Long Canyon Trail

Walking in a winter wonderland? If that's your goal, grab your boots at the first sign of snow and step out for a few magical moments worth freezing

A dusting of snow always seems to us to add a reflective, poetic stillness to a walk through our spectacular red rock country - and Long Canyon Trail presents an easy six-mile round trip just perfect for a few hours of wintry introspection on any Sedona snow day.

At the beginning you'll walk in open country for perhaps a mile on an old jeep trail that follows the perimeter of The Club at Seven Canyons golf course. Wide and easy to travel, with a gradual 750-ft. rise in elevation as you progress, the trail eventually narrows at about the 1.5 mile mark, where it becomes serenely wooded with the towering Arizona cypress of the Secret Mountain Wilderness reaching toward the sky.

Finally, in a near-theatrical climax, the buttes, cliffs and spires emerge into clear view, offering stunning views of a winter wonderland so magically picturesque it seems like an almost too-perfect Christmas card illustration. There are gorgeous views of some of Sedona's best-known ancient landmarks right in front of you, and Steamboat Rock, Wilson Mountain and Maroon Mountain all seem wiser than usual standing in the quiet solitude of the cool air.

The further you walk the more spectacular the sights become, until finally, at the trail's end, the canyon is boxed in on all sides. You'll have reached a rock overhang and while there are trails that continue to wind past it, this is a great place to stop and take in the panoramic scenery. If you're having a "Bah, Humbug" season, linger here for a few minutes and just see if nature's power can't melt any cold, cold heart.

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