where the story begins

For thousands of years, Oak Creek Canyon has been sustained by one of Arizona's most precious resources - water.

Long before modern roads wound through the canyon, Indigenous peoples recognized the abundance created by Oak Creek's year-round flow. The rich alluvial soil, cooler temperatures, and protection provided by the towering canyon walls created one of the most productive growing environments in Northern Arizona.

When early homesteaders arrived in the late 1800s, they discovered the same opportunity.

Small farms soon appeared along the creek, where families planted apples, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, and cherries while raising gardens, livestock, and children beside the water.

What began as a way of life would eventually shape the identity of Oak Creek Canyon itself.

the apple orchards that defined a canyon

By the early twentieth century, apples had become the signature crop of Oak Creek Canyon.

The canyon's unique combination of fertile soil, abundant water, high elevation, and cool evenings produced fruit unlike anywhere else in Arizona.

Each season followed the same familiar rhythm.

Spring blossoms blanketed the orchard.

Summer brought irrigation, pruning, and careful tending.

Autumn filled the canyon with harvest as apples were picked, packed into wooden crates, and shipped throughout Arizona.

Long before tourism became Sedona's economy, apples were among its first industries.

Today, many of those historic orchards have disappeared.

Here at Orchard Canyon, they continue to flourish.

Some of our apple trees are now more than one hundred years old and still bear fruit each season - a living connection to those early orchardists whose care helped shape this remarkable landscape.

from homestead to hospitality

Around the turn of the twentieth century, a modest homestead was established on what is now Orchard Canyon.

The original cabin - now part of today's kitchen - served as the center of family life.

As miners traveled from nearby Jerome to fish and enjoy Oak Creek Canyon, they often needed lodging and a warm meal.

Recognizing that opportunity, the Todd family established Todd's Lodge around 1929, adding cabins and welcoming guests with simple hospitality and generous home-cooked meals.

Their famous fried chicken dinners became legendary throughout Northern Arizona.

The tradition they began was never simply about serving food.

It was about making guests feel at home.

That philosophy continues to guide Orchard Canyon today.

The Garland Years

In 1972, Bill and Georgiana  Garland purchased Todd's Lodge and began the next chapter of its story.

Rather than replacing the property's character, they preserved it.

The orchard remained central to the guest experience.

The gardens continued to provide fresh ingredients for the kitchen.

New cabins were thoughtfully added while maintaining the intimate feeling that guests had always loved.

Generations of families returned year after year, creating traditions that continue today.

Under the Garlands' stewardship, Orchard Canyon became known throughout Arizona for genuine hospitality, exceptional cuisine, and a deep respect for the land that made it all possible.

Stewardship for the Next Generation

Today, Orchard Canyon continues that legacy.

The orchard remains productive.

The gardens continue to flourish.

Oak Creek still nourishes the land just as it did more than a century ago.

Chef-prepared meals continue the tradition of gathering around the table.

Guests still wake to birdsong, spend afternoons beside the creek, and end evenings beneath extraordinary dark skies.

While much has changed around Sedona, Orchard Canyon remains rooted in the values that first shaped this property:

• Stewardship.
• Generous hospitality.
• Connection to the land.
• Simple pleasures.
• Authentic experiences.
• History is not something preserved behind glass.
• Here, history continues to grow, bloom, harvest, and welcome guests every season.

Become Part of the Story



Every guest who visits Orchard Canyon becomes part of a story that began more than a century ago.

Whether you're walking beneath century-old apple trees, sharing a meal with loved ones, exploring Oak Creek, or simply enjoying the quiet rhythm of the canyon, you're experiencing a living legacy unlike anywhere else in Arizona.

We invite you to slow down.

Reconnect with the land.

Create new traditions.

And become part of the next chapter of Orchard Canyon's story.