Heading out on my fall break this last fall to be with my childhood best friend, Sedona was high on our list! We drove up from Pheonix and spent the whole day hiking. I fell in love with Sedona because there is hiking, tourism, and amazing views similar to a national park but at no cost! There is no fee to park or hike and it is dog-friendly. Since Sedona is a large town, grab groceries from one of the local stores before you head out to save money. Here were the amazing hikes we did:
Stunning views from the Devil’s Bridge hike in Sedona
Stop #1: Devils Bridge Hike
We started at the Mescal Trail Head because parking was available and it integrates you into their trails without being swarmed by tourists immediately. It took us about 2-2 1/2 hours round trip to finish this Sedona hike, but we did stop a lot for the views and wait in line to take a picture at Devil’s Bridge. Honestly, I thought the views before the bridge were better than the views at the actual bridge. The last 1/2 mile of the hike is very uphill so prepare for that. You will have to wait in line to get on the bridge being a huge tourist spot. I promise the bridge is much wider than you think!
360 degrees of nature in Sedona at the Airport Loop Trail
Stop #2: Sedona Airport Loop Trail
This Sedona hike was our favorite! My friend and I fell in love with it because it has amazing 360 views of Sedona and was completely empty. The trail is one giant loop that is 3 miles long and took us about 1-1/2 hours to complete. The views are stunning and you see many of the major landmarks like Cathedral Rock. The only downside is the lack of parking at the Aiport Mesa lot. You might get super lucky, or you might have to stake out a spot for a little bit since many people just walk to the top of the Sedona Trail Viewpoint. You cannot park all the way at the top and walk down, there are very clear signs!
Beautiful wedding ceremony at Cathedral Rock trail in Sedona
Stop #3: Cathedral Rock
This was the Sedona hike that most people recommended to us before I left. What people don’t tell you is how ding dang hard this hike is, especially for the last one of the day. I’ll be honest, we didn’t make it to the top because we didn’t want to go rock climbing super late at night. The last quarter mile is straight uphill and very doable with fresh legs, which we did not have. But from the people we talked to at the hike, the views are 100% worth it. It’s only a 1.2 mile out and back, so it’s a shorter hike compared to the other ones we did. Be aware that it is a very high traffic area so parking can be a hot mess, so try and go super early, or super late during sunset, as we did.
Even though I only went Sedona for one day, I felt like we hit a lot of the major sports. But, for my more adventurous readers, there are many more Sedona hike out there. Staying in Sedona can be a little bit expensive, so make sure you book early or look outside the town in Oak Creek. Comment below if you enjoy any of these trails!
