Sedona is full of beautiful hikes. It’s a place full of spirit and color. When I lived in Arizona for a month, I visited Sedona rather frequently. Known for its vortexes and red rocks, Sedona is a hiking town 2 hours north of Phoenix definitely worth visiting.

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When hiking, please remember to respect and preserve nature by following the Leave No Trace principles. Leave only footprints and take only pictures.

Not sure what to pack on your day hikes? Some essentials that I always bring with me include a large water bottle, a first aid kit, and headlamps (for hiking around sunrise or sunset). I used this hiking bag during my month in Arizona and found that it worked very well.

1. Devil’s Bridge

Rate: Moderate | 4.2 miles* | 3 hours | Elevation Gain: 400-500 ft | Start: Mescal Trailhead*

This is the most iconic hike in Sedona. You’ve probably seen pictures of it when looking up Sedona. As you can imagine, this hike can get really crowded, especially on weekends. That’s why I recommend starting early! My friend and I started at 5 AM (mainly to beat the August heat) and it took us about 3 hours to finish the trail, including enjoying the view at the top.

*Important notes: There are 3 different places you can start to begin your hike to Devil’s Bridge: 1) Mescal Trailhead, 2) Dry Creek Parking Lot or 3) Devil’s Bridge Trailhead. You can only start at Devil’s Bridge Trailhead if you have a 4×4. This would cut down your hike to 2 miles roundtrip. I recommend starting at Mescal Trailhead if you want to see some scenery. Dry Creek is a bit easier on the knees in the beginning since you are essentially walking on a long dirt road.

Some perks of visiting during monsoon season are seeing beautiful rainbows and sunrises. The trail was relatively flat until the end of the hike, where there were some steep rocks you have to climb up. It’s definitely doable, even for those who are novice hikers or older age. The bridge is not as narrow as it appears in the photos and I felt like I had plenty of room on both sides. Luckily, everyone was really friendly and respectful and offered to take pictures for us.

2. Subway Cave / Boynton Canyon Trail

Rate: Hard | 5 miles to Subway Cave | 4 hours | Elevation Gain: 800 ft | Start: Boynton Canyon Trailhead

Subway Cave is located off the Boynton Canyon trail (about 2 miles in) and has gained popularity in recent years. Start your hike early and park at the Boynton Canyon trailhead. I thought this hike was hard because there are no marked trails to the cave, so it was difficult to find. Also, in order to get to the cave, you have to climb up a steep, slanted rock slab. Make sure you bring hiking shoes with good traction! However, I still thought the views from the cave were worth the adventure.

I found it very helpful to download an offline Google map and pin the exact location of the cave. When you get to the cave, there are two ways to climb up– one way is to climb up and walk on the ledge that wraps to the entrance and another way is to climb up the steep, slanted rock slab. I highly suggest doing the rock slab! The other way is much more dangerous.

3. Birthing Cave

Rate: Easy-Moderate | 2 miles rt | 2 hours | Elevation Gain: 250 ft | Start: Long Canyon Trailhead

The hike to the Birthing Cave is relatively easy. About 0.6 miles into the Long Canyon trail, you’ll see a split in the trails. Take the trail on the left to continue to the Birthing Cave. Once you get to the cave, the difficulty becomes more moderate. The walls of the cave are very slippery and it’s important to be careful if you decide to climb higher into the cave.

4. Airport Vortex

Rate: Easy | 0.1 miles rt | < 30 min | Elevation Gain: 200 ft | Start: Airport Road Parking Lot

Sedona is famous for its vortexes. What are vortexes?

Sedona vortexes (the proper grammatical form ‘vortices’ is rarely used) are thought to be swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration. These are places where the earth seems especially alive with energy.

visitsedona.com

There are three ways to get to the Airport Vortex — two of them are more of a hike including Sedona View Trail which is 1.2 miles rt and Airport Loop Trail which is 3.2 miles rt. This post highlights the easiest way to get to the vortex, which is more of a lookout than a hike. After parking in the small lot off Airport Road, take the Airport Mesa Trail. There will be a small incline with handrails that lead to the view. I highly suggest visiting the Airport Vortex for sunset, as it has great views of the west.

5. Fay Canyon

Rate: Easy | 2.5 miles rt | 1-2 hours | Elevation Gain: 250 ft | Start: Fay Canyon Trailhead

The hike to Fay Canyon is relatively easy and the views are beautiful. You will be rewarded with panoramic views of the canyon surrounded by lots of vegetation. Some of the side trails are a bit treacherous so be careful. We tried to find the Fay Canyon Arch that was described by previous hikers, but were unsuccessful and felt unsafe walking further on the side trails.

We passed a few families, so the hike is family or kid-friendly. Since the canyon walls are tall and there are many trees, there is plenty of shade if you need to take a break from the sun.

Q&A

When should I visit?

Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) are the best months to visit both weather-wise and cost-wise. The temperatures range from highs of 60°Fs-80°Fs with little rainfall. Also, there are fewer crowds which can make hiking at popular spots more ideal. This being said, the two times that I have been to Sedona so far have both been in August, which is notorious for being the “worst” month to visit. The reason is that August is the peak monsoon season and has the hottest temperatures. However, I thought this made the red rock scenery even more beautiful — more water means more lush vegetation. The contrast between the red rocks and the green cacti was even more striking and beautiful. I also saw the most vibrant sunrises/sunsets and rainbows. The heat was honestly manageable since I did most of the hikes in the early mornings and it was still 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix.

How should I get around?

You will definitely need a car to get around Sedona and visit the surrounding areas. I rented a car using Turo and I found the process very straightforward. As a young driver, Turo had the most affordable prices compared to other rental companies. I have also rented with Hertz before since they will waive the young driver fee if you have AAA.

Where should I stay?

It depends on how much you want to spend and what type of vacation you are looking for. There are many resorts and nice hotels for those looking to relax more and spend more on nicer accommodations. These can range anywhere from $150/night to $700/night. Personally, I didn’t really care where I stayed since I knew I would be out and hiking most of the days. I traveled with one other friend and we paid $47/night each for 2 nights in an airbnb.

How expensive is Sedona?

Sedona is pretty pricey and is comparable to other US cities such as NYC and Boston. However, there are definitely many ways to stay within budget. The gas is more expensive in Sedona so it would save money to fill up your tank before entering the town. While restaurants are on par price-wise with many other cities, I saved money by going to a grocery store for breakfast bars and sandwiches/salads. You will need to buy a Red Rock Pass to park at most of the trailheads. The pass costs $5/day, $15/week, or $20/year.

Looking for more hiking inspiration?

Read 10 Easy or Moderate Hiking Trails in Connecticut or get inspo from my photos taken on my Colorado trip.

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