Sedona November 4 - Eagle’s Nest Loop and Montezuma’s Castle

Eagle’s Nest Loop Trail in Red Rock State Park

This animated map will give you an idea of what the hike was like.

Today dawned clear and cold. The temperature dropped below freezing and that showed up as frost all over our rental car. We waited for the temperature to rise. As the sun rose the frost melted and around 10:00 it was edging past 40°F. We packed up the car for the short drive to Red Rock State Park to tackle the Eagle’s Nest Loop Trail. This loop is about 2.9 miles long (it used to be shorter when both Oak Creek bridge crossings were intact but a bridge washed out and that lengthened the hike by about 0.3 miles). The hike ascends from Oak Creek to the top of a mountain gaining about 210 feet which you then must descend. The bulk of the climbing is on well maintained switchbacks that most people will have no trouble with. We spent 2 hours 15 minutes enjoying the clear, bright, if a bit crisp, morning. We took about 15 minutes in breaks.

Oak Creek flows through Red Rocks State Park creating a riperian ecozone around the water. It’s incredibly dense with flora around the creek with cottonwoods dominating but numerous other trees and such abound.

—November 4, 2022 at 10:34 AM.

Just after passing by a sign informing us about a wildlife viewing bench Mom and Dad spotted this mule deer off in the distance. I was actually able to see it with my monocular though I didn’t see it as I took this photo. A nice treat.

—November 4, 2022 at 10:44 AM.

Mom standing in front of these red rock cliffs in Red Rocks State Park which opened to the public in 1991.

—November 4, 2022 at 10:47 AM.

Looking in a generally eastern direction from Eagle’s Nest in Red Rocks State Park. I believe Cathedral Rock along with (probably about 5 miles away) other great formations can be seen in this photo.

—November 4, 2022 at 11:00 AM.

Another view from Eagle’s Nest. To reach this point you climb several reasonably gentle switchbacks. At this point we have climbed about 120 feet from Oak Creek to this point. Much of that climb is in about 0.3 miles.

—November 4, 2022 at 11:01 AM.

After leaving Eagle’s Nest we gradually climbed to the top of the plateau. The trail is easy here and sports some fantastic vistas such as this one with Cathedral Rock in the distance.

—November 4, 2022 at 11:06 AM.

—November 4, 2022 at 11:36 AM.

Near the highpoint along the Eagle’s Nest Trail. The vistas all seem to be to the east of where we are hiking, but since that means you see massive and iconic rock formations like these that is fine with us on this crisp clear day.

—November 4, 2022 at 11:37 AM.

Ken descending the red sand switchbacks heading towards Oak Creek. Photo by Jonathan

—November 4, 2022 at 12:11 PM.

Looking across the prairie towards Oak Creek and, I believe, the mountain that we just walked across on the Eagle’s Nest Trail.

—November 4, 2022 at 12:36 PM.

Montezuma’s Castle National Monument

We weren’t ready for our day to come to an end. We drove about 40 minutes to Montezuma’s Castle National Monument. If you pay for a pass at this monument you are also covered for Tuzigoot National Monument. However, since we have Golden Age and Golden Access passes we did not have to pay any entrance fees. Montezuma’s Castle is, it seems to me, a poor name for this place. It gained that name when a European explorer found the place and thought he had discovered something of the Aztec civilization (if I read the sign right). There is nothing Aztec about the people who lived here 1,000 years ago (and perhaps as recently as 700 years) but it is the name that has stuck. Perhaps because we do not know what those people called themselves, but couldn’t something better be found for the name of their dwellings ? There are numerous dwellings built into the cliffs here. It’s a remarkable achievement. To be sure the room must have been dark but they would have been as warm and as cool as could be hoped for during the winter and summer. The valley, with Beaver Creek flowing through, would have doubtless provided many resources in this otherwise harsh land.

Cliffs dwellings at Montezuma’s Castle.

--November 4, 2022 at 2:18 PM.