Helicopter and Biplane Tours

Get a different perspective on the Verde Valley [1] region’s natural beauty. Arizona Helicopter Adventures (235 Air Terminal Dr., 928/282-0904, www.azheli.com [2]) skims the massive buttes and green forests that proliferate the area, descending into canyons and climbing over rugged mountains. The Red Rock Roundup ($65 per person) surveys the area’s best-known formations, like Bell and Snoopy Rocks, as well as the Chapel of the Holy Cross [3] and Bear Wallow Canyon.

For a look at prehistoric Native American ruins in Boynton Canyon, take the Ancient Ruins Tour ($115 per person), which also visits Secret Canyon and provides some context to the enormous size of the Mogollon Rim and Colorado Plateau.

Take to the skies in a helicopter or Red Waco biplane with Sedona Air Tours (1225 Airport Rd., 928/204-5939, www.sedonaairtours.com [4]). The popular biplane flights can accommodate two passengers at a time, with a pilot providing commentary about the changing landscape. Tours range in price and length from the 20-minute Classic Tour ($99 per person)—which soars past Bell Rock, the Chapel of the Holy Cross [3], Mund’s Canyon, and Devil’s Kitchen—to an hour-long flight through Sedona [5] and Oak Creek ($489 per person).

The signature Ancients Way helicopter journey (25 minutes, $116 per person) surveys Secret Canyon, Fay’s Arch, and the Sinaguan cliff dwellings of Boynton Canyon. Combination trips that incorporate jeep tours, fishing, white-water rafting, and flights to the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley are available.