Sedona, Arizona is known the world over for its beautiful hiking trails, which include stunning red rock buttes, gorgeous high-altitude canyons, and plenty of well-shaded forests for overnight camping. The greater Sedona area is also loaded with trendy gift shops and upscale restaurants for adventurers interested in rounding out their exceptional Central-Arizona experience. With dozens upon dozens of well-maintained hiking trails available in the desert city, it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to decide which corner of Sedona is perfect for you and your outdoorsy friends to tackle. Luckily, that’s where we come in, with a list of some of the best hikes in Sedona, ranked by difficulty. We’ll kick off our list with a couple of trails so easy that even a novice explorer can run through without breaking a sweat, and progressively ratchet up the difficulty until we reach a few trails recommended exclusively for professionals.
As always, be sure to adhere to the usual ethical guidelines of hiking, biking, and outdoor exploration on your next trip through Sedona, by leaving the trails better than you found them. Without any further preamble, let’s examine a few of the best hikes the stunning locale has to offer, taking into consideration the quality of the views, the elevation gain of the trail, and the overall walking length required.
Cathedral Rock
Kicking things off on our list of the best hikes in Sedona we have Cathedral Rock trail, which offers a simple 1-mile round trip stretch with a fairly low-altitude change overall. This basic but beautiful hike serves as one of the most popular in the region, with tons of hikers of varying skill levels making their pilgrimage each year. Cathedral Rock remains mostly flat, but still provides a bit of an uphill swing towards the end, for a total elevation gain of roughly 550 feet (167.64 m). This elevation builds gradually with a number of zigzag trails, eventually leading up to a vista which offers some truly stunning views of the surrounding area. Those interested in tackling their next big adventure after polishing off the Cathedral Rock trail can make their way toward nearby sections of the Sedona red rocks, which include the Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock, and many others.
The Birthing Cave
While the title may sound a bit bizarre, the Birthing Cave is widely regarded as one of the most fun and exciting hikes through Sedona for beginners. The total walking distance from the start of the trail head clocks in at just over 2 miles (3.22 km), and the altitude gain from the base to the peak is roughly 400 feet (121.92 m). The trail is mostly a walk in the park, providing some excellent sightseeing as you traverse the gradually rising hills of the Sedona forest. Still, the final stretch of this hike can be a bit daunting, as it requires some vertical traversal into the actual cave.
Beyond the final climb, the hardest part of hiking the Birthing Cave is likely spotting the entrance, as the trail begins off a dirt road, with no parking lot to serve as a dead giveaway. Once you reach the interior of the cave, you’ll see exactly why the trail has been given this strange title, though you’ll likely be more interested in taking advantage of one of the coolest photo opportunities Sedona has to offer. Those looking to truly capture the beauty of this fascinating rock formation should be sure to equip their camera with an ultra-wide angle lens if possible.
Devil’s Bridge
For another viscerally-titled trail, check out the Devil’s Bridge, widely considered the single most popular trail in all of Sedona. Unlike the previous entrant on this list, the Devil’s Bridge offers a clear and easily accessible trail head, with a wide path that narrows into a massive sandstorm arch at the end of the hike. The round trip distance for this trail clocks in at just under 4 and a half miles. However, you can cut the walk time in half if you utilize a 4×4 vehicle or partake in one of the Pink Jeep Tours offered by local sightseeing agencies.
Be forewarned: the parking lot fills easily because of this trail’s popularity. You may find yourself quixotically waiting in line to experience the joys of nature at the end of the hike. Luckily, this is an ideal trail for extroverts, as it allows you to interact with a number of nature enthusiasts along the walk, and perhaps even make a few new friends.
Soldier’s Pass
While the previous trails on this list have primarily centered around one final resting point before turning back, those with a taste for multiple stopping points will do well at Soldier’s Pass. The 4 and a half mile trail offers numerous incredible views, including sacred pools, sinkholes, and some hidden caves known only to career hikers. Still, Soldier’s Pass is a moderate trail which reaches a max elevation of about 650 feet (198.12 m). Exploration without the risk of getting lost is easy on this hike, making it a favorite among nature enthusiasts, praising the hike for being fun and offbeat. If you want to picnic along the trails, Soldier’s Pass is likely your best option, offering plenty of prime spots with beautiful scenic views.
Airport Mesa Loop
For something a bit more difficult to tackle, hardcore hikers can relish in the stunning vortex of the Airport Mesa Loop. Named for a small biplane runway constructed on the flat-topped mesa, the trail offers a total walking distance of just over 3 miles (4.83 km). That said, it requires some tricky navigational techniques that would leave a less experienced hiker struggling. The Airport Loop employs the use of some rocky terrain, narrow pathways, and bright, unshaded sections of trail that definitely require a deliberate focus on hydration and applying sunblock. There are also a few steep vertical turns on this hike, particularly as you reach the end of the trail, leading up to the heavens of the mesa above.
Once you do reach the airstrip, treating hikers to a truly unique view of nature. That view explains why locals consider Airport Mesa Loop one of the best hikes in Sedona. Depending on when you go, you may see super-blooms of vibrant wildflowers, as well as a panoramic view of the entire surrounding area. While this is by no means the most difficult venture on this list, the Airport Mesa Loop is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Bear Mountain Trail
One of the more challenging trails in all of Sedona is Bear Mountain, which reaches a staggering elevation of over 2,000 feet (609.6 m). This 5-mile trail includes some significant challenges, such as extremely steep rocky hills, which can sometimes obfuscate the entire summit in your path. Before you can even take on the challenge of the Bear Mountain trail, you must acquire a Red Rock Pass. With that in hand, you’ll make the 20-minute drive out of downtown Sedona to the awaiting trail head, which is all but guaranteed to be less crowded than any of the previous parking lots.
Still, once you best this beast, you’ll truly know in your heart that you are a natural-born hiker, and the 360-degree view of the gorgeous red rock scenery serves as your well-deserved trophy. Those who have already mastered the intermediate hiking experiences of trails such as the Devil’s Bridge and Soldier’s Pass will surely agree that this is one of the best hikes in Sedona for the rugged souls who can handle it.
Hangover Loop
Rounding out our list of the best hikes in Sedona, we have the ever-daunting Hangover Loop. Unless you’re an Olympic level athlete, you may finish this hike feeling like you’ve developed a hangover yourself! In order to even reach this trail, you’ll first have to traverse the strenuous gauntlet of Munds Wagon and Cow Pies, for a combined total of more than 8 miles (12.87 km) of high-intensity hiking. Much like Bear Mountain, the Hangover Loop includes a truly treacherous incline of sometimes slippery rocks, and takes on an oppressive amount of scalding Arizona heat.
Needless to say, this trail rewards those who complete it with some of the finest wildflower fields and scenic views in the entire United States, though it comes at a significant cost. Mountain biking enthusiasts test their techniques on the Hangover Loop. Know beforehand, though, that the trail’s double black diamond rating suggests an audience of only the most experienced climbers. Of course, if inclines of over 1,000 feet (304.8 m) over dangerously loose rocks don’t scare you, you may find that the Hangover Loop is the best hike in all of Sedona.
