A minor setback turns to a major discovery!

Arising for another crisp, bright, and breathtaking view from our back patio, we talked about the plans for today.  Like yesterday, we’re splitting today into two distinct parts. 

The morning would include a drive all the way up Oak Creek Canyon to a very popular scenic overlook that was supposed to provide some impressive vistas.  This was going to be fun and a photographer’s dream, so I was looking forward to both the drive and the photoshoot!  

After breakfast, we load up and head out.  Driving across Midgely Bridge, we continue north, with the canyon walls rising on either side of us and beautiful large pines providing both the visual appeal and that “you can’t recreate it” smell of being in the forest.

We come upon some unexpected construction that would cause a 10-15 minute delay while one-way traffic took turns on a segment of the narrow road.  Rolling down the windows and just enjoying both the cool breeze and that pine scent was a nice diversion from the minor traffic delay.  Starting back up, we make a winding and multiple-switchback climb out of the valley towards our overlook vista destination … only to find out …

It’s closed.

Ugh. That would have been nice to know earlier… but, we decide to head back down towards a little lodge that we passed that looked like it had a restaurant attached – as it was time for lunch!

The Table at Junipine Lodge turns out to be a true find.  Set directly alongside Oak Creek, the setting was every bit the experience we were looking for.  But it was the food that really was a treat!

 Every item on the menu was locally sourced, from the meats and fish to the nearby-harvested fruits and vegetables.  Our appetizer was some of the best hummus we’d had and my “duck and waffles” was a fun take on the southern classic!  But of course, desert was the star of the show, with the bread pudding and juniper-spiced custard topping off a great meal.

Afterwards, on the advice of our waiter, we walked down to Oak Creek itself, and all disappointments from earlier were completely forgotten.  The beautiful creek with the rising stone cliffs and plenty of different types of trees provided all that we could have asked for.

A really cool suspended footbridge also posed perfectly for a fun photo, and we were able to get a “little wander” along the creek itself.  Joining back with Paul, who had taken control of a comfortable creek-side picnic table, we loaded up and headed back to the house to prep for the afternoon’s adventures!

I guess the lesson here is to not be disappointed if your first option doesn’t pan out on vacation, because there could always be an even more wonderful experience just around the corner… and it was!

Hiking to the Cathedral!

I had done some pre-trip research and found that there was a great combination of a scenic drive and a short walk to get down to the base of the famous “Cathedral Rock”.  

After a nice recharge rest back at our house, we head off towards the Red Rock Loop road and this afternoon’s adventure! 

The wonderfully winding road gave great views across towards Cathedral Rock itself, with each bend in the road offering different perspectives and possible vantage points.  We finally stopped at one that looked like a proper viewing spot, and aren’t we glad that we did! 

The combination of the slight rise off the road to elevate us a bit and the gnarled old trees and cacti provided some perfect framing of our ultimate target.

I get a great photo of Paul and Kathy together, and it’s time to head off for our walk! 

It’s a good thing that we have GPS on our phones to vector us to this place, as the signs and roads wind through a residential area that I would never have thought would take us to the right spot!

But it did – and we end up at the Crescent Moon Ranch park and the start of our little hike!

A few steps from the parking lot and we’re greeted with an almost planned-for-social-media setting of trees, fenceline, an old waterwheel and mill house… and the star of the show rising behind it all.  Fortunately, that pre-trip planning let me know that there was still even more to come, just a short walk down to the lower section of the same Oak Creek we had visited that morning!

The well-maintained trails led to a flowing creek with trees providing the colorful and welcoming guides that would lead us up the creek itself.

Following the trail, we arrive at the base of Cathedral Rock, with an aptly named “rock beach”, carved from centuries of occasional water flow.  Intrepid hikers could continue and actually climb the rock, but those days are well past me now (ha!).

I absolutely loved the views and would not have missed this experience for anything – definitely one of the (many) highlights of the trip.

A fun photo of Kathy and Paul peeking out from a tree later, and we’re heading back  to the house for sunset and dinner down at the Tlaquepaque cultural marketplace!

Tomorrow’s a big day, as Kathy and I have booked an all-day excursion that will become yet another one of our “favorite days ever”.