Coffee Pot Trail - March 31, 2012
Last week we tackled Coffee Pot Trail (the second of the 'easy' trails we picked from our hiking book). Can you spot the coffee pot in the picture above?
This one truly is an easy walk and the views are beautiful. The trail is marked with the traditional red rock baskets in some spots, but in other spots you might wonder if you are going in the right direction. You'll see markers for Thunder Mountain Trail, Tea Cup and others but not for Coffee Pot.
Eventually, you will find yourself standing directly under the spout of the pot (which by now looks nothing like a coffee pot) and you'll have great views of Court House Butte, Snoopy Rock, Ship Rock and the valley. Uptown Sedona is hidden behind a ridge and, from this vantage point, it doesn't seem to exist!
Never fear! Pay attention and look for the unmarked split in the trail. You'll see a bush with a ring of rocks around it. Stay to the left here and wind around. Eventually, you'll get the Coffee Pot red rock formation in your sites and head in that direction to begin your trek up the red rock.
When you get to the apron of the rock formation, you will walk across some flatter areas of rock and test your balance on some narrower, rounded mounds of rock that climb up toward the base of the Coffee Pot. Like all the rock formations in Sedona, the shape and look of the Coffee Pot will change as you see it from a different perspective.
When you get to the apron of the rock formation, you will walk across some flatter areas of rock and test your balance on some narrower, rounded mounds of rock that climb up toward the base of the Coffee Pot. Like all the rock formations in Sedona, the shape and look of the Coffee Pot will change as you see it from a different perspective.
Eventually, you will find yourself standing directly under the spout of the pot (which by now looks nothing like a coffee pot) and you'll have great views of Court House Butte, Snoopy Rock, Ship Rock and the valley. Uptown Sedona is hidden behind a ridge and, from this vantage point, it doesn't seem to exist!
If you take your time and stop along the way to take lots of pictures (like we did), you will get there in about an hour (the trek is only about a mile). The trip down to the parking lot will take you about 45 minutes.
Sedona attracts many visitors from all 50 states and from many countries. Our hikers are friendly and helpful. Don't hesitate to ask directions. Bring your hiking book or map and lots of water! Once you have hiked among the red rocks, you will never be the same!
Sincerely, Sluggish Sam
During our climb, we were treated to a view of some skilled rock climbers, scaling the tall rock in this picture to get to the small knob on the top!
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