Is Sedona Still Pristine? (Phoenix: spring break, chapel, home)

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by agorski

When we first visited in 2000 we immediately thought it would be like living in a theme park with 5 million visitors a year, and we never found where the locals lived (apparently Cottonwood and VOC). So we weren't interested and ended up in Prescott. That hasn't changed.

Since then, as mentioned above, the AirBnB's have really hurt the neighborhoods since the legislature passed the law that does not allow cities to regulate short-term rentals because "freedom". Locals can't find affordable housing, and those that do own a home have to put up with loud parties next door. This is new in the last 10 years.

Flagstaff suffers from this as well, but not on as large a scale, I think.

The house next to mine was purchased earlier this year by a young couple who lived in it until a few weeks ago. It will be an AirBnB until they return in the spring. They're living in Telluride, CO for the winter and also have a "permanent" home in Scottsdale.

Should be interesting.

RM

[NW Crow]

Sedona as a town is very low density and so is the county relative to US average and many places.

Sedona is 1/16th the density of Seattle. That affects how the place operates and is perceived.

[DeplorablePatriot]

Thank you for all of your input. It certainly sounds as though Sedona has gone through more growing pains since my last visit. When placing the housing costs, and tourist situation aside, it still sounds inviting. We'll certainly spend some time there again before making any decisions. Our area on the Olympic Peninsula is admittedly beautiful, with moderate weather, but the drug, crime and homeless problems are at the point where it is beginning to overshadow the natural beauty here. My town of Sequim doesn't suffer from those problems nearly like our neighboring town of Port Angeles, which is on the fast track to becoming pure squalor. If it creeps in too close, we are out of here. Our neighbors just moved after 35 years in the same home. They sought seclusion and quiet. Boy, did they ever find it! They found a small home East or NE of Santa Fe NM on over 100 acres of nothing but grasses and sage, coyotes and antelope. Too remote for me!

[jamies]

The homeless problems in the AZ mountain areas is mostly hidden from the tourists, except for a few panhandlers and bums in downtown Flag. I haven't been up there in a few months so it might be worse or better now.

Many of the forest road dispersed camping areas have changed in the past few years from Phoenician "overlanders" camping in built rigs, or bringing their toy haulers for a weekend, towed by their $100,000 pickups to increasing numbers of "nearly homeless" aka "Nomads" living permanently in junky motor homes from the 1970's.

They can stay for two weeks on Forest service land, then switch to BLM, then maybe move 15 miles to a different forest, then cycle back to the original.

Beats needing a million bucks for a starter home.

You risk theft parking your car at any trailhead with anything of value in it. We are at the point when we go hiking with a group that someone stays back to watch the cars. It's just a shame.

[adventuregurl]

Traffic is very BAD, there are not enough roads for the traffic and nowhere to build more.

I used to live in Sedona but moved about 25 minutes away 9 years ago and honestly hardly ever go back. It's not what it used to be

When you say Oak Creek, there is the Village of Oak Creek (VOC to locals) and Oak Creek Canyon, two very different places.

Every other house is an Airbnb which has really changed Sedona for the worst.

Good luck in your decision.

[aquatone]

Originally Posted by DeplorablePatriot

Thank you for all of your input. It certainly sounds as though Sedona has gone through more growing pains since my last visit. When placing the housing costs, and tourist situation aside, it still sounds inviting. We'll certainly spend some time there again before making any decisions. Our area on the Olympic Peninsula is admittedly beautiful, with moderate weather, but the drug, crime and homeless problems are at the point where it is beginning to overshadow the natural beauty here. My town of Sequim doesn't suffer from those problems nearly like our neighboring town of Port Angeles, which is on the fast track to becoming pure squalor. If it creeps in too close, we are out of here. Our neighbors just moved after 35 years in the same home. They sought seclusion and quiet. Boy, did they ever find it! They found a small home East or NE of Santa Fe NM on over 100 acres of nothing but grasses and sage, coyotes and antelope. Too remote for me!

Perhaps my perspective as a more recent resident of Sedona coming from a major metropolitan area will help. (Bay Area) I have lived in West Sedona for over 2-years and simply love it! I often read comments that Sedona is not what it was 20 or 50 years ago, how it is all AirBnB's, the traffic is so bad etc, etc. That old Sedona is not coming back and is frankly irrelevant to anyone considering moving here. It's all relative to where you are from and what you are used to.

Yes, the traffic can be busy but you soon get a feel for its weekly and seasonal rhythms and you plan around it... It's like the weather. If you come from a major metropolitan area it is not THAT bad. Likewise, though AirBnB's and affordable housing is a hot local issue, it depends where you live. Short-term rentals are not allowed by many HOA's (like mine) and the neighborhoods reflect that. I believe somewhat over 20% of the housing stock is rental/AirBnB's which still leaves the majority as not. In my part of West Sedona, there are locals you meet every day. It's also characteristic of Sedona that it is mainly busy with tourists along the 179 and 89A corridors but a few blocks away it is the clean, quiet, manicured and "pristine" neighborhoods it appears you are looking for. You do on occasion see homeless persons panhandling on the corner near Whole Foods for example, but it's a non-issue compared to what you are describing in WA. I have never felt unsafe. People are here to have a good time.

One other point is that living in Sedona does not mean you have to spend all your time here. I do a lot of activities in Cottonwood with its more "normal" populace and is only 16 minutes away from my house. In fact, I can often get there quicker than VOC. Biggest surprise after moving here was I thought I would do "big box store" shopping in Prescott which is around 75 minutes away but it's a pain in the neck drive. Much easier is going to Northern Phoenix or Scottsdale with far better major city amenities in 90-100 minutes. That would be a daily commute back in the Bay Area so I just put on music/radio and it's an easy straight freeway drive. That you drive more in Arizona is part of life here, but I love having access to Phoenix, Prescott, anywhere in the Verde Valley or Flagstaff, and at the end of the day, get back to Sedona where you are thankful to live in such a pristine and beautiful place and wake up to an awesome view in the morning.

[brokencrayola]

My family and I visited Sedona around 16 years ago. I absolutely loved it there and have wanted to go back since. I got some wonderful sunset photos at the red rocks. It was so clean and the people very friendly. We went September/October and we missed the rainy season and it was not hot. The weather was perfect and we could even eat dinner outside. Now I realize that was 16 years ago, so things may be different.

[CCS414]

I dont know if I'd use the word pristine. It gets thousands of hikers and mountain bikers each year but I think local volunteers do a pretty good job of keeping trash picked up and the trails in good condition. To me Sedona is like Estes Park, CO, ridiculously beautiful but the crowds and traffic make it an unpleasant place to live.

And the traffic between Village of Oak Creek and Sedona has gotten way out of hand. I was there mountain biking just about a year ago and I remember passing a line of cars on my way to the trailhead from VOC. Everyone was just sitting there not moving and it wasn't even a holiday or a weekend. I've heard similar sentiment from other people that were not familiar with the area and did not know ahead of time how crowded it would be.

If they have not already done so, then the city of Sedona probably should start offering shuttles to curb traffic congestion, something similar to what is offered at Zion.

[aquatone]

Originally Posted by CCS414

I dont know if I'd use the word pristine. It gets thousands of hikers and mountain bikers each year but I think local volunteers do a pretty good job of keeping trash picked up and the trails in good condition. To me Sedona is like Estes Park, CO, ridiculously beautiful but the crowds and traffic make it an unpleasant place to live.

And the traffic between Village of Oak Creek and Sedona has gotten way out of hand. I was there mountain biking just about a year ago and I remember passing a line of cars on my way to the trailhead from VOC. Everyone was just sitting there not moving and it wasn't even a holiday or a weekend. I've heard similar sentiment from other people that were not familiar with the area and did not know ahead of time how crowded it would be.

If they have not already done so, then the city of Sedona probably should start offering shuttles to curb traffic congestion, something similar to what is offered at Zion.

The city IS at the moment contemplating shuttles to some of the most popular trailheads. (My son has a job helping direct traffic in Sedona and sees it all)

Calling Sedona unpleasant to live in is wide of the mark. Again it depends on where in Sedona you live and how you orient your life around the ebb and flow of the tourist season. And living there does not mean that is where you do all your routine life tasks. My house is in Sedona, but my life is oriented around an area encompassing Flagstaff to Cottonwood to Phoenix/Scottsdale.

[3STRSSN]

Yes there a plan on starting a shuttle service to popular trailheads, rumor is it will be right in the heart of where
The traffic congestion is located.
OP, as you might have already noted, opinions are very different from people who’ve lived here for several years versus recent transplants..especially transplants from bigger cities. We are a town of now less than 10,000 residents, we should not be seeing LA/Bay Area rush hour type traffic here, but we are. There used to be off peak tourist seasons, however since COViD, it’s busy all week all year ..except maybe Wednesdays. (I commute weekdays for work and I’m on the trails on the weekend, so I have a pretty good gauge of local traffic)