Last Updated on May 26, 2023 by Deanne
Thinking of hiking Sedona to immerse yourself in gorgeous red rock scenery? Good choice! But it can be overwhelming deciding which of Sedona’s 200 hiking trails to embark on.
With a variety of short hikes, long hikes, easy hikes, and challenging ones, how do you choose? Since you likely won’t be able to fit them all into your Sedona itinerary, we’ve got some tips to help you narrow down your choices. PLUS, we detail 4 incredible Sedona hiking adventures—including our encounter with a javelina!
Sedona’s 400 miles of hiking trails lead to and through mountains, canyons, buttes, and overall beauty. The red and orange sandstone terrain—caused by iron oxide in the rock— draws many people to the area as it produces a stunning panorama. With its mild winters and warm summers, the weather in Sedona makes it a perfect year-round getaway for nature-lovers. Now let’s get you out on the trails…
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SEDONA HIKING TRAILS
Consider the lengths of the hiking trails.
The great thing about the variety of Sedona hiking trails is that you have your pick of short or long hikes, or a mixture of both.
Depending on how much time you have during your Sedona visit, you may decide to embark on shorter hikes to fit more of them in. That’s a great way to see a lot of different views and fill in smaller gaps in your itinerary.
You could also plan one long hike and the rest short. A longer hike can be a rewarding experience as you take your time trekking through the red rock terrain, and include a break for a scenic picnic lunch.
A third—and thrilling—option is to do a Jeep tour through one of the longer trails and then hike the others that interest you. A guided Jeep tour takes you up, over, and around the red cliffs and is an exciting way to knock out one of the scenic uphill trails.
When deciding on the length of trail that best suits you, consider your stamina and interest (and others if you’re hiking with a partner or group). Plan ahead and research the trail’s distance, elevation, and difficulty before deciding.
The weather and time of day also play a part. The views at the end of a long hike may be enticing, but if it’s an extremely challenging trek and you schedule it during the hottest part of the day—you might be in for more than you bargained for.
Include a variety of Sedona views.
In Sedona, you’ll have your choice of spectacular views to hike to—taking in the beauty from high on a summit, cliff, or natural bridge, down in a canyon, or out from a cave, at sunset or sunrise, and many more possibilities. Mix it up! Choose a variety of hikes with different vantage points to see the diverse beauty Sedona has to offer.
Look for hiking trails that provide different experiences.
Decide what kind of experience you want to embark on. Do you want more of a leisurely hike to take in the scenery, a challenging trek, or a rocky climb to make you work for your views? How about some of each? Some Sedona trails follow a wide level path while others are narrow and rugged. Still others offer a straight up rock scramble. Of course, you should always consider your fitness level when deciding which trails to venture on.
Some hikes are more popular than others, so you’ll find yourself with many other hikers along the trail. At the most scenic parts of these hikes there can be a large crowd gathered taking pictures. If that bothers you, opt for a lesser-known or a more remote trail. But keep in mind the popular trails are popular for a reason. With grand views and exciting journeys to get there, following the crowd isn’t a bad thing. To enjoy the trails in peace, consider getting a very early start in the morning to beat the crowds.
4 Incredible Sedona Hiking Adventures
Our family of five (my husband Ryan and me along with our two teens and a tween) visited Sedona in October after spending a day at the Grand Canyon. We only had a couple days to explore the area and we knew we wanted to take in a variety of experiences and views. We thoroughly researched hiking trails to spend our limited time wisely.
First, we wanted to scope out the best place to see the sunrise. We always make time for this no matter where we are on our travels. Then, we wanted a fun and exciting shorter trail that our teens would enjoy. (Traveling to Sedona with teens? Click the link for important tips.)
I, personally, wanted a hike that pushed me out of my comfort zone a bit—especially if it led to a stunning, albeit scary, viewpoint. I’m scared of heights, but love challenging and overcoming that fear little by little. Then, for our last hike we wanted something different than the others we had done, which took us to a cave high up in the red rock—and a little too close to a javelina!
Here are the trails we chose to experience Sedona’s striking landscape:
SUMMIT TRAIL (AIRPORT MESA)
Our first morning in Sedona, Ryan and I got up early and let the kids sleep in. We ventured to Airport Mesa to see the sunrise. This is a dramatic spot to watch the sun come up (and go down.) With only a short walk up to the mesa, you’re met with sweeping views of the beautiful town nestled into the surrounding red rock walls. The rising sun sets the landscape aglow, which is nothing short of breathtaking.
You won’t be alone at this popular sunrise spot, but the area is still very peaceful as it’s wide and flat with plenty of room for people to spread out.
Important details:
- Distance: If you get a close parking spot, it’s about a 5-minute walk up to the mesa summit. Not to be confused with the Airport Loop Trail (3.2 miles) or the Sedona View Trail (1.4 miles).
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 10 minutes roundtrip, if you park in the nearby parking lot
- Description: Ascend rocky steps approximately 60 feet. It gets narrow near the top but there’s a guide rope to hold. It’s convenient to town, a great location to view the sunrise or sunset, and offers stunning 360-degree views.
- Parking: There is a small lot with about 10 parking spaces right at the bottom of Summit trail. Otherwise, farther up the road there is a larger lot that costs $3. From there you hike the Sedona View Trail (.7 miles one way) to get to the mesa summit.
CATHEDRAL ROCK TRAIL
The Cathedral Rock Trail is a short, steep climb up red rock leading to some of the most stunning views in all of Sedona. My kids don’t always get excited about hiking, but this was a fun and challenging rock scramble that everyone could get on board with. Just make sure everyone has proper footwear.
It’s also a very popular trail, so be aware that it could be crowded.
It took us a half-hour to make the ascent and then we spent 25 minutes at the top taking pictures and exploring. When you reach the top there will be an ‘end of trail’ sign. As you face that sign, go left and venture around some tall rock walls to be faced with a jaw-dropping view!
Go to the right of the sign to make your way to a very Instagrammable spot out on a ledge. You’ll want to have someone take your picture from a distance to get the full view of where you are.
Important details:
- Distance: 1.2 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
- Time: 1 hour roundtrip
- Description: This very popular trail is more of a climb than a hike, as it ascends 740 ft. in a short amount of time. The 360-degree views make the trek more than worth it.
- Parking: You need a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park here. There is one lot that fills up quickly and you are not allowed to park on the road. Be prepared for a line of cars waiting for a spot to open.
DEVIL’S BRIDGE TRAIL
It’s not the journey to Devil’s Bridge that makes this a very popular route. It’s not even the phenomenal view once you get there (although that’s a BIG part of it!) Devil’s Bridge is most popular for the epic—and risky—photo opportunity it presents.
Those who are brave enough can walk out onto the narrowest portion of the arch and pose while someone stays back to take a picture of the daring feat. It’s actually not as risky as it looks in pictures. At its narrowest, the bridge is roughly 5-7 feet wide. (I’m scared of heights, and I didn’t have a problem walking out there.)
This spot gets busy and there is often a wait to walk out onto the bridge. But it’s good to have other people around so you can have someone take your picture for you. Most often people line up and give their phone/camera to the person behind them in line to snap a few pictures. Tip: If you are taking pictures of another person or group posing out on the bridge, make sure to take a LOT. Horizontal, vertical, from different angles, making sure to get some of the foreground for a good perspective of just how high off the ground they are. Most people only get one chance to walk out onto the bridge because of the crowd waiting, so be sure to capture it all. In fact, the person who was taking our pictures even got video of us walking out there which was an added bonus.
To avoid the big crowds (and sometimes up to an hour wait to walk onto the bridge!) get an early start or arrive later in the evening.
Important details:
- Distance: 4.2 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Time: 2 hours roundtrip
- Description: We started our hike at the Mescal Trailhead, and then followed Chuckwagon Trail. It is an easy walk along trees and unique-looking desert bushes and plants before meeting up with Devil’s Bridge Trail. From here, you have 1 mile left to hike. The trail starts out wide and then, the last ¼-mile or so it becomes steep with steps and a bit of a scramble up to where you reach Devil’s Bridge.
- Parking: Park at the Mescal Trailhead located on Long Canyon Road. You need a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park here. The lot can fit about 25 cars. Get there early for a spot.
BIRTHING CAVE
We added this trail to our itinerary because we wanted something different than the other hikes we had done. The view from this cave (which is more like a small bowl) is totally unique and incredible. We got up before dawn to start this trek and we’re glad we did. This trail can get busy, but we were the only ones on it for a long time. Some people say morning is not the best time to do this hike because the sun shines directly into the Birthing Cave at that time. But we got there just as the sun was appearing over the red rock landscape and we got stunning views. Take a look.
The pictures are a little deceiving. The bowl-like cave is not very big. The fishbowl effect makes it look bigger than it is.
One thing not pictured is the javelina that almost prevented us from making it to the cave! We had to turn around TWICE on our hike because we came upon a wild boar-like animal blocking our path. (We later found out it was a javelina.) Quickly backtracking to an opening in the trail, we were about to give up hope of being able to experience the Birthing Cave, but then we met another couple who was heading there. We felt there was strength in numbers, so we continued toward the cave making a lot of noise as we went. We must have scared the animal away, because we never saw him again. Whew! We definitely didn’t want to miss this view!
Important details:
- Distance: 2 miles
- Difficulty: Easy until you reach the cave, then moderate scrambling to get up into the cave
- Time: 50 minutes roundtrip (not including time spent in the cave)
- Description: This trail is an easy walk but not very well marked. Starting at the Long Canyon Trailhead, you’ll walk a little over half a mile when you come to this wooden fence at an opening.
Turn left to follow toward the Birthing Cave. You’ll know you’re heading in the right direction if there is a barbed wire fence on your right. Also look way ahead and a little to your left at the red rock walls facing you. You’ll see a heart-shaped impression in the wall, like this:
Follow along until you reach that point – that’s the Birthing Cave. The cave is more like a small bowl. It’s a bit of a scramble to get up into it, but it is so worth it. Inside, the cave walls are steep and slick. If you have good traction on your shoes you should be able to climb up and sit on a very narrow ledge to look out.
- Parking: Park at the Long Canyon Trailhead. (It can only fit a few cars, but there is also a little room on the shoulder of the road.)
Hiking Sedona requires a bit of preparation in order to get the most out of your time. Plan carefully and fit in a variety of views and experiences based on your fitness level and you won’t be disappointed—everywhere you look in Sedona you’re met with picturesque panoramas!
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