We have arrived in Moran, Wyoming for our summer work camping job at Luton’s Teton Cabins.  I still have to finish up on our posts about our drive up to the Tetons from Arizona.  Today’s post will finish up our brief trip to Sedona, Arizona, where we visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross, and Montezuma Castle.

CHAPEL OF THE HOLY CROSS

The Chapel was inspired and funded by a local artist, Marguerite Brunswig Staude, and completed in 1956.  She wanted to build the Chapel as a monument to faith.  The view of the Chapel is impressive, approximately 250 feet tall.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Sedona runs the Chapel, and holds Taize Prayer services on Monday evening.  That is the only service that is held in the Chapel on a regular basis.  Weddings are permitted, but many restrictions apply.  A small parking lot is at the base of the Chapel, and there is a long, winding walkway up to the entrance.

Walkway to Chapel entrance

The view of the area is stunning.

Parking lot and surrounding scenery

The interior of the Chapel is small, and there is a gift shop in the basement.

The Chapel is a stunning place to visit, say a prayer, and remember loved ones.  The plaque by this angel states “And He shall give his angel charge over you to keep you in all ways.”

MONTEZUMA CASTLE

South of Sedona, in Camp Verde, is Montezuma Castle National Monument.  Between 1100 and 1300, Southern Sinagua farmers built a five-story dwelling into a cliff about 100 feet above the valley floor.  It is believed the building had a total of 45 rooms.   The Castle became a national monument in 1906, and up until the 1950’s,  visitors were able to climb up ladders to view the Castle up close.

The bushes in front of the cliff are the Creosote Bush, among the oldest plants on Earth.  Creosote has been used to treat everything from toothaches to chicken pox.

A 45-room “Castle”

They believe this area was chosen due to it’s close proximity to water, and native vegetation that they could live off of.  Beaver Creek is just a few hundred yards from the cliff.

Beaver Creek

After the park service discontinued letting people climb up 100 foot tall ladders to view the Castle up close, they built this diorama so visitors could get a better idea of what life was like in the Castle.

For the past several years, I have been getting “stamps” at all the places operated by the  National Park Service that we visit.  Our friend Ellen decided that was a great way to keep a record of the places that her and Tom visit, and she purchased her own National Parks Passport book.  Here is Ellen getting her very first stamp of Montezuma Castle!  This year they also have a 100th anniversary stamp of the death of Teddy Roosevelt, in addition to the regular stamps.

Quote for the Day:  “Travel makes one modest.  You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert