Sedona, Arizona is a special Southwest destination known for its red-rock temples and soul-nourishing energy vortexes. A contrast between the majestic red rock scenery and evergreen vegetation make for endless beautiful views in this small desert town. Did we mention it is a great hiking destination as well? Sedona should be high on your travel bucket list. In this blog post we will go over the 4 best hikes in Sedona, Arizona and the best place to stay while on a Sedona vacation. Located 2 hours north of Phoenix, Sedona is the perfect desert getaway that has something for everyone!
Airport Mesa Vortex
One of the best hikes in Sedona is the Airport Mesa Vortex hike. This relatively easy 3.5 mile loop hike provides panoramic views of the famous red rock formations Sedona is so well known for. In the distance you will see Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock and Courthouse Butte.
Additionally, since this is a vortex hike, use this hike as an opportunity to soak up that mystical energy as you hike the red sand dusty path. You might see people playing music, meditating or doing yoga.
Also while doing this hike you might see some airplanes take off or land right next to you. We recommend doing this hike for sunrise or sunset to see the sun rise or fall beyond those giant red rocks and watch the entire horizon turn a beautiful rainbow of colors.
Hike Details
Length: 3.5 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 314 ft
Difficulty: moderate
Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock was our favorite hike in Sedona. While this trail is short, allow yourself plenty of time to complete this hike, it’s not exactly an easy stroll through the park.
The trail starts as a gradual ascent up a clear path with an occasional rock staircase. Soon you will reach the first plateau where you may see people playing music, dancing, doing yoga or mediating as this is another one of Sedona’s well known energy vortexes.
A few rocky stairs later, you’ll arrive at a 40 ft crevasse and think you must have taken a wrong turn. You didn’t. This is just when the fun begins. Take your time climbing in this section, ample hand and footholds on the ascent make it manageable.
The top of the crevasse is only the start of the fun. We’re here to tell you the rest of this hike is basically a scramble. The hike is generally marked with cairns here and there but it is really up to the hiker to decide which path they would like to take to the top. Just keep going up.
I found myself crawling on my hands and feet multiple times throughout this hike (at 7 months pregnant…) but that’s honestly what made it so fun. A few scrambles, switchbacks and breaks to breath later and you’ll be at the top, greeted with an “end of trail” sign to mark the finish line. The plateau between two giant walls of red rock formations is the perfect place to sit and take in the incredible view in front of you. It truly is magical!
Hike Details
Length: 1.4 miles out and back
Elevation Gain: 645 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate with several difficult sections
Parking Fee: $5.00
Bell Rock
Bell Rock is another spectacular red rock formation you can hike while in Sedona. This hiking destination has a reputation as a very strong vortex energy, which is said to be strongest on the north slope. It is also one of Sedona’s most well known meditation sites, and in fact we did see many people meditating as the sun went down. Bell Rock is also a spectacular place to watch the sunset.
The Bell Rock hike is similar to Cathedral Rock in that it is a scramble to the top. We found that the trail was not well marked and we ended up making our own path, stopping whenever we were satisfied with the view. Apparently if you follow the cairns they will lead you on the easiest path, though we aren’t sure we agree with the cairns being easy to find. However, we really enjoyed creating our own adventure on this hike!
Take your time and wear appropriate shoes. We can’t imagine trying to do this one in flip flops!
Hike Details
Length: 1.1 miles out and back
Elevation Gain: 380 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Devil’s Bridge
The Devil’s Bridge hike is not a vortex hike, but it is still one of the most popular and well known hikes in Sedona. You’ve probably marveled at beautiful photos of this hike on Instagram.
Although this hike is on the longer side at over 4 miles, it is relatively easy and flat until the last half mile or so. Here you will begin a steep climb to get on top of the bridge.
Since this hike is so well known, we were expecting the trail to be crowded, however we shared the view at the top with only one other couple! We’re not sure how we got so lucky!
We recommend doing this hike for an early sunrise or late sunset. We did it at sunset which worked out perfectly for us, but we did have to hike out in the dark. If you are going to hike at night, bring a headlamp! You can also sit out and stargaze in the enormous Sedona sky at night, which can be a very special experience.
Crowds or not, we loved this hike and think it is an absolute must while in Sedona!
Hike Details:
Length: 4.2 miles out and back
Elevation Gain: 564 ft
Difficulty: moderate
Where to Stay – Amara Resort and Spa
While we were in Sedona we stayed at the beautiful Amara Resort and Spa! Overall we rate our experience a 10 out of 10 and here is why!
The location is amazing! Amara is located right in buzzing uptown Sedona and surrounded by the gorgeous red rock formations. There are endless restaurants and shops within walking distance if you are looking for a night out. Additionally, all the hikes we wanted to do were within a quick 15 minute drive.
On top of the location, the resort amenities were great! While in Sedona we were working remotely. Amara has strong, reliable wifi and they allowed us to use their business center after check out to finish our work day.
They have a delicious restaurant on site called the Saltrock Southwest Kitchen. We definitely recommend planning to eat here during your stay at least once. We enjoyed a tasty breakfast each morning, and the cherry on top was watching the sunrise over the gorgeous red rock view as we sipped our morning coffee.
Last, but certainly not least, is the outdoor patio area, equipped with an outdoor dining area, fire pits, infinite pool and hot tub. Jumping in the water and soaking in the hot tub was the perfect way to relax after along hike.
The customer service at Amara is fantastic! Amara Resort offers complimentary valet service for every guest, which is incredibly convenient. The check-in and check-out process was quick and seamless, and the staff was very friendly. Also, a huge perk of this resort is that it is dog friendly. They even went above and beyond to welcome every dog that was checking in with their paw-rents that day and had treats and water bowls available at the front entrance.
You Turn to Visit Sedona
It is the little things that really made Amara Resort and Spa stand out to us compared to other places we’ve stayed. We enjoyed our stay fully and will definitely be back again in the future.
Sedona, Arizona has something for everyone. We hope you enjoyed our guide on the best Sedona hikes and the best place to stay while on your trip. If you have any hiking recommendations for us to check out next time, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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