4 Trails you can’t miss in Sedona
Whether you are visiting Sedona for outdoor activities, food, nearby road trip stops, or meditation, you can always squeeze in a few hikes during your trip!
Sedona is known for its red rocks, insane views, and even better hiking trails. Peak season is from March through May and September through November, due to ideal weather. The summer months are shoulder season but can get very, very hot which makes these hikes difficult since Sedona has little shade. During the spring and fall months mentioned, it is a very popular destination, and the crowds and parking can be crazy. We visited in November, had perfect mild weather, but by noon, the hiking trails were packed and parking lots were completely full.
All the hikes below require a Red Rock Parking Pass. The parking lots will show a sign and have a kiosk to pay for and print the pass. The fee is $5 per day, $15 per week, and $20 per year.
These are our 4 favorite trails from our weekend adventure in Sedona:
Devil’s Bridge
If you’re hiking this trail, you HAVE to start early! This is one of the most popular trails in Sedona and we have seen videos online of people waiting in line to go stand on the natural bridge. To combat the crowds, we recommend starting this hike before sunrise, when it is still dark, as long as you have the proper gear. We wore headlamps to help us see the trail. We started around 5:45AM and got to the bridge just in time to watch the sunrise. On the hike back to our car, flocks of people were on the trail already.
Hike: 4.2 miles out and back
Parking Lot: At Mescal Trailhead, unless you have a 4x4 vehicle, you can park at Devil’s Bridge Trailhead.
Subway Cave
This trail was probably our favorite for so many reasons. The trail is longer, so it is definitely less traveled than the others, the views from the top are incredible, and it is just such a unique spot! Once you get to the top and see the cave, you can walk along the cliff to the right (above picture on the right) and further explore and see petroglyphs. If you’re scared of heights and don’t like edges, exploring further may not be for you. One of our main tips for this hike is to download a hiking trail prior to starting as there are forks in the trail that can get tricky to follow. Whatever you do, do NOT use Google Maps, we got lost.
Hike: 6 miles out and back
Parking Lot: At Boynton Canyon Trailhead
Cathedral Rock
You may see this hike and think, wow this is the shortest hike of all 4, this will be easy. Boy, you are in for a treat! While this hike is shorter, this is a pretty challenging hike. There is a rock scramble to get to the top and there’s a spot where you have to use both hands and feet to climb, or shimmy up, the rocks! This hike is known for being one of the best places to watch the sunset in Sedona. If you do choose to chase the sunset here, be sure to arrive early because the parking lots are smaller and you can’t park along the road here. Once you get to the end of the hike, you’ll be greeted with an “End of Trail” sign. From there, you can go to the right and see the famous photo spot (above photo on the left). There is also a lesser visited area if you follow the trail to the left, you will find a different view of the red rocks (above photo on the right).
Hike: 1.2 miles out and back
Parking Lot: There are TWO parking lots on Back O Beyond Road. The parking lots are tiny but be sure to check the parking lot further down the road, most people assume there’s only one and wait.
Birthing Cave
This is a pretty unique spot in Sedona with an easier trail to reach it! For a majority of the hike, it is pretty flat. After a while of hiking you wonder where the cave actually is, all you have to do is look up and you may just see the cave in the red rock above. The end of the trail, you have to hike up steps/rocks to reach the cave. We recommend bringing a wide-angle lens or using an iPhone in 0.5x to fit the whole cave (how the left photo was captured).