Approaching Sedona's infamous Red Rocks...
Jess Root
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This summer, I’ve got the travel bug. OK, I have it all the time. And it’s not something I’m proud of. (Our airplanes aren’t running on alternatives to petro yet!)
So the very few times (and I am proud of this!) I commit the eco-sinful deed of traveling far via jet, I at least like to make it meaningful; a trip that’ll educate, inspire, shake me up a little, provide time for self-reflection, and create lasting memories. Lucky for me and Mother Earth, these trips are often low-impact, low-cost, community-centric and splashed with an appreciation for nature.
Like my recent travels to Flagstaff, Arizona. Despite the 4,000+ miles logged via airplane, I used Continental Airlines, who has ranked high in environmental ratings, and carbon offset through Native Energy.
Flagstaff, Arizona Through a Local Friend's Lens
Sedona, Arizona. Image credit: Jess Root
Big time bonus: my trip was centered on visiting a best friend who I would stay with for most of my time there. This meant avoiding mega-hotels and eating a good majority of home-prepared foods. Not to mention, I had a built-in tour guide (my friend, Elizabeth!) who knows and adores the ins and outs of her state’s both obscure and admired stopping grounds. Oh, the charm of having friends in far-away locales!
Hiking Super Sexy Sedona
I used my first arrival night to catch up on sleep, but the next morning we’d set off on a 45-minute road trip to the utterly sexy Sedona. In the dry, desert climate, water here is visibly scarce. It gave me a greater appreciation for water conservation!
After gawking at the beautiful horizon line during the drive, Sedona boasted eye-candy glimpses of red rock after red rock. Tall ones, fat ones, skinny ones. I thought I’d only have the luxury of seeing them from the car but would then find myself hiking alongside them and crawling over them on a 4-mile hike through Sedona’s Little Horse Trail, just one of tons of hiking trails in the area. The trail dumps you out at one of the most amazing (and higher elevation views) of the area. I was so inspired by the elements and surroundings; I decided to break out some yoga poses!
The only tree in sight-- my tree pose! Image credit: Elizabeth Vogler.
Eco-tips: To see the red rocks up close, plan to hike and hike early. By early afternoon, Sedona gets hot. Why hike? It’s that or taking a “Pink Jeep Tour,” 4-wheel ATVs that guzzle gas and can pose harm to native species and soil and rock formation erosion. Rocks that have formed over hundreds of millions of years ago!
More on Green Travel:
How to Go Green: Travel & Outdoors
From Garden to Plate: Summer Yoga Retreat
Get Ready for Low-Impact Lift Offs--Solar Powered Plane Takes Flight
