Verde Valley Hot Air Balloon Ride

Sightseeing  :  United States  :  Arizona  :  Cottonwood  :  Balloon Rides

Hot air balloon flights are meant to take in panoramic views and vistas of the surrounding natural beauty. That is why Verde Valley Balloons flies in the Cottonwood area, 20 miles south of Sedona, not in the Red Rocks area. To see the Red Rocks, we suggest taking a jeep tour. There's no better way to get up close and personal with the rock formations. But if you'd like to experience extraordinary views (depending upon the weather and wind direction) of Mingus mountain, the Verde River, the Prescott National Forest, Tuzigoot National Monument, Jerome, Cottonwood, or sites as far away as Sedona and even the San Francisco peaks at the base of the Colorado Plateau near Flagstaff, you will want to fly with Verde Valley Balloons in Cottonwood because you simply can't see those vistas anywhere else.We fly most mornings at sunrise, weather permitting. Our meet time is generally about ½ hour before sunrise. We begin by meeting you at the either at the Java Love Café in Sedona or the Wal-Mart in Cottonwood, whichever is closer to you. From there we transport you to our launch site, which is about a 20 minute drive from Sedona. Once at the launch site, we will inflate the balloon and fly about 1 hr. We launch about ¼ mile away from the Verde River. If the winds are just right the Pilot may be able to maneuver the balloon over the water, possibly skimming the surface. Even though we can’t guarantee it, many times there is wildlife in and along the river that you can see. Then, we typically fly above some small canyons and arroyos as we float over the Prescott National Forest. Remember a forest in the high desert is not the same as a forest in the other parts of the country. After that the Pilot always takes you as high as the winds will allow so you get to see Sedona about 15 miles off in the distance, and usually all the way up to the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. Our Ground Team follows us and is there at the landing site, packs up the equipment and transport’s you back to the meeting site for a post flight celebration consisting of a champagne toast and a light snack. (Non-alcoholic alternatives are always available as well) Each person that flew will also receive a commemorative flight certificate to celebrate their adventure. The whole duration of the adventure is about 4 hours.