Tentative Idea: Camping, Hiking, Yoga, & Relaxing @ Sedona

Hi.

This is short/late notice -- but is anyone interested in going to Sedona around May 18 (Thursday) or 19 (Friday) until May 21 (Sunday) or May 22 (Monday) ?

This isn't 100%, but another group member, T, is thinking of possibly going.

He is friendly, experienced, and fun.

We went a few years ago to Sedona, and did the dry/dispersed camping thing, and we all survived. :)

The weather forecast says low 80s or high 70s during daytime and around 60 degrees at night.

Thunderstorms might be possible, but they usually are brief/short, so overall, it should be okay weather conditions for camping & hiking.

Note - So I honestly have wanted to re-visit Sedona, but life happens, and I've been really busy the past few weeks and month, which has resulted in me being behind on some stuff...that I'd like to finish in the upcoming days & week(s).

Ergo, I'm not 100% sure I have time to go during these days (May 18 - 21 or May 19 - 22).

As of now, I'm 50/50.

But I still want to share this with the group, in case others want to go (regardless if I go or not).

If the other group member, T, goes, then he's experienced and knowledgeable.

He went early last time and found the camping spot for the rest of us to stay at.

My guess is it wouldn't be fun for him to drive to Sedona if nobody else goes...so if any other group members have the time and interest in joining, feel free to let T or I know, and you can coordinate & communicate.

https://www.meetup.com/oc_camping/members/200431988

If this trip doesn't happen, then that's fine. No big deal.

I anticipate having a very busy June, July, August, and October -- so I'd like to work & finish some things in the upcoming days & weeks, so if I can't go this year, then I'll try to re-visit Sedona next year.

Hi.

This trip is currently just a tentative idea. It's not 100% happening. My initial conjecture is 1 - 50%.

I initially scheduled this for April 7 - April 9, but this is not set-in-stone. This is heavily dependent on weather AND also the availability of a friend who moved to Sedona.

Update: It turns out the month of April is busy for me, so I'm gonna try for May. Currently, my only available weekend in May is May 19 - 21, so as of now, I'm aiming for that...something like Thurs to Sun or Fri to Mon...but again, this is not 100%. Something else might come up, so this is not definite.

To reiterate -- the rescheduled date of May 19 - 21 is tentative. A group member we met from a camping trip moved to Sedona, and last year, we discussed visiting, but timing didn't work out last year, so I want to try this year.

I need to check what her availability is (depending on how busy she is with work--sometimes she travels for work and is oot), as well as my own schedule, but for now, I'm thinking of Thursday to Sunday or Friday to Monday (since it's a long drive).

Sedona in the month of May can get warm.

It shouldn't be as hot as June, July, and August imo, but it can get warm in May.

My preference is to go when the weather is cooler (but April is fairly busy for me, and later this year, October, will also be busy too)...so now I'm thinking of mid-May.

One factor is Sedona is far and a long drive...so it might be impractical to go just for Fri to Sun, so Friday to Monday or Thursday to Sunday are what I'm considering.

In some previous Sedona trips, I reserved a campsite...but for this trip, since the date is tentative -- I'm not gonna bother with reserving a campsite (plus, they probably are full by now)...so if I go, I'm gonna do what we did once before -- dry camping / dispersed camping (aka boondocking).

To repeat -- I'm not planning on staying at an established campground.

Instead, I'm planning on free, dispersed camping (aka boondocking).

A few of us tried this in October 2020, and we survived. :)

It's not for everyone. Some won't like it. It's basically empty dirt with no amenities.

No water spigot or potable water source
No fire pit
No tables
No restrooms
No trash bins/service

"Leave no trace" and "Pack out everything you pack in"

So we're responsible for discarding all trash and bringing/providing everything we need (camping gear/equipment, food, water, stuff for cooking, washing, cleaning, trash bags, etc.).

For certain human functions, we can dig a hole or use a wag bag...or drive to a nearby gas station or venue that offers access to restrooms.
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Last time, I brought a private pop-up tent, and put together a simple bucket, camping toilet seat, and a bunch of garbage bags to use for an outdoor restroom. Some people recommended using cat litter, and it was "okay."

Again, to reiterate, dispersed camping isn't for everyone. Some might dislike it, which is fine. No big deal.

This sounds pretty primitive and uncivilized -- but it's not that bad imo.

One good thing is civilization is nearby (short drive to gas stations, markets / grocery stores, restaurants, etc...), so if we need anything, there should be a store/shop that sells most common things.

And I'll try to bring a table we can use for cooking, eating, etc.

The dispersed camping areas I'm thinking of, are near the main road, which should be easier to drive to in common cars/vehicles, but that means the views aren't as majestic, and there's less privacy, and more noise from vehicles driving by, and nearby people (RV generators, etc.).

Personally, I don't mind driving a little toward the Red Rock mountains and away from the highway...but I also understand others might feel nervous about driving far on dirt roads and camping alone in an isolated area...so one idea is to find a spot that is near the main highway and around other people (RVs and campervans), which usually consists of friendly people (retired married couples, families, etc.), so there should be safety in numbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxPxSwvvFC4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzlHBWvSFdA

Some areas/roads for dispersed camping are ideal for a high-clearance vehicle or 4x4 / AWD, but some areas are accessible with regular 2wd vehicles/cars.

My low car was able to handle the unpaved dirt roads.

For going elsewhere in Sedona, such as popular hiking trails, a regular car/vehicle is fine. Many roads/streets are paved and smooth to drive on.

Here are photos that show some camping areas are near roads, and therefore should be easy to drive to with a regular passenger car/vehicle. Some dirt roads look okay to drive on.

https://www.meetup.com/oc_camping/photos/32022546

This trip is intended for those who are flexible, open-minded, independent, adventurous, self-reliant, and self-sufficient.

I personally don't mind going alone, but if at least two others want to go, then feel free to join.

If only one person wants to go, then it probably won't be fun for you, and I will discourage you from going. I'll elaborate.

I sometimes go hiking/exploring alone.

I've heard (and read) Sedona is popular for yoga and meditation...which I don't do, but I like the appeal of connecting with nature, personal introspection, and relieving stress in the great outdoors (and with Mother Nature).

I will be a slow hiker who stops frequently to take photos, so I'm not a fun hiking buddy.

So this trip is worthwhile if at least 2 people go, so you can have at least one other person (not me) to talk with and hang out with.

This is different from our other group trips...mostly because it's far and not a holiday weekend, so my expectations are very low.

Maybe only a few people might be interested/available for this.

So if at least two people are interested, then maybe you can coordinate on doing stuff together (hike, talk, etc.).

I should be around in the mornings and evenings for meals and camping.

Oh, and if anyone doesn't feel comfortable tent camping, then feel free to sleep in your car/vehicle.

There is no fee/cost to join this trip.

If anyone wants to help contribute a little $ for the Meetup fees, that'd be nice -- but not required. I'm a pretty cool, friendly, and chill guy...and we want our trips to be affordable.

Some people might care more for making money, but our group is for making friends. :)

However, every attendee is responsible for their own transportation, camping gear, food, water, cooking supplies, personal items, etc.

Some places might require a Red Rock pass/permit or some other entry fee.

A national parks pass (America the Beautiful) might substitute for places that require a Red Rock pass.

One of the best things about dispersed camping is it's free...so this should be an affordable trip. :)

If this trip happens, it might be very small group...just a few people. This will not be a large group trip.

It's also possible this might be a solo trip of me going alone.

Especially since the date is uncertain / indefinite / tentative -- I would suspect some people don't take this trip seriously and gas prices might be high -- so my expectations are very low, and it's very possible nobody else will want to go.

If any group members want to go on different days, feel free to plan your own trip (without me).

Feel free to lmk, and we can add a separate event to the group, and invite other group members to join you.

If any group members want to go during the same days as me, but doesn't want to go alone, feel free to use the comments section or contact me directly, and we'll see if anyone else wants to go (drive or ride as passenger), and maybe we can find you a carpool buddy. But no guarantees.

I honestly don't anticipate many people going on this trip.

As of now, my mindset is this might be a solo trip to visit a friend in Sedona, so I'm fine if nobody else joins. I understand it's far and a long drive.

If anyone starts driving on Thursday (from SoCal), and can't make it to Sedona in one drive, you can stop & stay overnight in Phoenix, Flagstaff, or elsewhere along the way.

Since AZ is far and a long drive, I don't think Fri - Sun is worthwhile or efficient, so to maximize your experience and to have enough time to enjoy the beauty, peace, and energy of Sedona, I suggest Fri to Mon or Thurs to Sun because having at least 2 full days to explore is worthwhile imo.

There honestly is a lot to see and do.

If anyone wants to stay longer (an extra day or two), just lmk and I'll share my advice on how you can. In the past, some also stopped at the Grand Canyon or Page, AZ (for Horseshoe Bend and/or Antelope Canyon).

Drive time is around:

7.5 - 8.5 hours from LA - https://goo.gl/maps/G3RpQSoRFUDZxsvE9

7 - 8 hours from OC - https://goo.gl/maps/muSzNLV4qjtc4fgK6

If driving gets tiring, consider stopping somewhere along the way...like a rest stop, truck stop, gas station, or somewhere safe you can sleep/nap in your vehicle.

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Photos -

https://www.meetup.com/oc_camping/photos/31399684

https://www.meetup.com/oc_camping/photos/31111862

https://www.meetup.com/oc_camping/photos/30317795

https://www.meetup.com/oc_camping/photos/28139027

Videos -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xywb_suJzo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JluoxvFeeaA

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Hikes - https://www.alltrails.com/us/arizona/sedona

Easy Hikes - http://www.greatsedonahikes.com/easyhikes.html

Moderate Hikes - http://www.greatsedonahikes.com/moderatehikes.html

Hard Hikes - http://www.greatsedonahikes.com/hardhikes.html

Popular Hiking Trails - http://www.hikesedona.com/most-popular-hiking-trails

Things to do 1 - http://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/road-trips/2016/04/18/things-do-sedona/78279564

Things to do 2 - https://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Arizona/Sedona-750304/Things_To_Do-Sedona-TG-C-1.html

Things to do 3 - http://travel.usnews.com/Sedona_AZ/Things_To_Do

FAQ - https://visitsedona.com/trip-planning/frequently-asked-questions

Example of 1-day Itinerary - https://www.sedona.net/one-day-itinerary

Example of 2-day Itinerary - https://www.sedona.net/two-day-itinerary

Example of 3-day Itinerary - https://www.sedona.net/three-day-itinerary

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Other resources:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3806979.pdf

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/recreation/?cid=stelprd3851843

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5341633

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Some areas / trailheads / parking spots require a Red Rock Pass. If you have a national parks pass (America the Beautiful), then that might work too.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5416207

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5416212

https://visitsedona.com/trip-planning/red-rock-pass-program-qa

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Examples of recommended items to bring:

Water

Disinfectant spray/wipes, cleaning supplies, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.

Sleeping bag (or bed sheet & blanket)

Pillow

Sleeping pad / mat or air mattress

Tent (or sleep in your vehicle)

Tarp, stakes, guy lines, and rain fly for tent

Appropriate clothes, socks, & shoes

Sweater/Jacket or blanket just in case it gets cold at night

Toothbrush, toothpaste, & other hygiene items / toiletries

Lip balm / chapstick

Hand sanitizer or baby wipes / wet naps

Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat

Earplugs

Flashlight / Headlamp / Lantern

Portable chair

Cell phone charger cable (car adapter) or portable charger

Water (or water filter)

Water bottles or hydration pack

Food (and cookware)

Music or games

First aid kit & whistle

Misc items (e.g. bowl, cooking utensils, cup, eating utensils, foil, napkins, paper towels, plate, trash bags, ziploc bags, etc.)

Towel or wash cloth

Bucket, jug, or water container

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html

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