountains. About 225-million-years-ago, two tectonic plates pushed-up against each other creating the Colorado Plateau. The eroding-edge of the Colorado Plateau is north of Sedona and is known as the Mogollon (muh gee yon) Rim. Sedona lies in the middle of this erosion. The red rock formations are portions of the Colorado Plateau in various stages of erosion that continues today.

To make things more geologically-interesting, the Colorado Plateau is dotted with the remnants of ancient volcanoes. About 10-million-years-ago, these volcanoes were active depositing a 75-100 foot layer of volcanic basalt in places. As you look at the top edge of some of the rock formations around Sedona, you will see a grey-colored band of rock near the top -- basalt!

Sedona's Climate

Sedona sits at an average elevation of 4,500-feet. Climatologists describe Sedona's climate as high-desert. Annual precipitation is below the national average while temperatures are above the national average. Sedona enjoys almost 300-days of sunshine each year. Although a desert, Sedona has four-seasons including limited snowfall in the winter. The summer months are marked with an afternoon build-up of clouds and an occasional thunderstorm. The locals refer to this phenomenon as the "monsoons".

Sedona's Vortexes

Sedona is a mecca of metaphysical new agers and Native American spiritual traditions. It is said that electromagnetic energy "ley lines" criss-cross the Sedona area. At certain distinct locations, these "energies" give rise to concentrations known as energy vortexes. The four principal vortexes in Sedona are Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Airport Mesa and Boynton Canyon.

Native Americans are said to have considered Sedona a sacred place where they conducted spiritual ceremonies. Even today, you will be able to participate in a "sweat lodge" in traditional Native American fashion. In places like Boynton Canyon, you can still find cave dwellings that were used by the Sinagua Indians together with wall paintings and pottery fragments.

Sedona Today

Many of the people that visit Sedona experience deep emotions and feelings. Is it the scenic beauty? Is it earth energy of Sedona that they are reacting to? Is it a sense of having been in Sedona before? The answer is different for each person. Some are so deeply-impacted that they find themselves planning their return-trip before they even leave. Some are overcome by the condition that locals call "Red Rock Fever". These are the people that eventually move to Sedona or perhaps purchase a home or condo in Sedona. The Sedona Lifestyle is precious and pursued by many.

Rex Manz has lived in Sedona over ten-years. One of his sons was born in Sedona. His name, Adam, means "man of the red earth".