Sedona, Arizona Hikes With The Best Views
If you have read any of my other pages on Arizona, you know that Sedona is one of my absolute favorite places in the country. Not only does the town have a cool vibe, some of the best hikes can be found in this red rock paradise.
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Where is Sedona?
Sedona is in north central Arizona.
Directions to Sedona Hikes
Great hikes can be found throughout the entire Sedona area. We divided the hikes based on the part of town they can be found in using the “Y” roundabout as our compass point.
- The Village of Oak Creek is found on 179 south of the “Y”
- West Sedona is west 89A, left of the “Y”
- Uptown Sedona is north 89A, right of the “Y.”
If you’re driving from Phoenix on Interstate 17 you will enter the Red Rock area via 179 and the Village of Oak Creek will be your first stop.
Hikes Near the Village of Oak Creek
On your way into Red Rock country stop at the Visitor Center to pick up any maps and Red Rock passes you will need.
Baldwin Trail
An easy hike to a swimming hole and direct views of Cathedral Rock. Baldwin Trail is a level trail that winds you to Cathedral Rock. A quick side detour and you can cool off in Oak Creek.
Distance: 3.2 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 150 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
Cathedral Rock Trailhead
There are so many beautiful hikes in Sedona it is hard to choose a favorite, but the Cathedral Rock trailhead is a serious contender.
Distance: 1.4 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 600 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
Bell Rock Vista
One of the most well known red rock formation in Sedona, the Bell Rock Vista Trailhead, takes you to one of Sedona’s famous vortex sites. The energy here is considered “upflow” or a masculine energy.
Distance: .8 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 200 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
Courthouse Butte
Distance: 7.2 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 250 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
Broken Arrow
West Sedona Arizona Hikes
Hikes with trails west of Sedona’s “Y” intersection.
- Seven Sacred Pools & Soldier’s Pass
- Airport Mesa – Vortex site
- Devil’s Bridge
- Sugarloaf Mountain
- Thunder Mountain
- Chimney Rock
- Doe Mountain
- Boynton Vortex Trail – Vortex site
- Red Rock Crossing at Crescent Moon Park – Vortex site
Seven Sacred Pools & Soldier’s Pass Sedona Arizona hikes
From Thursday through Sunday Soldier’s Pass trailhead requires you to use the free Sedona shuttle.
Distance: 4.8 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 450 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
Airport Mesa
Want a hike with sweeping vistas? Looking for the best spot to see the sunset in Sedona? Visit Airport Mesa. It is also very popular, so get here early if you want to share your romantic evening with dozens of other people. Seriously though, this is a must see spot. The area is beautiful to watch the sunset or take in the view any other time of day.
Distance: .8 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 200 feet
Fee: Depends. If you’re lucky you might be able to find a free parking spot (there are only ten). Otherwise in the upper much larger parking lot it is a $3.00 fee.
Devil’s Bridge Trail
Devil’s Bridge is a fantastic hike. One of my favorite hikes in the Sedona area. From the trail head the hike is just under 2 miles round trip. However, depending on where you can find a place to park you can easily add another 2 miles to the hike.
Doe Mountain Fay Canyon Trail
Distance: 1.4 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 400 feet
Fee: Yes, fee site. Use Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass. You can purchase at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce or Oak Creek visitor center. Alternatively you can purchase a pass at the trailhead kiosk (credit cards only).
Boynton Canyon Trail
Distance: .4 miles round trip from trailhead to vista or 5 miles round trip for Boynton Canyon
Elevation Change: 140 feet for Vista trail /450 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass. You can purchase at the Sedona or Oak Creek visitor center. Alternatively you can purchase a pass at the trailhead kiosk (credit cards only).
Birthing Cave in Sedona
The birthing cave is a popular hiking destination in Sedona. To reach the cave you will need to park at the Long Canyon trailhead.
Distance: 2 miles round trip from trailhead.
Fee: No fee.
Uptown Sedona Arizona Stunning Hikes
Driving north of 89A through the Uptown Sedona area leads you to some beautiful hikes along Oak Creek Canyon. Some of our favorite hikes in this area include:
- Midgely Bridge
- Grasshopper Point
- Slide Rock State Park
- West Fork Trail
Midgley Bridge
Midgley Bridge is a short hike near it’s namesake, Midgley Bridge. Parking is very limited. If you are coming from uptown Sedona parking is directly to your left after you cross the bridge.
Distance: .8 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 200 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. Use a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
West Fork Trail – Call of the Canyon
One of the most colorful fall hiking trails in Arizona, West Fork Trail is just north of Sedona in Oak Creek. It is our favorite spot to see the changing colors of the leaves.
Distance: 7 miles round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Change: 230 feet
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. As of 2024, it is a $12.00 fee. You cannot use your Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful pass here.
Crescent Moon Park
Crescent Moon park is one of our favorite parks in Sedona. If you are looking for a great view of Cathedral Rock or a nice place for a picnic stop by this park. The park is on the west side of Sedona.
Fee: Yes, this is a fee site. As of 2024, the fee is $12.00. You cannot use your Red Rock pass or America the Beautiful Pass here.
Sedona Hiking Tips
If you’re hiking make sure you have a Red Rock Pass or parking pass for the location you want to hike.
If you do not have a pass, most trailheads have a place to pay for parking in cash. The pass, however, makes this a much smoother process. If you’re spending any amount of time in Sedona I would recommend obtaining a pass.
Get there early because parking is limited and fill up quickly at almost every trailhead. Don’t forget to bring water, lots of water. Dogs are allowed on many of the trails, however they must be on a leash.
First Time Visitor to Sedona? Check out our blog post on An Essential Guide to Sedona Arizona for First Time Visitors
- Book a Flight to Sedona: To Sedona the closest airport is Flagstaff Pulliam and Sky Harbor in Phoenix.
- Rent a Car to Sedona: You can rent a car in Flagstaff or Phoenix and drive to Sedona. Alternatively, you can leave the driving to someone else and take a bus tour from Phoenix to Sedona.
- Where to Stay in Sedona: Choose from hotels, motels, resorts, airbnb, vrbo, cabins, and camp sites in Sedona.
- Tours to Take in Sedona
