Day 4

From Red Rocks to Ghost Towns 🚗⛰️

I tried going to bed later last night in the hope that I’d finally sleep in this morning… but no luck. I was wide awake at 5:30am. It probably didn’t help that an unknown number tried calling us in the middle of the night either. I remember having similar problems on previous overseas trips, so I think my body just doesn’t adapt particularly well to different time zones. It makes me grateful I never worked as an international flight attendant!

After packing up, we sadly said goodbye to beautiful Sedona and headed toward our first stop of the day—the historic town of Jerome.

For obvious reasons, I was very interested in visiting somewhere that shares my surname, and I was curious to see what we’d find. Before arriving, I’d read that Jerome was known for its ghost town atmosphere, dramatic mountainside setting, quirky arts scene, and allegedly haunted buildings—so expectations were already fairly high.

The drive from Sedona wasn’t especially long, but the scenery changed noticeably as we climbed higher into the Black Hills of central Arizona. Sitting at around 1,500 metres above sea level, Jerome was noticeably cooler than Sedona, with darker skies suggesting the weather was beginning to turn.

The town itself was fascinating straight away. Perched precariously on the side of Cleopatra Hill, Jerome almost looks like it’s clinging to the mountain. Narrow winding roads, steep hillsides, old staircases, and historic brick buildings give the place a really distinctive character. There were also some incredible mountainside homes mixed amongst an eclectic collection of galleries, cafés, wineries, antique stores, and gift shops.

Jerome’s history is just as interesting as its appearance. Originally established as a copper mining town in the late 19th century, it quickly became one of the wealthiest mining communities in Arizona thanks to the huge copper deposits discovered nearby. At its peak, more than 15,000 people lived here, and the town developed a reputation for being rough around the edges, filled with miners, gambling halls, saloons, and brothels. When the mining industry eventually declined, Jerome’s population collapsed and it was nearly abandoned completely—leading to its “ghost town” reputation today. Rather than disappearing entirely though, the town reinvented itself as an artist and tourism community, which honestly gives it a really unique atmosphere.

Our first stop was coffee—which I promptly managed to spill down myself. After that excitement, I was determined to explore the shops in search of anything with the name “Jerome” on it. Success. I ended up buying a Jerome T-shirt, an espresso cup, and another Christmas ornament for our collection. Adding to the atmosphere, marathon runners were sporadically making their way through town while locals stood outside cheering them on.

Possibly the town’s most famous landmark is the Jerome Grand Hotel, which sits high above the town overlooking the valley below. The building originally opened in 1927 as the United Verde Hospital, serving the mining community during Jerome’s boom years. At the time, it was considered one of the most modern hospitals in Arizona, complete with advanced medical equipment and one of the first elevators in the state. After the mining industry collapsed, the hospital eventually closed and sat abandoned for years before being transformed into a hotel in the 1990s. Today, it’s known not only for its incredible views, but also for its reputation as one of Arizona’s most haunted hotels—a detail the town seems very happy to embrace.

Getting there, however, was an adventure in itself. The road leading up to the hotel was narrow, steep, partly unsealed, and one-way in sections. If you weren’t concentrating, it was incredibly easy to miss the turn—which we did the first time around. For a few minutes, we genuinely thought we might be stuck winding through mountain roads for the next 45 minutes trying to turn around somewhere. Thankfully, a roadside viewpoint eventually saved us.

Before leaving town, I obviously had to stop for a photo with Jerome’s welcome sign. From there, we continued on toward Scottsdale. Looking at the weather forecast, I think we timed Sedona perfectly because the skies were becoming noticeably darker today, although we still managed to avoid any actual rain.

Arriving in Scottsdale, we were really happy with our accommodation. Staying at a Holiday Inn Express Scottsdale North feels slightly luxurious after constant moving around because you know exactly what you’re getting—comfortable rooms, decent facilities, and everything you need in one place. After unpacking and settling in, we headed out to a nearby Mexican restaurant that happened to be celebrating cheap taco day—which we suspect was connected to Cinco de Mayo being today.

Despite what many people assume, Cinco de Mayo is not actually Mexico’s Independence Day. Instead, it commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While it’s only modestly celebrated in parts of Mexico, it has become hugely popular in the United States—particularly in the Southwest—as a broader celebration of Mexican culture, food, music, and heritage. Judging by the number of taco specials around town today, Scottsdale was definitely embracing it.

Back at the hotel, we tackled all the glamorous travel activities—using the gym, doing two loads of laundry, and grocery shopping at a nearby Safeway. Not exactly exciting, but necessary after nearly a week on the road.

Even so, the afternoon ended up being really enjoyable. Tomorrow is officially my birthday, and it honestly made my day already receiving birthday messages from friends and family back home in Australia. It’s a nice reminder that even when you’re overseas, people are still thinking about you.

Tomorrow should be especially fun because we’re catching up with our friend Chris, whom we originally met years ago on a cruise through Asia. After almost a week of travelling, it’ll be really nice to see a familiar face again. We’ve got dinner and an escape room planned for my birthday, which should make for a memorable birthday.Read more