With 90+ degree days stacking up from June all the way through September, here are some tips for beating the Sedona heat during the hot summer months.

1. Always and Never. ALWAYS carry water. Water in the desert is your fifth appendage. Most people are dehydrated to begin with and don’t even know it. But add constant high temperatures to that equation, blazing sun, dry heat, indoor air conditioning, chlorine from swimming pools and many other factors, and you have a recipe for disaster. Our bodies are mostly water. When you deplete your body of water, especially in the desert, you are asking for trouble. NEVER hike or go outside for extended periods of time without your water.

2. A Hat Is More than a Fashion Statement in Arizona. Covering your head when going outside for extended periods of time could be the difference between a nice stroll and heat stroke. So, don’t be bashful. Get it out of your closet and on your head: sun hat, Sunday hat, cowboy hat, baseball cap, sun visor, bandana, yamaka, you name it. Covering your head in Arizona is akin to covering your…

3. Cool on the Inside Means Cooler on the Outside. Here’s a tip your mama never told you. A quick way to cool down your temperature when things are starting to really heat up is to simply ingest something cool and wet on the inside. This is the time to unabashedly eat your icecream, frozen yogurt, milkshake or frosty with a defiant air. Some of our favorite places for homemade icecream include The Black Cow in uptown Sedona and Harry’s Hideaway in Cornville, Arizona.

4. Cool on the Outside Means Cooler All Over. When the heat is actually making you cranky, it’s time to get off your butt and seek relief. You can use the pool at Los Abrigados Resort and Spa for a fee or go to Slide Rock State Park or Grasshopper Point for an up close and personal encounter with Sedona’s natural water holes and a great afternoon of fun.