December 12, 2019

Most days are at least partly sunny here in Sedona, with temps in the 50’s. It’s the perfect weather for hiking. Mark has been in charge of finding trails, and today’s was just a few miles from our condo.

Chimney Rock trail is about two miles in length, ascending from 4,592 feet to 4,489 feet in elevation. Average ascent is 7%, and the maximum is 34%, so it provided a bit of a workout. At home, there are few opportunities to walk up and down hill except perhaps in the back yard.

This hike took us around Chimney Rock and alongside Thunder Mountain. It also provided some lovely views of Sedona.

The trail meanders through juniper trees, yucca plants, prickly pear (don’t touch – I’m still picking out some spines), shrub oak and other greenery. The recent rains have caused everything to green up.

We took a side trail, not marked on the map, that led us to a lovely arch and more fabulous views.

Tonight, the last full moon of the year rose above Sedona around 6pm. We drove to the Airport Mesa to watch, then enjoyed cocktails at the Mesa Grill.