Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business Sedona sits in a bowl of red sandstone in north central Arizona, about halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff, at an elevation of roughly 4,350 feet.
This guide walks you through the formations, trails, canyons and neighborhoods worth your time, along with practical advice on seasons, the free trailhead shuttle, the Red Rock Pass and how to plan your days so you spend more time on the trail and less time in traffic.
Few places in the United States put this much scenery this close to a town. The red color comes from iron oxide in layers of sandstone, chiefly the Schnebly Hill Formation, deposited hundreds of millions of years ago and later carved by wind and water into the shapes you see today.
Sedona works for very different kinds of trips. Hikers come for hundreds of miles of trail in the surrounding Coconino National Forest.
The southern approach to town, State Route 179, is designated the Red Rock Scenic Byway. It passes several of Sedona's most famous formations, and you can easily spend a full day exploring just this corridor.
Cathedral Rock is the formation most people picture when they think of Sedona: a cluster of tall spires joined by a saddle. The Cathedral Rock Trail climbs steeply over slickrock to that saddle, gaining about 600 feet in under a mile. Expect hands-on scrambling near the top and allow one and a half to two hours round trip.
Bell Rock rises right beside State Route 179 at the northern edge of the Village of Oak Creek, and its bell shape is unmistakable. The Bell Rock Pathway is a wide, mostly level trail that circles the base and links to the Courthouse Butte Loop, a roughly four-mile walk around both formations.
Bell Rock stands beside State Route 179 on the southern approach to Sedona. Photo: https://sedona.org/, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Completed in 1956 and designed by sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude, the Chapel of the Holy Cross is built straight into a red rock outcrop south of town, with a giant cross forming its front wall. Inside, the small sanctuary is quiet and simple, and a wide window frames the valley.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross, completed in 1956, is built directly into the red rock buttes south of town. Photo: Matthew P. Del Buono, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Just before you reach Uptown, Tlaquepaque spreads beneath sycamore trees beside Oak Creek. Built in the 1970s and modeled on a traditional Mexican village, it is a maze of stone courtyards, arched passageways, fountains and flowered balconies filled with galleries, craft studios and cafes. Allow one to two hours to wander.
Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village was modeled on a traditional Mexican village and sits beside Oak Creek. Photo: Norton Gusky, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
West of the Y roundabout, State Route 89A runs through West Sedona, the town's everyday commercial strip, and gives access to a set of side canyons and backcountry trails in the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness.
Devil's Bridge is the largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area, and walking out onto its span is a rite of passage. From the Dry Creek Vista trailhead the round trip is about four miles with a short, steep climb on rock steps at the end.
Devil's Bridge is the largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area. Photo: davidpinter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Airport Mesa rises between West Sedona and Uptown and offers one of the easiest big views in town. A short climb from the small lot on Airport Road leads to an overlook that is popular at sunset, and the Airport Loop Trail circles the mesa for about three and a half miles with continuous views of Thunder Mountain, Coffee Pot Rock and Cathedral Rock. Allow 30 minutes for the overlook or two hours for the loop.
Airport Mesa offers wide views across Sedona and its surrounding buttes. Photo: Nicholas Hartmann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Boynton Canyon is a box canyon flanked by tall red walls and shaded by pines and cypress as you go deeper. The full trail is about six miles round trip, and a popular side trail leads to the Subway Cave, a curved alcove that draws many photographers.
North of Uptown, State Route 89A climbs through Oak Creek Canyon toward Flagstaff, a narrow gorge lined with sycamores, maples and pines that feels a world away from the open red rock basin below.
About seven miles north of Uptown, Slide Rock State Park is built around a natural water chute in the slippery sandstone bed of Oak Creek. In summer, families slide down the channel and swim in the pools below, and the park also preserves a historic apple orchard and homestead.
Slide Rock State Park is known for its natural water slide carved into the bed of Oak Creek. Photo: mbaylor, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The West Fork of Oak Creek is one of the most loved trails in Arizona. It follows a side canyon upstream between sheer walls, crossing the creek many times on stepping stones.
The West Fork of Oak Creek is a shaded canyon trail famous for its fall color. Photo: Coconino National Forest, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
West of town, Oak Creek flows past the foot of Cathedral Rock at Red Rock Crossing, inside the Crescent Moon Picnic Site. The view of the formation reflected in the creek is one of the most famous in Arizona.
Red Rock Crossing on Oak Creek frames a classic view of Cathedral Rock. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Uptown Sedona is the walkable tourist core along State Route 89A, lined with galleries, outdoor outfitters, jeep tour offices, souvenir shops and restaurants with patios facing the cliffs. Allow a couple of hours, more if you book a jeep tour into the backcountry, which is the easiest way to reach rough roads such as Broken Arrow and Schnebly Hill without risking your own car.
Uptown Sedona lines State Route 89A beneath the red cliffs at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon. Photo: TwinsofSedona, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Sedona's food scene reflects its Southwestern setting. Look for dishes built around green and red chiles, blue corn, prickly pear, mesquite and slow cooked meats, along with plenty of Mexican and Sonoran style cooking.
Uptown and Tlaquepaque have the highest concentration of restaurants with red rock views, and patio tables at sunset are in high demand, so reserve ahead in busy seasons.
Popular dishes to try in Sedona
Uptown Sedona suits first time visitors who want to walk to shops and restaurants and be close to Oak Creek Canyon.
West Sedona has a broad mix of mid range options and vacation rentals, everyday groceries and quick access to Boynton Canyon, Soldier Pass, Airport Mesa and the Dry Creek area.
The Village of Oak Creek, about seven miles south along State Route 179, sits at the foot of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.
Oak Creek Canyon has creekside cabins and lodges in a shaded, cooler setting that suits couples and anyone wanting a forest retreat.
Where to stay in Sedona
PC & MAC Fixers is a computer repair business serving Sedona, AZ. PC & MAC Fixers provides Apple and Windows computer repair, virus removal, tune-ups, and hardw...
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Sedona Jewelers is a jewelry business in Sedona, AZ, specializing in Ten Commandments bracelets and collections in silver, gold, tungsten carbide, and faith-the...
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Spring, from March through May, brings mild days, wildflowers and the heaviest crowds, especially around spring break.
Summer is hot, with afternoon highs often in the high 90s Fahrenheit, so hike at dawn and save afternoons for the creek.
Notable events include the Sedona International Film Festival, held in late winter, and the festival of lights at Tlaquepaque in December.
Most visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and drive about two hours north via Interstate 17 and State Route 179.
Traffic is Sedona's biggest frustration, particularly on State Route 179 and around the Uptown roundabouts on weekends.
Many trailheads on national forest land require a Red Rock Pass or an accepted federal recreation pass such as America the Beautiful to park.
Start at sunrise with the Bell Rock Pathway and a loop around Courthouse Butte.
Take the shuttle early to Dry Creek Vista and hike to Devil's Bridge.
Drive into Oak Creek Canyon. Hike the West Fork Trail in the morning and cool off at Slide Rock State Park after lunch.
Climb Cathedral Rock early, then take a half day trip to the hillside former mining town of Jerome and the Verde Valley wineries.
Looking for a trail outfitter, a breakfast spot before sunrise or a gallery to visit after your hike?
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