SEDONA
HIKING GUIDE
Compare 44 Sedona hikes by area, difficulty, distance, parking, water, scenery and trail connections. Every trail includes a map and a planned link for its future full guide.
Sedona mileage rarely tells the full story
A two-mile Sedona hike can include steep sandstone, exposed ledges, route finding, loose rock and long waits for parking. A six-mile canyon walk can feel easier because shade and grade differ. Use distance, elevation, exposure, weather, parking and your group’s experience together.
This hub groups trails by location so visitors can build realistic half-day and full-day plans. Each trail card includes the information people search for most. Separate, deeper trail pages can later expand every overview without changing the hub structure.
Six trail clusters
Village of Oak Creek and Bell Rock
Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Hiline and the southern red-rock corridor. This cluster offers easy scenic walks, technical climbs and connected mileage.
Bell Rock Pathway and Climb
Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte and open red-rock views. The marked pathway stays approachable. Higher climbing routes become steep, exposed and less defined.
Courthouse Butte Loop
A full circuit around Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock with broad views, quieter eastern stretches and changing angles of the formations.
Yavapai Vista Trail Outlook
A short red-rock overlook with views toward Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte and Cathedral Rock. Good for families and limited schedules.
Hiline to Templeton
High traverses above the Village with steep side slopes, panoramic ledges and close views of Cathedral Rock. Shared with mountain bikes.
Rabbit Ears and Little Rock
Quieter desert trail with views toward Rabbit Ears, Lee Mountain, Courthouse Butte and the Village.
Slim Shady and Made in the Shade
Rolling singletrack beneath red-rock walls with Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock views. Popular with mountain bikers.
Jacks Canyon Trail
A long canyon route into Munds Mountain Wilderness with increasing solitude and significant elevation on extended versions.
Woods Canyon Trail
A quieter canyon corridor south of Sedona with open desert, seasonal water and longer wilderness options.
Cathedral Rock and Oak Creek
Cathedral Rock scrambles, creekside walks and connected routes around Baldwin, Templeton and Red Rock Crossing.
Cathedral Rock Trail
A steep sandstone scramble to the saddle between Cathedral Rock spires. Hand use, exposure and crowding raise the difficulty.
Baldwin and Templeton Loop
Rolling terrain below Cathedral Rock with Oak Creek access and close views without the summit scramble.
Red Rock Crossing
Classic creek-level views of Cathedral Rock, cottonwoods, stepping-stone crossings and broad picnic areas.
Buddha Beach
A shaded Oak Creek destination near Crescent Moon with Cathedral Rock views and informal riverside paths.
Secret Slickrock
A short slickrock walk ending at reflecting pools and a direct Cathedral Rock view after rain or snowmelt.
Easy Breezy Trail
A lower, rolling connector beneath Cathedral Rock with useful access between the Bell Rock corridor and Templeton area.
Crescent Moon Ranch Walk
A family-friendly creek walk with cottonwoods, picnic sites and open Cathedral Rock views.
West Sedona and Dry Creek
Devil’s Bridge, Boynton Canyon, Soldier Pass and the large connected network west of town.
Devil's Bridge
Sedona’s famous sandstone arch. The final approach includes steep rock steps and a narrow photo area.
Boynton Canyon
A long canyon walk with open red rock, shaded forest and a dramatic box-canyon finish.
Boynton Vista
A short spur to a red-rock knoll overlooking Boynton Canyon and Kachina Woman.
Soldier Pass and Seven Sacred Pools
Seven Sacred Pools, Devil’s Kitchen sinkhole and red-rock ledges. Side routes require careful navigation and respect for closures.
Brins Mesa Loop
A steady climb to open mesa views above Uptown, followed by loop options through Soldier Pass country.
Fay Canyon
A mostly level canyon walk below high walls. The signed trail ends before rougher social paths.
Doe Mountain
A steep but short climb to a broad mesa with panoramic views toward Bear Mountain, Boynton Canyon and the western basin.
Bear Mountain
A sustained, steep climb over multiple false summits with exposure and large western views.
Mescal Trail
A scenic traverse below Mescal Mountain with access toward Devil’s Bridge and Long Canyon. Shared heavily with bikes.
Chuckwagon Loop
Rolling red-dirt trail through juniper forest and open slickrock. Useful as a quieter Devil’s Bridge approach.
Robbers Roost
A remote sandstone alcove with a dramatic window and broad views. Navigation and rough road access matter more than mileage.
Uptown, Schnebly Hill and Broken Arrow
Central Sedona routes with high saddles, iconic formations and broad views over Uptown.
Snoopy Rock via Margs Draw
Open trail beneath Snoopy Rock and Munds Mountain with wide views across central Sedona.
Margs Draw Trail
A central Sedona connector with views of Snoopy Rock, Munds Mountain and the red-rock skyline.
Hangover Trail
A high saddle and exposed traverse with views over Oak Creek Canyon, Munds Mountain and the Sedona basin. Shared with expert mountain bikers.
Munds Wagon and Cow Pies
Historic wagon-route climbing with slickrock shelves and views across the Broken Arrow formations.
Broken Arrow and Submarine Rock
Close views of Submarine Rock, Chicken Point and red-rock walls. Expect jeep traffic at shared viewpoints.
Little Horse to Chicken Point
A gradual climb to Chicken Point with views of Twin Buttes, Submarine Rock and Munds Mountain.
Chapel Trail
A scenic route below the Chapel of the Holy Cross with views toward Twin Buttes and Cathedral Rock.
Huckaby Trail
Rolling terrain from Schnebly Hill toward Oak Creek with views of Uptown, Wilson Mountain and Mitten Ridge.
Oak Creek Canyon and northern Sedona
Cooler canyon routes, high summits and forested trails north of Uptown.
West Fork of Oak Creek
A shaded canyon walk with repeated creek crossings, tall walls and strong fall color. Water level changes the route.
Wilson Mountain
A long, steep climb to the highest major summit near Sedona with broad views into Oak Creek Canyon and the red-rock basin.
Wilson Canyon
A shaded canyon route beneath Wilson Mountain with a quieter feel than nearby summit trails.
Jim Thompson Trail
Rolling trail below Steamboat Rock with connections toward Brins Mesa, Wilson Canyon and Uptown.
Sterling Pass
A steep forested climb from Oak Creek Canyon to a high pass with views toward Vultee Arch country.
Remote canyons and swimming routes
Longer drives, rough roads, limited service and routes where water conditions create extra risk.
Sycamore Canyon Parsons Trail
A remote canyon route with perennial water, swimming holes and high cliffs. Cliff jumping carries severe risk from changing depth and submerged objects.
Bell Trail to The Crack
A long exposed route to Wet Beaver Creek and a popular swimming area known as The Crack. Heat exposure is serious.
Vultee Arch
A remote natural arch reached from rough forest roads or longer connected routes.
Secret Canyon
A long, quieter canyon hike through Dry Creek country with changing shade and deep red-rock walls.
Long Canyon
A long canyon corridor with red-rock walls, forest shade and connections toward Deadman Pass and Mescal.
Build a safer hiking day
Start times matter more than most visitors expect. Sedona’s exposed rock stores heat, popular lots fill early and afternoon monsoon storms can arrive quickly in summer.
Carry at least 1 liter per person in mild weather. Increase the amount for heat, children, dogs and exposed trails.
Plan 1.5 to 3 liters per person. Include electrolytes and salty food during warm weather.
Plan 3 to 5 liters per person based on temperature, route exposure and reliable refill options.
Choose sunrise starts, shorter shaded routes and firm turnaround times. Do not begin exposed hard hikes late in the day.
| Season | Best start | Best trail types | Main concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | Midmorning on cold days | Open red-rock routes and lower-elevation loops | Ice, snow and short daylight |
| Spring | Sunrise to early morning | Most Sedona trails | Crowds, parking and warming afternoons |
| Summer | First light | Short shaded canyon walks | Heat illness, monsoon lightning and flash floods |
| Fall | Early morning | Most routes, plus Oak Creek color walks | Crowds and rapidly shortening daylight |
Use connector trails to build better loops
Templeton
Links Cathedral Rock with Baldwin, Red Rock Crossing, Easy Breezy and the Bell Rock corridor.
Margs Draw
Connects central Sedona routes around Snoopy Rock, Huckaby and the Broken Arrow area.
Easy Breezy
Creates lower-elevation connections between Templeton, Slim Shady, Hiline and the Bell Rock network.
Deadman Pass
Links Boynton Canyon, Long Canyon, Mescal and Aerie routes in West Sedona.
Jordan and Cibola Pass
Build loops between Brins Mesa, Soldier Pass, Seven Sacred Pools and Jim Thompson.
Baldwin
Provides a less technical Cathedral Rock approach with Oak Creek access and Templeton connections.
Turn around before trouble starts
Heat
Confusion, headache, nausea, weakness, chills or stopped sweating require immediate action. Seek shade, cool the person and call 911 for serious symptoms.
Lightning
Leave summits, saddles, exposed slickrock and isolated high points when thunder develops. Summer storms often build during the afternoon.
Flash floods
Do not enter narrow canyons or swimming corridors when storms threaten upstream. Clear skies overhead do not remove flood risk.
Navigation
Download an offline map. Social paths around caves, cliff bands and creek crossings often create misleading branches.
Wet sandstone
Wet slickrock loses traction. Avoid steep scrambles during rain, snowmelt and icy mornings.
Cliff jumping
Water depth and submerged rocks change. Never assume a swimming hole is safe because someone else jumped there.
Trail mileage, access, shuttle rules, fees, road conditions and closures change. Verify current conditions before leaving.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest scenic hike in Sedona?
Yavapai Vista, Red Rock Crossing, Crescent Moon Ranch, Fay Canyon and the lower Bell Rock Pathway offer strong scenery with less climbing than Cathedral Rock, Bear Mountain or Wilson Mountain.
What hikes should first-time Sedona visitors choose?
Choose one iconic short trail, such as Bell Rock Pathway or Yavapai Vista, plus one longer canyon route, such as Fay Canyon, Boynton Canyon or West Fork. Match the route to weather and your group.
Which Sedona hikes connect together?
Templeton, Baldwin, Easy Breezy and Slim Shady form a large Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock network. Brins Mesa, Soldier Pass, Jordan and Cibola Pass create central loops. Deadman Pass links Boynton, Long Canyon and Mescal.
How early should I start hiking in Sedona?
Start popular trails near sunrise, especially Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, Bell Rock and Soldier Pass. Summer exposed hikes should begin near first light.
How much water should I bring?
Use roughly half a liter to one liter per hour as a planning range, then increase the amount for heat, exposure, children, dogs and longer routes.
Do I need a Red Rock Pass?
Many National Forest trailheads require a Red Rock Pass or accepted federal recreation pass. Day-use sites and shuttle-served trailheads follow separate rules. Confirm the requirement for your exact trailhead.
Recover after the trail
Pair your Sedona hiking day with massage, reflexology, Reiki or a couples wellness session at Gateway Cottage Wellness Center in Uptown Sedona.
Plan your post-hike session