Sedona, Arizona · Chapel Road · Part 4 of a Sedona Series
The Chapel of the Holy Cross is one of those places that stops you before you even get through the door. Built directly into the red rock face above Sedona, the structure rises out of the sandstone as if it had always belonged there. A 90-foot cross anchors the facade against the open sky.
We visited in the afternoon on a clear day. There were other visitors around — enough to feel the energy of the place without it becoming overwhelming. Parking was a bit tricky, but we were able to find a spot after waiting for a moment. The views from the chapel grounds stretch across the red rock landscape in every direction, and the cross against the sky creates a composition that’s hard to walk away from.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross at Night
But the shot I really wanted was at night. I returned alone at 5AM, well before sunrise. The gate was closed and “No Trespassing” signs were clearly visible, and there was nowhere to park. I had to block the gate briefly, but with no one around it felt fine.
It was a full moon that night, though as morning approached the moon began to sink and the sky darkened again. I set up my tripod, but for a moment I just stood there, taking it all in.
Being from the East Coast, it’s not every day I have the chance to experience a place like this completely alone, with the chapel, the canyon, and a wide, starry sky stretching overhead. The cross glowed against the dark sky, and the surrounding formations were reduced to dark shapes in the distance. A completely different place than the one I’d seen in daylight.
The chapel sits just off Chapel Road, about two miles from the main Sedona strip. A short walk leads up to the entrance, with wide views across the valley on the way back down.
Next in the series: Cathedral Rock — Worth Every Scramble
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