Arizona: Passing and Staying — Red Rock & Switchbacks

Hotel McCoy led into the third day of the Arizona trip. A day of tight roads, red rock, and places designed to be seen in motion, Jerome and Sedona both ask different things of you: one pulls your attention upward, the other outward.

I found myself passing through more than staying, but I couldn't help but to notice what lingered anyway.

Jerome, Arizona, known as America’s Largest Ghost Town, leans fully into the idea. Fake skeletons and “haunted” restaurants line the streets, anchored by the Jerome Grand Hotel — a former hospital overlooking the Verde Valley.

It’s a quaint tourist trap with a kitschy, over-the-top façade, and undeniably unique scenery that makes it easy to understand why photographers stop here.

How was the food? I have no idea, I never saw the waitress. Time ran out and it was time to head off to Sedona.

Sedona driving was a navigational maze of traffic and roundabouts, made worth it by sweeping views of red rock formations, deep canyons, and a remarkable guide named Lana. Even in motion, there were moments that asked to be noticed.

And passing doesn’t mean forgetting.