SPLENDOR IN THE RED ROCKS: A REWARDING DESERT DRIVE

NO MATTER WHICH WAY your flight makes its final approach to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, you will see mountains. It could be South Mountain, Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, or any number of others. But once you pick up your Avis rental car and head north to Sedona, those mountains get bigger, bolder, and a lot more colorful.

Depending on what time you land, you can play any number of Troon-affiliated golf facilities right in the Valley of the Sun. The Boulders and The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, both on your way north, are two options with fun golf and more than comfortable accommodations.

Or head to red rock country immediately by jumping on Interstate 10 west from the airport to Interstate 17 north. Hungry? Stop at Rock Springs Café, located 50 miles north of the airport in Black Canyon City (on the southbound side of I-17). It has a full menu but delicious homemade cream, fruit, and specialty pies are the big draw.

If you’re not in a rush, take exit 287 and get on AZ260. Follow that north to Route 89A, which brings you to the old mining town of Jerome, perched high on a mountainside. Stroll around and check out some funky shops, do some wine tasting, or learn about the haunted history of numerous buildings.

Route 89A also heads into Sedona, where surreal red rock formations fill the landscape. Your head will likely be spinning from the natural beauty, so get a good night’s rest at the 218-room Enchantment Resort, tucked away in a box canyon just west of downtown. Get up early the next day and find the gate directly behind the resort’s Mii amo spa, named the No. 1 Destination Spa in the U.S. in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2019.

Beyond it lies the short Vista Trail, which takes less than an hour roundtrip and leads sponsored by SPLENDOR RED ROCKS IN THE A REWARDING DESERT DRIVE GREEN HIGHWAYS to a rock spire at its top. The knoll just below it is one of the four vaunted Sedona vortex sites, which many believe exude a natural energy force. The Mescal Trail, a five-mile roundtrip without any steep climbs, includes panoramic views of the surrounding valley.

Tee it up at Seven Canyons, a Tom Weiskopf-designed course accessible to Enchantment Resort guests and Troon Privé Privilege members. Located at 4,600 feet above sea level and just a short drive from the resort, the layout is home to some of the most jaw-dropping vistas you will ever encounter on a golf course.

Forget the scorecard and soak it all in. You can recover from sore golf or hiking muscles back at Mii amo, visit nearby Red Rock State Park to see the stunning rock formations up close, or explore nearby Slide Rock State Park, especially gorgeous in the fall. All are more than worth the drive.

Check out the April 2020 Edition of TROON Magazine