Favorite Sedona Hikes  

One of the benefits of living in Sedona (and the Verde Valley area in general) is that it is incredibly beautiful, and one of the best ways to experience its beauty to to hike through it. You can hike pretty much year-'round, but in the Spring the landscape fairly calls out to you to break away and enjoy Mother Nature's gifts. You could probably hike a different trail every day of the year if you wished, but there are a few that I think of as pretty hard to improve upon, and have become favorites.

• Devil's Bridge - overall one of the best bang-for-the-buck hikes in terms of views versus effort you'll ever find. It's only about a mile and fairly easy, with a short steep climb to the top of a dramatic red rock arch which pays off with stupendous views of the valley. Access it off Dry Creek Rd.
• Vultee Arch - another beautiful hike into a box canyon off of Dry Creek Rd. This one's about 1 1/2 miles each way, and takes you to another natural arch.
• Bell Rock and the Bell Rock Pathway - do part of it or all of it as time and your mood allow. This trail loops around Bell Rock and also has a loop around Courthouse Butte, or you can take it all the way to the Chapel area and the Little Horse Park trailhead. If you do that expect it to take a couple of hours. It's fairly level (except for Bell Rock itself, which has numerous trails - mind your step near the edges, as the prehistoric sandstone is soft and crumbles) and a great cool weather hike. It's also a favorite for mountain bikers, but it's broad enough that there's room for everyone. In summer, start early as there is zero shade. Pick up the trail just north of Bell Rock Blvd in the Village of Oak Creek.
• Speaking of summer, in hot weather the coolest hike is undoubtedly West Fork up in Oak Creek Canyon. It is also (justifiably) one of the most famous of Sedona's trails, so if you want to avoid the hoards, try to go mid-week. I had not been in years and went with a visiting friend this last summer, and was glad I did. I'd forgotten how truly wonderful it is. There's a short very easy portion that takes you down to the creek that pretty much anybody can enjoy at the Call of the Canyon entry (Zane Grey used the area as the location for his novel of that name). If you want to go farther, wear your old tennies because your feet will probably get wet, as the trail crosses the creek several times. There's plenty of shady spots and the creek to cool you. The entire canyon is about 12 miles but the most popular portion is the first 3 miles.
• Wet Beaver Creek - at least that's what we've always called it. I like to think of it as the less-crowded alternative to West Fork. It's another hike that's great in warmer weather as it follows Wet Beaver Creek, south of the Village of Oak Creek (take SR 179 under I-17 for a couple more miles to the trailhead parking area on the left). This is a great hike for wildflower lovers. Turns out that there are several trails that depart from this area, and the ones I usually take are Bell Trail and Weir Trail (1 1/2 to 2 hours). For the hardier hikers among you, pick up the Apache Maid and White Mesa trails.

  If you're looking for a good guide book, I recommend Richard and Sherry Mangum's Sedona Hikes.

You will need a Red Rock Pass to park at any of these trailheads. Pick one up at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce near the 'Y' on Forest Road or click here for more places to purchase a pass.   A final word: always carry plenty of water and wear sunscreen, year 'round. Happy Hiking!