Massive fire-red monoliths and blazing sandstone spires soar from Arizona’s high desert, slashed with green stands of juniper, cypress and pinyon pines. Under intensely blue skies, tucked beneath the rim of the Colorado Plateau, Sedona is surrounded by towering red buttes and mesas. The air is clean, the forests lush, and best of all, this rugged beauty is accessible to everyone. Visitors can spend the day hiking through the canyons and the night in a luxurious resort. And there are plenty of other ways to experience this stunning landscape.

Native Americans were convinced this special place was sacred and in more modern times, Sedona has become a centre for the spiritual and mystical since Page Bryant coined the term ‘vortex’ for the electromagnetic energy she felt here. Sedona is also celebrated as one of the most vibrant art towns in the USA, with numerous galleries and renowned local artists.

Located in the heart of northern Arizona, Sedona is three hours' drive south of the daddy of all America's natural wonders, the Grand Canyon. Sedona sits at the mouth of Oak Creek canyon, which cuts its way through the escarpment at the southern edge of the ancient Colorado Plateau – a vast upland bigger than all but four individual US states. These cliffs, known as the Mogollon Rim, have been carved by water and wind into Sedona’s distinctive buttes and canyons. Surrounded by nearly two million acres of the Coconino National Forest (001 928-527-3600, www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino), this was an isolated and rough land when settlers arrived in the nineteenth century. When in 1902 the growing settlement needed a name in order to establish a new post office, landowner T.Carl Schnebly chose to call it after his wife, Sedona.

The urban area itself is now a ribbon development in the "Y" formed by two highways: 89A and 179. Though more appealing than many US town sprawls, Sedona isn’t about buildings but what surrounds them.

The landmarks of Sedona are composed mainly of layers of sandstone containing iron laid down over millions of years under the ocean, with later extrusions and lava flows. Although there are many regions of red rocks in western USA, the Schnebly Hill formation in Sedona, a 900 foot thick layer of vivid reddish-orange colouring, is unique. Two characteristic landforms here are the mesa – a broad, flat-topped ‘tableland’ with steep sides – and the butte (byoot) – a stack or hill that rises abruptly from the landscape, also with a flat top. These monoliths and slab formations have names such as Coffeepot, Snoopy, Cathedral and Bell Rock, some being more fanciful than descriptive.

Anyone who has spent wet afternoons watching old cowboy movies on television will feel at home in Sedona. Over eighty features, as well as numerous TV episodes, mini-series, music videos and advertisements have taken advantage of its setting and quality of light. Many of the cowboy movies shot during the Golden Age of the Western, from 1920’s through to the 1950’s, were filmed on location in Sedona, starring all the greats, including Randolph Scott, Robert Mitchum, Burt Lancaster and Barbara Stanwyck. ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’, from the seminal novel of the same name by Zane Grey (who loved this place, and set "Call Of The Canyon" here) was one of the first to take advantage of the striking backdrop in 1932. John Wayne came here to produce his first motion picture titled "Angel and the Bad Man" in 1946, and had a whole western town set constructed on what is now the outskirts of the community. The streets in West Sedona are still named after some of the movies that were made here. The Sedona Heritage Museum ( 001 928 282-7038, http://www.sedonamuseum.org/) has a Movie Room dedicated to the feature films shot here.

Approach Sedona for the first time from Flagstaff – it’s well worth the extra 30 miles from Phoenix to drive south down Oak Creek Canyon (Highway 89A). This switchback road twists and turns a thousand feet down the sandstone walls of the Colorado plateau, following the course of the creek through giant sycamores and cottonwood trees. The extraordinary vistas of glowing red columns and spires of rock change constantly as the road unwinds.

From the air: Red Rock Biplane Tours (001 928-204-5939, www.sedonaairtours.com) offers a 30 minute tour for $109. Helicopter tours are more expensive, but helicopters can drop deeper into the canyons and weave between the rocks. The longer in the air the better: try Arizona Helicopter Adventures (001 928-282-0904, www.arizonahelicopteradventures.com) deluxe tour at $138 for 30 minutes. A hot air balloon ride offers peace and solitude to admire the scenery. Those with permits to fly over the Coconino National Forest - Red Rock Balloon Adventures (001-800-258-3754, www.redrockballoons.com) and Northern Light Balloon Expeditions (928 282 2274, www.northernlightballoon.com) - can get a lot closer to the rocks. Both offer hour-long sunrise rides with a champagne picnic on landing. Expect to pay around $180 - $200 per person.

A drive up Airport Mesa is a must even for those who don't want to fly.. It’s Sedona’s most famous site for contemplating sunsets, or lightening storms in summer. For the most dramatic colours, look east not west: as the sun goes down watch the light reflect off the red rocks.

There are hundreds of hiking trails around Sedona, from the gentle Bell Rock Pathway to the demanding Bear Mountain trail. The US Forest Service maintains 35 trails: contact their Visitor Centre (001 928-284-5323) for complete information. Hiking and mountain-biking maps plus a selection of hiking guidebooks are available from The Storyteller Bookstore (001 928-282-2144, www.sedonabooks.com/guidebook.htm). Mountain bikes are available to rent locally, and there’s a range of trails suitable for beginners to the most experienced. Or take a picnic to Red Rock Crossing, where stately Cathedral Rock is reflected in the water of Oak Creek - one of the most photographed scenes in the southwest.

Jeep tours are the most popular way for non-hikers to get out into the wilderness as they cover a lot of Sedona's back-yard in a short time, with a range of itineraries. Pink Jeep Tours (001 928 282 5000, www.pinkjeep.com) have been operating for 45 years. Their most popular tour is the "Broken Arrow" tour at $65 for two hours. Red Rock Jeep Tours offers "Canyons and Cowboys", a sunset wilderness tour at $48 (001-928-282-6826, www.redrockjeep.com). For those interested in the spiritual side of Sedona, try Earth Wisdom Tours from $48 (001-928-282-4714, www.earthwisdomtours.com).

Other options include Hummer Affair, touted as the most environmentally-friendly tour company (001-928-282-6656, www.hummeraffair.com), or D.I.Y off-roading with a rental jeep. Sedona Jeep & Car Rentals at the airport helpfully provide trail maps with suggested itineraries. Rentals are available for ½ and full-days, $59 for 4 hours. They also sell a booklet "A Self Guided Jeep Tour" (001-928-282-2227, www.sedonacarrental.com).

You can’t get much closer to nature than swimming in Oak Creek itself. At Slide Rock State Park (001-928-282-3034, www.pr.state.az.us/parks/parkhtml/sliderock.html, $8 per car entry) the creek has eroded natural water slides through the red rock walls. Bring a swimsuit and shoes – it’s slippery underfoot.

A drive down US.89A - Oak Creek Canyon (see ‘Most Spectacular Views’) – is a must. This road is one of the eight most scenic drives in the US, according to travel company Rand McNally.

Schnebly Hill Road, built in 1902 for Sedonans to haul their produce to market in Flagstaff, offers magnificent views, but is best tackled by jeep. The Red Rock Loop road is kinder on the hire car and just as breathtaking.

Thirty miles southwest and worth a day trip is Jerome, an old mining town with a picturesque history. The road clings to the side of Cleopatra Hill, winding up 2000 vertical feet above the Verde Valley, and offers a splendid view of the red rocks of Sedona. A boom town in the 1880’s due to the vast deposits of copper in the hillside, and once known as the "wickedest town in America", Jerome became a ghost town in the 1950’s. It was rediscovered by hippies a decade later: in 1979 the entire town was arrested for growing ‘illegal agricultural products’. Today it is a thriving and colourful community of artists, artisans and writers. Contact the Jerome Chamber of Commerce for details of special events. (001-928-634-2900, www.jeromechamber.com).

For some visitors, Sedona is not just a place of outstanding natural beauty. They believe that the mystical energy of the Earth is concentrated here in ‘vortexes’, whirlpools of psychic force. Sedona’s New Age began in 1981 with author and psychic Page Bryant. Channelling her spirit guide Albion she declared it to be the "heart chakra" of the planet. From the hokey to the uplifting, Sedona is now home to the largest number of metaphysical stores outside California, and there are many organisations and individuals promising to assist in spiritual cleansing and healing with crystals, auras and psychic readings.

Visitors searching for vortexes can try Airport Mesa and Bell Rock for invigoration and inspiration, or Cathedral Rock for calming energy. For $90 per person, Spirit Steps (001-928-282-4562, www.spiritsteps.com) provide a Wheel Of Destiny & Vortex Tour, or a Drumming Ceremony for $20. Rahelio explores the Shamanic path with small groups through Sweat Lodge and other spiritual experiences for $45 -$65 (001- 928-282-6735, www.rahelio.com).

For the believer and the sceptic alike, guide Denis Andres, author of "What Is A Vortex?: A Practical Guide to Sedona's Energy Sites" (001- 928-204-2201, www.metaadventures.com/vortex.htm) offers Vortex Adventures from $225 per couple. The Sedona Heart Centre runs a variety of retreats from $250 to $2,500 (001-928-282-2733, www.sedonaheartcenter.com). The Sedona Metaphysical & Spiritual Organisation (www.sedonaspiritual.com) lists practitioners who are members of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce.

Archaeologists believe humans have lived in this locality for at least 10,000 years. However, the adobe and stone houses tucked into caves or cliff walls that are visible today date from the last thousand years. Located 20 miles south of Sedona is the oldest and best-preserved cliff-dwelling in the southwestern US. Constructed by the Sinagua (from the Spanish "without water") Indians in the 12^th century it was named Montezuma Castle by Spanish explorers who assumed it was Aztec. This 5 storey structure built into the side of a cliff is open all year (Visitor Centre: 001 928-567-3322, www.nps.gov/moca). Eleven miles further south, but still part of the Montezuma Castle National Monument, is Montezuma Well, a small lake fed by springs, formed in the sinkhole of a collapsed underground cavern. This is the site of another Sinagua settlement, dating back over 700 years. Up to 200 people lived here and the ruins of their pueblo are still visible in the walls of the well.

A couple of hours drive north of Sedona lie several historic sites maintained by the National Park Service which are well worth a visit. Sunset Crater volcano last erupted in 1065, and is named for the variegated shades of its cone, from a black lava base through red, orange and yellow cinders at the rim. There are two trails, but the rim itself is too unstable to climb. (Visitor Centre: 001-928-526-0502, www.nps.gov/sucr). The Wupatki National Monument actually consists of five separate pueblo-ruins, dating from the period after the volcanic eruption had deposited thick layers of ash which fertilised the soil. The most impressive is the Wupatki pueblo itself. A loop-trail from the Visitor Centre (001-928-679-2365, www.nps.gov/wupa) leads round this hundred-room settlement cut into the sandstone. Walnut Canyon National Monument offers a much more strenuous trail down into the canyon, but from this path walkers can actually enter some of the Sinaguan dwellings. Two hour Ranger-guided hikes are available in the summer (001- 928-526-3367, www.nps.gov/waca).

The first Europeans here were the Spanish, who passed through the region four hundred years ago looking for gold and silver mines, but left few physical traces in this vicinity. Pioneer Anglo settlers first arrived in the Sedona area the 1800’s, and settlements grew up beside Oak Creek. Fruit farmers and cattle-ranchers found markets in Flagstaff and the mining town of Jerome. By the mid-1900’s visitors attracted by the climate and scenery started to arrive. The Sedona Heritage Museum focuses on the history of Sedona from 1870 to the present.(001-928-282-7038, www.sedonamuseum.org).

Sedona is a four season destination, and each season has its own particular appeal. Early summer is hot and dry. Late summer is hot with electrical storms and bursts of afternoon ‘monsoon’ rain which quickly evaporate. Autumn brings glorious foliage to Oak Creek and the canyons. Winter is generally mild with bright sunshine, though temperatures drop below freezing at night and the sun often rises on a sprinkle of snow. Spring is warm, with desert flowers blooming.

Luxury: The Enchantment Resort, deep in Boynton Canyon, offers both indulgence and remarkable scenery. Expect to pay $295 - $1075 per room per night ( 001 928 282 2900, www.enchantmentresort.com). Recently voted one of the world’s 100 sexiest hotels, The Amara Resort (001- 928.282.4828, www.amararesort.com) has creekside rooms and suites with red rock views from $179 - $459 per night.

Moderate: Try Don Hoel’s Cabins in Oak Creek Canyon from $100 - $155 per night. These log cabins set in the ponderosa forest come without TV or telephone, but the rate includes breakfast (001-928-282-3560, www.hoels.com). The Best Western Arroyo Roble is close to the shops and galleries of uptown Sedona. As well as rooms, accommodation is available in 2-bedroom townhouses situated round lovely courtyards which back onto Oak Creek itself: rates vary from $90 for a room in low season to $345 for a villa in high season (001- 928.282.4001, www.bestwesternsedona.com) The Sky Ranch Lodge is good value. Clean and quiet, it is located at the top of Airport Mesa and has excellent views. From $75 to $189 per night (001-928-282-6400, www.skyranchlodge.com)

Budget: Camping among the pines is very popular: visitors must use official campsites to protect the forest from environmental damage. Campground cost is from $18 per night: some sites accept reservations, which are recommended. Some sites are only open in the summer months: up-to-date information is available from the National Forest Service, (001- 928-527-3600, http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/rec_redrock.shtml. Sadly, the only hostel in Sedona closed permanently last year and the nearest are now in Flagstaff, 30 miles north.

The nearest international gateway is Phoenix Sky Harbor airport (PHX - www.skyharborairport.com), 120 miles south of Sedona. British Airways flies direct to Phoenix six times a week (0870-850- 9850, www.britishairways.com) and all the major US carriers offer connecting flights to Phoenix. Alternatively, Virgin Atlantic has a direct flight to Las Vegas five times a week (08705 747 747, www.virgin-atlantic.com). From there it’s a five-hour interstate drive, with a possible detour along Route 66.

A shuttle-service operates between Phoenix Airport and Sedona, running hourly between 10 am and 8pm, costing $40 return (001-928-282-2066, www.sedona-phoenix-shuttle.com). All the usual car-hire firms have desks at Sky Harbor.

For further information about Sedona try The Arizona Office of Tourism (001-866-275-5816 , www.arizonaguide.com) and the Sedona Chamber Of Commerce (001-928-204-1123, www.visitsedona.com). For the UK representative of the Arizona Office of Tourism call 020 8237 7977.