Learn how to plan your hiking adventure in the spectacular red rock canyons of Sedona, AZ! Sedona is considered by many to be the prettiest place on Earth! This incredible (and some believe mystical) region of Arizona has fantastical and unique red sandstone formations that boggle the mind. Enjoy the huge assortment of hiking (and mountain biking!) trails to get an up close view of these magical rocks and canyons. Cool off after your hike in the Oak Creek under the cottonwood trees!
You can vary your lodging according to your preferences and budget: Choose a base camp and sleep under the stars. Or, if you prefer more comfort, choose an inn-based hiking adventure so you can sleep in luxury each night. Also, Sedona is super close to the Grand Canyon, so you can combine your adventures! Get all the details below.
I went on a four day base camp Red Rock Hiking Tour of Sedona with my affiliate Wildland Trekking. Moshe, our guide, picked us up in Sedona and we drove through the stunning Oak Creek Canyon along Hwy 89A to our first trailhead. Rand McNally calls this drive one of the most beautiful in the US, and I definitely don’t disagree!
Iron oxide hematite gives these canyon walls their striking red color. Millions of years of wind and rain has caused the softer rock to erode, while the harder layers remain (and sometimes collapse into rubble below), so you are left with one unusual silhouette after another. Some are tall pillars, others are irregular buttes and mesas. During the dry season, you’ll see evidence of the arroyos, or wash, which are the dry creek beds that channel the rains when they come. Year ’round water is rare in this area, but the Oak Creek, which carved these canyon walls flows freely all year. You can tell where the river flows by the cottonwood trees that hug the banks, a green oasis in this red rock high desert landscape.
Camping in Sedona
On my Sedona hiking tour, we based camped in the Lo Lo Mai campground right next to the Oak Creek under the blissful shade of the cottonwoods. We had a group camp site for our party of six, plus Moshe. Here, the Oak Creek was maybe 20′ wide. It is difficult to believe that this small gentle creek had the power to create this magnificent canyon, but water always wins, especially if you’ve got millions of years for it to work at it!
One nice thing about my Wildland Trekking tour is that they will supply all the necessary hiking and camping gear so you don’t have to buy it or haul it on the plane. So no need to pack a tent, sleeping bag (and pillow!), mattress pad and cover sheet, day pack or hiking poles (which many airlines consider a ‘weapon’ and make you check them). They also provide a handy clothing list to make sure that you bring the right stuff.
Where is Sedona?
Sedona is located less than an hour south of Flagstaff, AZ and about two hours north of Phoenix. Unless you take a guided hiking tour like I did with Wildland, your going to have to rent a car to ge places. There is a bus and a combo tram and train you can take to get up there, but you are still going to need transportation to the trailheads.
Sedona is in the high desert, at over 4000′ above sea level. Depending on which trails you choose, you can plan on adding upwards of 2000′ more. But there are so many beautiful trails in this area, that you can select some with lesser grade changes and still enjoy marvelous views.
When to Hike Sedona
Because Sedona is in the high desert, it has a pretty nice climate most of the year. It does get hot in the summer (and as the locals like to remind you, “But it’s DRY heat!”), so you want to plan your hike ideally for the spring or fall. Winter hiking is also beautiful, but you may encounter snow. Deserts tend to lose their heat quickly at night, so even in the summer, the night time temperatures are pleasant. Here are the average Sedona monthly temperatures:
January Hi low-50’s Low mid-30’s
March Hi low-60’s Low low 40’s
July Hi mid-90’s Low upper 60’s
September Hi mid-80’s Low low 60’s
July through September is the rainy season, with August being the rainiest, with a 41% chance of rain each day (mostly thunderstorms so plan to hike in the morning!). Flash floods are a major consideration, especially in any slot canyons, so ALWAYS check the weather not just for Sedona, but further north in case they are getting a thunderstorm you can’t see or hear!
Wildland Trekking
My affiliate Wildland offers several exciting Sedona and Grand Canyon hiking adventures, so you can choose the one that best suits your comfort level for lodging and for what you want to see and do.
Use Promo Code ATA75 to get $75 off any Wildland multi-day tour!
If you use my links, at no additional cost to you, you’ll be helping to support the podcast and this website and keeping it ad free – thanks! Kit
Wildland Trekking offers these Sedona Hiking Tours:
- Sedona Base Camping : 4 day (Day hikes and you stay at the same campground each night) MY TOUR
- Sedona Inn-based Hiking Tour (Comfy bed each night and you stay at the same inn each night)
- Grand Canyon Plus Sedona : 4 day Inn-based
- Sedona PLUS the Grand Canyon (You choose your Sedona hotel and get a private guide: 2-9 hikers) 2 days
- Woman Only Sedona plus the Grand Canyon Base Camping : 4 day Base Camping
- Red Rock Adventurer Tour : Multi-activity 3-4 days Inn-based
- Private Day Hiking Tours of various gorgeous trails
- Backpacking Guided Hiking Tours
- And much more!
For more information on these tours, click HERE.
Meet our amazing Wildland Trekking guide, Moshe Kramer, who’s been leading hikes for Wildland for over seven years. Every day he kept us chickens on the trail and fed us outstanding meals.
Thanks, Moshe!
Who Can Hike Sedona’s Red Rock Canyon Trails
While I prefer to hike unfamiliar trails with a local guide, you can of course hike these trails without one. Just be sure that you buy and know how to use a quality topographical map to help you should you get lost. The desert can be unforgiving! Check out my companion podcast, the Adventure Travel Show. I did an episode on what to do if you get lost in the woods but many of the tips and techniques will also work in the desert.
You can tailor your hikes to your skill level from 2-4 out of five. Experienced hikers can hike solo (although I always recommend hiking with a partner when possible). Sedona hiking is great for couples and friends. You and your family and friends can also plan a Custom Hiking Tour.
Sedona Hiking Terrain
Most of the trails we hiked were loose red powder with embedded small rocks. However, there were a few places where we had to scoot along on our buttocks to feel ‘safe’, like down the red slide rock on Day 1. I suppose technically you could hike down, but most of us felt more comfortable sliding downhill on our butts.
Hiking poles are HIGHLY recommended! I like them for giving me an extra ‘touch point’ so if I do stumble (as I often do!), then hopefully one of my poles will help keep me upright.
There are a few trails that have ‘exposure’, meaning that if you fall, you could get hurt (or worse) because of the sharp drop off. I felt the trails we hiked were wide enough that I never felt at risk or scared.
Sedona and High Desert Hiking Tips
Most trails are pretty well marked, but it’s a good idea to, in addition to your paper map, download your trail to a trail app like All Trails that works offline as you are unlikely to have cell service in the canyon.
This is a VERY popular area, so plan to be at your chosen trailhead before 8am to secure a parking place (some places require a paid Red Rock Pass).
Bring 3-4 liters of water! I prefer to bring a bladder water reservoir so I can readily drink. It is super easy to get dehydrated in the high desert because you don’t realize you are sweating (it evaporates instantly). Also bring a back up water bottle or two, some salty snacks and maybe even some electrolyte packets.
I learned a cool (pun intended) tip from Moshe: bring a squirt bottle full of water and spritz yourself on breaks. The evaporative cooling effect is a super help in keeping you cool. Also dip your wide brimmed hat in the creek when you can (maybe even your shirt!) as this will do the same thing.
Popular Sedona Hiking Trails
My All Trails app lists over 200 trails in the Sedona area! Everything out here is gorgeous so you really can’t go wrong, but here are some of the most popular Sedona trails:
- Cathedral Rock Moderate 1.2 miles
- Devil’s Bridge Moderate 3.9 miles
- Bear Mountain Hard 4.9 miles
- Hangover Trail Moderate 5.8 mile
- Bell Rock Moderate 1.1 miles
- Birthing Cave Moderate 2.0 miles
- Doe Mountain Moderate 1.5 miles
- Faye Canyon Easy (and some shade!) 2.4 miles
- Boyton Canyon Moderate 6.1 miles
- West Fork of Oak Creek Moderate 6.5 miles (crosses creek multiple times)
- Soldier’s Pass Moderate 4.7 miles
- Mescal Mountain Moderate 5.6 miles
- Courthouse Butte Loop Moderate 3.9 miles
Don’t forget that some of these trails, like the difficult Bear Mountain trail, require a Cococino Forest Red Rocks Pass from the US Forest Service. You can buy your pass over your phone.
Mountain Biking Sedona
Sedona is a great place for mountain biking! I was pleasantly surprised to see plenty of folks my age challenging themselves on the rocky trails. And I also saw moms with their babies on board! Technically, hikers have the right of way on dual use paths, but usually we step aside to let the bikers ride through. Plus it was great fun to watch them tackle difficult boulder runs!
Sedona’s Vortex and Downtown
Many people visit Sedona to experience a vortex, a spot where swirling energy encourages healing and self-exploration that leads to feeling recharged and inspired. Some say that all of magical Sedona is a vortex, but the energy is particularly powerful at Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, and Boynton Canyon.
In downtown Sedona, you can even have your ‘aura’ read and practice many alternative healing arts. Downtown Sedona is also great for exploring galleries, dining and shopping. The modern western architecture is gorgeous. Everything is art in Sedona – even the road mediums! But it’s crowded, so allow time to find a parking place.
Other Helpful Links
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Other ATA podcast episodes mentioned:
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Adventure Travel Show – Learn the adventure and outdoor skills
Be sure to visit my affiliate Wildland Trekking! They offer amazing hiking tours not only in the US but around the world. Choose from day hiking guided tours to camping and backpacking tours. They even offer llama-assisted backpacking tours!
And please use my links as you will be helping to support the Active Travel Adventures podcast and this website and helping to keep it ad free. Many thanks! Kit
Water Reservoirs
On the show, I mentioned that Bill was using the Deuter 3L water bladder, which looks so much easier to clean than my CamelBak reservoir (both shown). Regardless of the one you choose, I think you tend to drink more water when it is more accessible to you and you don’t have to take off your backpack in order to access your drinking water.
In Sedona, I was drinking close to 4 liters each day’s hike, so I would fill my reservoir and also take a bottle or two that stored on the sides of my backpack.
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