We both woke up around 4:30AM, unexpectedly. Maybe it was the excitement of not being cooped up at home or that we were ready to explore. After debating whether or not we should go back to sleep or try to beat the heat and get a start on our hike, the adrenaline hit me and I convinced Ben to get up. I threw on a few layers, ate a yogurt, had a sip or two of coffee and we packed our backpacks for the hike.
We ended up at the trailhead before sunrise, right around 5:45AM. When we parked, there was plenty of parking. The pastel colors in the sky were glowing, highlighting a hot air balloon in the distance. A deer nearby silently strolled the fence line. All positive signs for the beginning of our hike and for our trip.
If your car is 4 wheel drive or an off roading vehicle there is parking a couple of miles closer to the trailhead, which would have made the hike much easier. This hike is considered moderate had a couple sections towards the top that we did take our time on. Miss Reagan joined us on the hike and did great all the way to the top. With the Red Rock slowly illuminating as the sun rose, we could see vibrant colors of red. The sun started getting hot as we neared Devils Bridge. We were glad we had put on our sunscreen and brought with us plenty of water.
The bridge is the largest natural arch in Sedona. Many of the hikers were taking photos from on top of the bridge. They all said the bridge was wider than it looked. I totally would have been my daredevil self, but Ben said he preferred I didn't. So, we decided to enjoy the PB&Js that we had packed and snap a couple photos.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/devils-bridge-trail
The way back seemed to go by fast, except for the last mile that we had to carry Reagan when it was hot with the sun on our back. We were grateful to get some cold water and air conditioning when we reached the car. When we got back the parking lot was full and the trail was getting more crowded.
After driving around a little bit we decided to stop at a breakfast spot called 'Coffee Pot Restaurant.' They offer 101 omelet options. We decided we had much more to see and to continue the road trip on to the Grand Canyon. We will have to go back to Sedona and take more. time to explore.
