Night Trails
A dark blue sky spotted with stars provides a backdrop for a shot of the illuminated Courthouse Butte (center) and dark Bell Rock (right) red rock formations from the Yavapi Vista Trail. A recent snowfall supplied…
Sedona trails
Lakeview Trail
After a long, hot summer, sometimes you need a break from all the heat. And if you’re searching for a relatively easy, classic Flagstaff trail, we’d recommend Lakeview Trail No. 132. The trail starts with a…
Schuerman Mountain Trail
November can be a bit nuts. Chances are high that you’re busy prepping for the upcoming holidays on top of all your other day-to-day responsibilities. And you’re probably searching for a quick break, which is what…
Soldier Pass Arches
The Soldier Pass Arches hike meets all the requirements of a downright perfect day hike. Just three miles round trip. Check. A challenging, but not impossible trail. Check. Gorgeous views and a few fun places to…
Sycamore Canyon: Parsons Trail
If you are up for an adventure, pack a lunch and take a ride to Sycamore Canyon for a full day of hiking in the wilderness. From Sedona, it’s a 30-minute drive on AZ-89A to Cottonwood….
Broken Arrow Trail
Initially, we set out to hike the Broken Arrow Trail to Chicken Point but ended up taking a detour that proved a worthwhile adventure. Broken Arrow Trailhead allows 4×4 road vehicles and jeep tours – and…
Adobe Jack Trail
Adobe Jack Trail features fantastic red rock views. It also leads you to a creek bed and winds in and out of small washes and green desert terrain lined with junipers and Manzanita bushes. Before beginning…
A.B. Young Trail & Beyond
We first wrote about the challenging but rewarding A.B Young Trail in 2017. At that time, we stopped our hike where the switchbacks end at the top of the Mogollon Rim. We hiked it again recently,…
Airport Loop
There’s no denying the 3.3-mile trail that loops around Airport Mesa offers views of every major red rock formation in Sedona, but we were equally as enthusiastic about the landscape of the mesa itself. A constant…
Girdner Trail
Named after a family of ranchers who herded cattle in this area, the Girdner Trail connects Yavapai College and the former Sedona Cultural Park with Dry Creek Road via 4.75 miles of interesting and diverse terrain….
Bear Mountain Trail
The trail that leads up Bear Mountain may only be 2.5 miles one way, but it’s easily one of the most difficult hikes in Sedona. There’s little to no shade, so if hiking this trail is…
Devil’s Bridge
The name of Sedona’s largest sandstone arch, Devil’s Bridge, might sound sinister, but there’s no need to start reciting your Hail Marys just yet. The short, 0.9-mile trail that leads to the top of the arch…
Cockscomb Butte Trail
Have you ever wondered about the spindly spires of the Cockscomb formation west of Sedona and on the very edge of Red Rock Country? Then you need to spend an afternoon exploring Cockscomb Butte Trail. The…
Crescent Moon Creek Walk
When the days are hot, and you never know when a monsoon storm is going to pop up, we tend to stick to tried-and-true (read: short) hikes. Crescent Moon Creek Walk, more popularly known as Red…
Rector Trail
Because you are holding a copy of Sedona Monthly in your hands – whether you live here or not – it’s safe to assume that you have a favorite Red Rock Country trail. (No, we won’t…
Red Mountain Trail
If you don’t mind the long drive, hiking into the amphitheater of Red Mountain, a 1-million-year-old cinder cone in the San Francisco Peaks Volcanic Field, is a must-have experience. The trail begins at the end of…
Jail Trail River Walk
Looking for something to do with the kiddies during spring break? Family in town? Sometimes not everyone is up for – or capable of – a 6-mile hike in the red rocks. That’s when Cottonwood’s Jail…
Dry Creek Trail
In late winter and early spring, Dry Creek is anything but dry. Depending on how much rainfall we’ve received, it’s completely impassable in some locations. The key to hiking this trail is finding that ideal time…
Munds Mountain Trail No. 77 in Sedona
The only remnant of any movie set ever built in Sedona is a tall rock chimney and fireplace shrouded in brush and trees on a rocky basalt road at the top of the Mogollon Rim. Reaching…
Courthouse Butte Loop in Sedona
The verdict is in: Courthouse Butte Loop is one of the prettiest trails you’ll hike in the snow – and it’s easy. The 4.5-mile loop traverses the base of Courthouse Butte, one of Sedona’s largest monoliths,…
Boynton Canyon in Sedona
Scenic Boynton Canyon near Enchantment Resort is one of Sedona’s most popular trails and deservedly so. But because it’s in danger of being loved to death, we haven’t written about it in 12 years. Instead, we’ve…
A.B. Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon
The A.B. Young Trail is the only route (of which we know) that climbs the west wall of Oak Creek Canyon. From AZ-89A in the northern reaches of the canyon, you can spot the trail, which…
Sedona’s Loy Canyon
Sometimes you just want to walk in the woods, Hansel-and-Gretel style. That’s when you need to explore Loy Canyon and Loy Canyon Trail. The trail meanders along the floor of the canyon for 4 relatively flat…
Sedona’s Baldwin Trail
We don’t hike much during this time of the year, however, if we’re going to spend time on a trail, Baldwin ticks all of the boxes for a summertime jaunt. It’s in close proximity to Oak…
Sedona’s Thunder Mountain Trail
Thunder Mountain Trail is a gem of a hike that meanders along the base of its namesake, also known as Capitol Butte or Grey Mountain. Though there isn’t a ton of shade along the trail, it’s…
Vultee Arch Trail in Sedona
Back in the day, accessing the Vultee Arch Trailhead wasn’t nearly as challenging as it is now. The only way to reach it today is with a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle (yes, you need both high…
Sedona’s Scorpion and Pyramid Trails
We first became aware of the Scorpion and Pyramid trails while writing our September cover story – Jennifer Young, president of Friends of the Forest, let us in on the secret. If you like solitude mixed…
Doe Mountain
Every year, the trail leading to the top of Doe Mountain seems to grow in popularity as more and more hikers seek out the mesa’s 360-degree views. After spending several days flying above Sedona, we were…
Sedona’s White Mesa Trail
Sometimes you hike for the beauty and the views, while other times you hike just to get a bit of exercise in the great outdoors. White Mesa Trail, located southeast of Sedona in the Beaver Creek…
Sedona’s Cow Pies Trail
If you don’t mind a bumpy ride to get there, Cow Pies Trail is probably one of the flattest and easiest hikes in Sedona. It also happens to be located in an area of Red Rock…
Sedona’s Herkenham Trail
Few things match the beauty of Red Rock Country covered in a blanket of snow, especially when you consider that it’s a rare and fleeting sight. If you don’t want to waste time finding an off-the-beaten-path…
Sedona’s Sterling Pass Trail
Perhaps we’ve watched too many episodes of Finding Bigfoot, but if sasquatch was going to winter in Sedona, there’s no doubt he’d feel at home in the unnamed drainage surrounding Sterling Pass Trail. The area has…
Flagstaff’s Aspen Loop Trail
One of the best things about autumn? The changing leaves. Leaf peepers don’t have to wait for Oak Creek Canyon to peak at the end of October or beginning of November, either. Head north to the…
Brins Mesa Trail
Back in June 2006, Brins Mesa made headlines when a fire broke out in the area, scorching more than 4,000 acres. Nine years later, you can still see the evidence when you hike the popular –…
Sedona Hike: Table Top Trail
With a name like Table Top, you can be fairly confident that the trail will offer spectacular views – and it does. But the route actually takes its name from Airport Mesa, which was originally Table…
Hike Sedona: Jim Thompson Trail
When it’s hot outside, but we still want to hike, we love trails where you can leave a car at either end, and Jim Thompson Trail is a great option. The hike begins near Jordan Road…
Hike Sedona: Hog Heaven
If you read our March 2015 cover story, you know the growing popularity of mountain biking in Sedona has led to the adoption of new trails by Coconino National Forest. One of our recent discoveries is…
Hike Sedona: Robbers Roost
According to local legend, Robbers Roost (also known as Shaman’s Cave or the Hide Out Cave), located northwest of Sedona but visible from any high vantage point in town, was a hideout for bandits and bootleggers,…
Mountain Biking in Sedona
The popularity of mountain biking in Red Rock Country over the last 10 years has exploded, and it shows no signs of slowing down. On any given weekend you will see large vans parked at local…
Hike Bell Rock Pathway in Sedona
Ah, autumn. That ideal time of year when the days are sunny and the evenings are brisk. It’s the perfect month to tackle the wide, scenic trail that leads from iconic Bell Rock to Little Horse…
Coffee Pot Trail
Sedona doesn’t lack difficult hiking trails. The majority of our routes seem to be long, involve steep climbs and include rocky terrain. We are always on the lookout for trails that are suitable for all ages…
Long Canyon
Confession: In the 13 years we’ve been publishing Sedona Monthly, we have never featured Long Canyon Trail. Once we realized the error of our ways, we made a beeline for the trailhead on Long Canyon Road…
Huckaby Trail
Huckaby Trail is a favorite hike among locals and tourists alike, so it’s no surprise that it was suffering from too much love. Originally constructed in 1998, the trail was rerouted at the end of last…
Sedona View Trail
The recently opened Sedona View Trail lives up to its name, offering panoramic views of West Sedona in its entirety. The trail also provides a much-needed route for hikers and mountain bikers by connecting the Airport…
Mooney Trail
With an unprecedented number of sunny days in January and February and an influx of visitors from the East Coast this winter, Sedona trails have seen a fair amount of use thus far in 2014. So…
Chuck Wagon Trail
Used by mountain bikers for years, Chuck Wagon Trail only recently became an official Coconino National Forest trail. The route has been modified to accommodate hikers and provide an alternate path to Devil’s Bridge, a popular…
Eagle’s Nest
Red Rock State Park, a 286-acre nature preserve located on the southwestern edge of town, includes 10 developed trails, daily guided nature walks and a plethora of monthly activities. Oak Creek runs through the park, and…
Fay Canyon
Fay Canyon has long been one of the most popular hikes in Red Rock Country and for good reason: There’s plenty of parking at the trailhead, the route is relatively flat until the end and the…
Teacup Trail
It’s easy to see why many of Sedona’s most iconic rock formations received their names – there’s no mistaking Bell Rock or Snoopy Rock. But Teacup Rock is a bit more difficult to discern. The best…
