Scenic Arizona

Scenic Arizona covers the central red-rock country in north-central Arizona, the Verde Valley and surrounding uplands south of the San Francisco Peaks. The terrain runs dramatic — Sedona’s red sandstone, the Mogollon Rim rising east, the Verde River cutting through the valley floor, and Mingus Mountain separating the Verde from Prescott to the west. Coconino and Yavapai counties cover the region. Sedona handles the red-rock visitor traffic; Cottonwood, Clarkdale, and Jerome (the copper-mining town clinging to Cleopatra Hill) anchor the Verde Valley; Prescott and Prescott Valley hold the central highlands; Camp Verde and Chino Valley round out the towns. Red Rock State Park, Slide Rock State Park, Jerome State Historic Park, and Tuzigoot National Monument concentrate the public-land scenery. Most trips are red-rock and historic-mining themed. Sedona handles hiking, jeep tours, and the visual-arts scene; Jerome and Prescott carry the mining and Old West history; the Verde Canyon Railroad runs the Clarkdale-to-Perkinsville stretch. Spring and fall are the most reliable seasons.