When someone says, “Arizona,” people automatically think desert, dry heat and lots of odd-shaped cacti.

Despite the desert feel of the area surrounding Sedona and the Verde Valley, it offers numerous picturesque swimming holes that don’t always come to mind right away for both locals and tourists.

It’s an old-fashioned way to spend a summer a day, but the simple fun and breath-taking beauty these swimming holes have to offer will create the type of memories people take with them forever. Plus, nothing beats the water and shade they each provide in the Arizona heat.

For desert-dwellers and desert-seekers, swimming holes are a perfect escape from the high-rising temperatures that scorch the summer days. Picnic baskets are highly recommended and cameras are a must.

For the full story and a list of Sedona’s best well-known and secret swimming holes, see the Wednesday, July 4, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.