Bell Rock is the first great butte you meet when you come north from the interstate into Sedona, and it looks every inch the part: a symmetrical, flaring cone of red sandstone, banded in cream and rust, rising from a flat of juniper and prickly pear beside State Route 179. Its shape is a gift to photographers, and on a still evening, when the sun sets behind it, the rock seems to glow from inside. Courthouse Butte stands next to it like a patient companion.
The area has a reputation beyond geology. Sedona's red rocks are said by some to hold vortexes, places where spiritual energy supposedly gathers, and Bell Rock is one of the best known. New Age pilgrims gather to meditate on its flanks, and shops in town sell crystals and guided tours. Whether you believe it or not, the spot has an atmosphere, partly from the stillness of the desert, partly from the crowds of people looking for something. The rock itself is Schnebly Hill sandstone, laid down about 280 million years ago in a vast desert of dunes and tidal flats, and its red colour comes from iron oxide, which is, if you like, the rust of an ancient landscape.
Highway 179, the Red Rock Scenic Byway, is the road in, and it is a good one in its way. It runs about fifteen miles from the interstate through the Village of Oak Creek to Sedona, with wide shoulders, a series of roundabouts, and views of the rocks in every direction. It is not a technical ride but a slow, scenic one, with plenty of cars, cyclists and tour jeeps, so the pace is leisurely. Early morning is the best time, when the sun is low and the traffic light. In midsummer the heat is intense, and in winter the nights are cold, with the occasional dusting of snow on the rocks.
Parking at the trailhead requires a Red Rock Pass or equivalent, which is sold at machines, and the car park fills early. The Village of Oak Creek, just three kilometres south, has petrol, supermarkets and a good choice of cafes, and Sedona proper has all the rest, at a price. Stay on the trails, because the desert soil is fragile, and take water even for a short walk. If you can, come back at dusk, when the colours deepen to crimson and the day-trippers have gone.