Sedona is a magical little outdoorsy town located 2 hours north of Phoenix, AZ. Arizona is known for being home to the Grand Canyon, but few people realize that the entire state is filled with picturesque scenery with Sedona being at the top of the list. When visiting Sedona, you will find yourself immersed in beautiful red rock formations with endless hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, etc. It is truly an adventure-lovers paradise! If nothing else, then you should give yourself a long weekend to get a little taste of what Sedona has to offer! Below you will find a comprehensive Sedona travel guide on everything you need to know to plan your visit.
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When to Visit Sedona
March-May, September-October
Hands down, the best time to visit Sedona is in spring and fall as temperatures are consistently sunny and 75 deg! The biggest downside is that these are the most crowded months to visit and hotel prices will be insanely high.
June-August
Summer season is tough, as the hot desert sun is unforgiving and temperatures are in the high 90s. Summers also bring monsoon season, and you can never count out an afternoon downpour.
November-February
Winter months are your best bet to enjoy less crowded trails, but you will need to pack your layers, as it can get quite chilly! There is also NOTHING quite as magical as a Sedona snowfall!
Overall, Sedona is worth a visit no matter what time you are able to go, although I would suggest avoiding summer season, especially if you are planning on camping.
Where to Stay in Sedona
There are a bunch of hotel options in Sedona, with each having a slightly unique view and offering various amenities. Unfortunately, since this is a destination town ALL of the hotels are priced very high. Same goes for Air bnbs. I have yet to find an affordable option in ANY season. Depending on your travel needs, it may be worth it to splurge on a hotel, but if you’re looking to save some money, then camping is a great option! There are a few different campgrounds near the area, and they are all pretty competitive to reserve. A good rule of thumb is to reserve your spot at least 3 months in advance and even sooner during peak season!
Camping in Sedona
Manzanita Campground
Located just 6 miles north of the town, Manzanita campground is a popular option for people visiting Sedona. The campground is small, consisting of 18 sites, but if you are lucky enough to score a site, you will get to enjoy the numerous fishing and swimming holes in the area!
Price: $22/night
Sites: Tent only, nonelectric
Reservable sites: 14
Fc/Fs sites: 4, you have to be super lucky to get one
Amenities: Pit toilets, campfire rings, picnic tables, pets allowed, potable water
Cave Spring Campground
Also located in Oak Creek canyon and 13 miles north of Sedona, lies Cave Spring campground. It is a much larger campground and will accommodate both tents and RVs. You will need to book in advance in order to secure a spot, as there are no first come-first serve sites.
Price: $22/night
Sites: Nonelectric, will accommodate tent or RV
Reservable sites: 84
Amenities: Pit toilets, campfire rings, picnic tables, pets allowed, potable water, showers, general store
Pine Flat Campground
The third and final campground in Oak Creek Canyon is Pine Flat Campground. It is right up the road from Cave Springs and has the most first come-first serve sites available.
Price: $22/night
Sites: Nonelectric, will accommodate tent or RV
Reservable sites: 36
First come-First serve: 21
Amenities: Pit toilets, campfire rings, picnic tables, pets allowed, potable water
Dispersed Camping
My favorite kind of camping. The free kind! There are a few worthy dispersed campsites near Sedona. I always point people in the direction of ioverlander.com or freecampsites.net as they have way more information on the exact location of any dispersed camping in the area! But I just wanted to make sure to mention that this is an option for Sedona.
Hiking in Sedona
The hiking IS BY FAR THE BEST PART ABOUT VISITING SEDONA! There are so many beautiful trails and secret little caves that will keep you wanting to come back time and time again! The hiking is for everyone and can be as easy or strenuous as you want to make it! I am highlighting my favorite hikes below and what I believe to be “must see”. Make sure to share any that you think I missed in the comments below!
Check out what to pack for a day hike for gear recs!
Cathedral Rock (Moderate)
-1.5 mile out and back
-750 ft elevation gain
Short but sweet, do not miss out on cathedral rock! It is rated as moderate as it is very steep and requires some rock scrambling. If you take your time and watch your footing, you won’t have any issues getting to the epic viewpoint that lies at the end of the trail! Pro tip: this is an excellent sunset spot, but be sure to bring a headlamp to hike back with because it can be easy to get off trail in the dark!
Subway Cave (hard)
-5.3 miles out and back
-800 ft elevation gain
Widely known as one of Sedona’s most famous “secret” caves, the Subway cave can be found by taking the Boynton Canyon trail. About 2 miles into the Boynton Canyon trail, you will take a sharp right to a little foot path through the trees. If you get confused, just ask someone on the trail! It is extremely likely they are either headed to the same place or have just been there. The cave is definitely not so secret anymore 😉 Once you turn off Boynton Canyon, continue on the footpath until you dead-end at a rock (a little over half a mile). Scramble up a small rock section to your left and you will be right at the bottom of the cave! Make sure to wear sturdy shoes and be careful with your footing as climbing up into the cave can be slippery and dangerous.
Devil’s Bridge (Moderate)
-4 miles out and back
-600 ft elevation
Probably the most famous hike in the area, Devil’s Bridge hike will lead you to the largest (and coolest) natural sandstone arch in the area! The best part, is that you are able to walk out onto the bridge! The hike starts out pretty flat, saving all of the elevation for the end. Hiking poles have been recommended for this hike, although it is doable without them. Being the most famous hike, you will undoubtedly be sharing the hike with many others and unfortunately to hike out onto the bridge you will have to wait in a long line of people. If you go peak day and peak season, the wait could be into the HOURS. Which is insane. It completely ruins the whole experience in my opinion. Pro tip: try going at sunset or sunrise. It is still unlikely that you will have the bridge to yourself, but there will be far less people there.
Bell Rock (easy)
-0.8 mi
-200 ft elevation
Easy hike and great views! Because of this, the trail is usually very crowded (this is just a general theme in Sedona), but once the “official” trail ends, you can continue to scramble up the rock for as long as you feel comfortable, the crowd will thin the further up you go!
The Birthing Cave (easy)
-2.0 miles out and back
-300 ft elevation
Another secret little cave in Sedona! The birthing cave is actually a sacred cultural site the indigenous Hopi Women would give birth. To reach the birthing cave, you will start at the Long Canyon trailhead. Travel for a little over half a mile until you reach a fork in the road. Go left at the fork and continue on for another half mile until you reach the cave.
Fun Experiences in Sedona
Slide Rock State Park
If you’re getting tired of the thick desert heat, then be sure to scoot on over to Slide Rock State Park. Located about 7 miles north of Sedona, the state park is home to Oak Creek which has multiple natural water slides where you can cool off and have a little fun!
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride
If you have always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon, then Sedona is a pretty darn good place to do it! There are two companies allowed to fly in the area, and tours book up QUICKLY during high season, so be sure to book in advance! There is absolutely nothing like flying over Sedona as the beautiful red rock cliffs light up in the sunrise! Check out the two companies listed below for more info:
Pink Jeep Tour
Pink Jeep tours of Sedona are THE THING to do! Impossible to miss, you’ll be sure to see the bright and fun pink jeeps taking people all over Sedona. This is a great option if you want to see Sedona but are not a strong hiker. Also, it’s just a good ‘ole fun off-roading adventure! Check out https://www.pinkadventuretours.com/tours/sedona-tours to book your tour.
Sedona Star Gazing
Probably my FAVORITE thing about Sedona is that it is a “dark sky” community. The town has worked together to reduce light pollution and comply with a dark sky ordinance. This makes Sedona the perfect place to catch the twinkling night stars and in certain seasons, the milky way! Pro tip: Catch the sunset at cathedral rock and then stay for a little star gazing! BE SURE TO BRING A HEADLAMP AND/OR FLASHLIGHT as the trail can be tricky to navigate in the dark.
ATV Rental
Looking to get a little more adventurous? Get a little rowdy and go off roading in an ATV through the trails of Sedona! Just like the hot air balloon, this is a truly unique experience and Sedona is a great place to do it! Check out https://atvsedona.com/ to get started.
What to Pack for Sedona
Shoes: We LOVE these Salomon’s in women’s and men’s!
Pack: A good day pack makes ALL the difference! We both use this 30L Ortovox pack. It’s the perfect size for day hiking and we love that it unzips all of the way down the front!
Sun protection: a brimmer hat and sun hoodie (women’s and men’s) are essentials in the desert sun!
Cooler: Keep a few snacks and drinks cool in the car with this affordable soft sided cooler! It’s a game changer on a hot day!
Water: There is no water in the park, therefore be sure to bring this packable water cube and a reusable water bottle!
Snacks: Make sure to pack some trail snacks too! We love these meal replacement bars (although we use them as a snack not a meal!)
First aid kit: Just this standard first aid kit should suffice if anything were to happen on the trail!
Light: A headlamp and extra batteries are important to carry in case you are out hiking later than you suspect.
Sedona Travel Tips
- Sedona is PET FRIENDLY!! Dogs are allowed on leash on most of the trails.
- Guide along: We recommend this for every single road trip! Guide along is a location-based audio tour that gives you tips and stories about the location your driving along. The tour operates totally offline and hands free! Check it out here!
- Over estimate how much water you need. Even on a cool day, the dry climate can leave you dehydrated easily.
- Parking is not your friend. At the trailheads there is usually very limited parking. You will either need to get there VERY early or get lucky. Keep this in mind!
- Don’t fall into the touristy trap of the town, get outside! That’s what you’re there for.
Happy Travels!
