Sedona has quickly become one of my favorite desert locations due to its stunning landscape, proximity to so many hiking trails and the overall spiritual vibe of its town. It's a super popular spot for hikers because of its towering red rock formations, accessible viewpoints and miles of trails all near the city. You don't even need to step foot onto a trail to experience the sheer beauty of Sedona, but if you do, you'll be greatly rewarded with stunning views and possibly even some wildlife sightings. Here's some of my favorite hikes in Sedona, Arizona.
History of Sedona and it's unique landscape
Where did Sedona get it's name? While many people think it is a Native American or Spanish word, it's actually a woman's name! Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly, was the the wife of the city's first postmaster, Theodore Carlton Schnebly. The name was suggested by Schnebly's brother, Dorsey Ellsworth, after a woman who was well-known for her hospitality and industriousness.
Over 300 million years ago, Sedona was completely underwater! The area was one the bottom of a tropical ocean, and if you're lucky, you can actually find rocks with shells stuck in them even today. The stunning red and orange cliffs that surround the town are the result of the rocks reacting with oxygen and water to create rust. All this to say, this creates a really unique landscape that makes for fun hiking in Sedona.
Shuttle service in Sedona
Thanks to social media, Sedona's trails are super popular with hikers. And it makes sense, the scenery is unique and beautiful, and the trails system is very accessible from town. That also means that parking at the trails is tough. Luckily, Sedona has a free shuttle service that quickly takes you to many of its most popular trail heads. It runs Thursday through Sunday from 7 am to 5:30 pm. At first I was hesitant to use it, but we quickly found it to be an extremely convenient service. For example, my friend and I got to one of the most popular trail heads at 8 am on a Friday, and found that the main trail parking lot was already closed. We drove down the road and hopped on a shuttle, and in 10 minutes, we were on the trail.
Unless you're heading out at dawn to hit the trails, I would highly recommend using this shuttle.
5 of the best hikes in Sedona
Devil's Bridge
This hike is one of the most popular ones —and for good reason. It's a relatively easy hike in Sedona, with a big payoff, however, you do need to be prepared to wait in line for photos at the bridge.
The full Devil's Bridge hike is about 4 miles and it's very flat until the last mile and a half. To do the full hike, start from the Mescal Trailhead. If you want to take a shorter, but more dusty route, you can start at Dry Creek Vista parking area.
Be prepared for a bit of an uphill climb, and a little bit of rock scrambling at the end to get to the top. Although the bridge makes for some stunning photos, it's actually not nearly as scary as it looks. The bridge is wider than it appears, so even people who are scared of heights will likely be able to make it across. We got to this trail kind of late in the morning, so we had to wait about 30 minutes before taking a photo on the bridge. You get to watch everyone in front of you take their pictures, which is kind of entertaining. There's a certain camaraderie that forms too, since you have to rely on the people in line to help you take your photos.
Cathedral Rock
Also among Sedona's most popular hikes, Cathedral Rock is a short, but challenging hike due to its steep elevation gain. It's an 1.2-mile out and back trail with about 740 feet elevation gain, in the form of rock cliffs and stairs. Make sure to wear shoes with good traction for this hike, most of it is spent climbing up slippery limestone. From the top, you have an incredible sweeping views of Sedona. I went in the morning, but I would recommend going at sunset, so the rocks aren't in the shadows as much.
Subway Canyon
This is my favorite hike I've done in Sedona, because of the unique scenery and the history of these caves. The Subway Cave, fittingly named because of its similarly to a subway station is part of a group of cave dwellings that you can explore. There's even some ancient petroglyphs that are still there.
It's part of the Boynton Canyon trail, but there are no signs marking the turnoff to the caves. It's about a five mile out and back hike if you're just going to the Subway Cave. For the most part, the hike is flat, along a gravelly red sand path. After about two miles, you will reach the turnoff point for the cave. It should take most people about an hour to get there. Once you see this Alligator Juniper Tree whose bark looks like the skin of an alligator, you'll know to turn right. Sometimes people create an arrow in the dirt to help, but I wouldn't rely on that. If you're not sure, since this trail is so popular, there's a high chance you will see someone that you can ask.
After hiking down for about another .5 mile, you'll reach the caves, which require you to climb up a slippery length of red rock. Make sure to wear shoes with good traction! I had trail runners on and still felt a little unsteady at times. Once you're at the top, you'll be treated with a stunning view, and the opportunity to explore the cave dwellings.
Solider Pass/Seven Sacred Pools
This short and easy hike to the Seven Sacred Pools is about one mile from the Solider Pass trailhead and is an easy and accessible way to take in some of Sedona's gorgeous towering red rocks, natural pools and even a GIANT sinkhole.
The flat gravelly path leads you through some of Sedona's most beautiful scenery, passing by the Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole. This sinkhole was created in 1989 by the collapse of a gigantic underground cavern in the red limestone. You can still see the gigantic chunk of rock that collapsed, creating a crater in the Earth. It's an interesting spot to check out along your path to the pools!
Follow the Solider Pass trail further down and pretty soon you'll come across the pools. We visited in early November, and there was not much water there. It's rare to see them full, so if I was to go back, I'd try to time it after a rain. After spending some time hanging out by the pools, we decided to turn back so we could head to another trail. But if you're feeling up for it, there's a secret cave a little further down the trail. This article can help you get there.
Airport Mesa
Airport Mesa is one of THE BEST spots to watch sunset in Sedona. This viewpoint gives you 360 degree views of Sedona, including views of Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock, Chimney Rock, and Coffee Pot Rock. If you want to rest your legs after a lot of hiking, or just want an easy viewpoint you don't have to hike to, you can just drive up to the Sedona Airport Overlook parking lot. Pro tip: The official parking lot will charge you $3 per car, but you can park in the airport parking lot right behind it for free. Even better, there's also a popular restaurant called the Mesa Grill so you can grab a bite to eat after watching the sunset. It gets busy so I would recommend reservations.
If you're looking for a short, scenic hike, there's a trail called Airport Loop that takes you around the viewpoint. As you're headed to the overlook parking lot, there will be a small parking lot about a halfway up. Park there, and you'll be able to take the Airport Loop trail up a small hill.
This is a super popular spot to watch sunset so be prepared for a crowd. During sunrise, it's not nearly as busy.
Of course, this list is just the beginning of the many stunning hikes in Sedona. Some other hikes to explore include:
Little Horse trailhead
Bell Rock
Munds Wagon Trail
Chapel trail
For other outdoor adventures, check out my articles on hiking the trans-Catalina trail and hiking a volcano in Guatemala.
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