Hiking in Sedona, AZ – Top 3 Trails for Beginners

We’ve been wanting to visit Sedona, Arizona for a few years now and when we finally had the chance, we jumped at it. Hiking was always something we have wanted to do in Sedona. We heard about all the mystical vortexes and the New Age phenomenon that the area was so famous for. And we wanted to see what it was all about. Dancing at night with fire lit torches around standing stones? Sounds right up my alley! Oops, wrong TV show.
Besides, we also heard Sedona was and is beautiful. Since we’re pretty new to hiking as of 2016, we figured it would be a great place to add to our hiking bucket list that isn’t too far away.

I have a back injury and my husband gets tired easily due to his mystery illness so we always have to schedule our hikes carefully and make sure we have time to rest. I’ve created this list of the Top 3 Hiking Trails for Beginners in Sedona that is easy on the back, short on time to trek it and worth the effort at the end! I’m sure there are many more but these are just my personal choices.

Day 1 – Our Arrival

We had a pleasant flight with one quick connection in Phoenix, that finally landed us in Flagstaff, AZ. It was quite cold in Flagstaff because of the higher altitude, there was still snow on the ground and it was raining. The airport was tiny and we quickly obtained our rental 4WD SUV, then zoomed out of town. I mention the SUV because it becomes handy later.

The drive down to Sedona from Flagstaff was my first glimpse of the incredible rock formations of the United State’s Southwest Region. It was a short 1.5 hour drive but I was already in awe.

We made a quick stop at the Whole Foods Market in Sedona before heading to the Sedona Pines Resort. I knew our accommodations had a full kitchen so we could make our own meals if necessary.

Once we arrived at the resort, we were pleasantly surprised that each little “bungalow” was like a mini condo with its own reserved parking space and mini outdoor patio. Each “condo” was pretty much separated by the other. And it had a fabulous Italian restaurant on site as well. The Bella Vita Ristorante.

We checked in, got rested from our travels. Ate dinner at Bella Vita and pretty much called it a night.

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Day 2 – First Day of Activities

Boyton Pass Hike

Rise and shine!!! The husband decided that the Boynton Pass would be a quick and easy hike to start our morning and get a lay of the land. We had a tour reserved with Pink Jeep Tours later in the afternoon so we had to keep the hike short and easy so we wouldn’t be tired out by the afternoon.
We got super lucky with the weather because it was not too warm and not too cold so we quickly packed some snacks and off we go. Early March was just perfect. In fact the week before, it was raining cats and dogs. And the week after we left, it rained as well.

The Boynton Pass hike was easy and level. Perfect for kids and even an active senior. (I have a bad back so I might as well be a senior. But Boynton Pass did not make my Top 3 Hiking Trails for Beginners in Sedona, sorry Boynton.)

Boyton Pass Rock Formations

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Pink Jeep Off Roading Tour

Our Pink Jeep Off Roading Tour started at 1pm. We headed there early so I could request a shotgun seat! So I wouldn’t risk getting car sick. Each jeep was painted bright pink and specially designed and built to with stand its off roading purpose. Each vehicle can seat up to 6-8 average size folks. Basically, you’re going to be bouncing around a lot, but my back wasn’t bothered at all with all the jostling.

The particular tour we opted for was called the Broken Arrow and Scenic Rim Combo. It was definitely the most bang for your buck. Our guide, Mike, was one of the guides that have worked with them the longest. An elderly gentlemen who really knew his Sedona facts! It was fun, the ride was bumpy at points and fast at others, but that was what the thrill of it was all about. And I had the front seat and felt fine the whole time. We made several stops and took photos.

Here are some other great additional tours that Pink Jeep offers in the Sedona area! Check them out! I highly recommend this tour company. We had so much fun!

Quick Sedona Geology Lesson

We learned from Mike, why the Southwest of the United States is comprised of these glorious rock formations that encompasses the state of Utah, Nevada and Arizona, such as Zion, the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Basically a gazillion years ago when all the continents were still separated and they were slowly drifting towards each other, they eventually collided. And all the tectonic plates in the Earth shifted and bunched up during the collision forming jagged rocks, deep wells, rivers, cracks, crags, everything!
Okay, that’s my geology lesson for the day. Don’t sue me, I sucked at school.

Additional tours with Pink Jeep. Like I said above, I highly recommend them.

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Day 2 – Our Grand Canyon Luxury Tour

We booked a Luxury Grand Canyon tour to the West Rim with Westwind Air Service. Which I will be blogging about separately. So make sure to visit our Grand Canyon blog post for details about that separate day trip.

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Day 3 – Trekking around Sedona

Cathedral Rock

Our Third Day in Sedona was a free full day where we had no tours or excursions scheduled. Except for a Star Gazing night tour, but that was cancelled due to it being overcast.
We decided to drive around and find the local spots to visit such as a hike at Cathedral Rock.

Cathedral Rock is beautiful. The rock formations here are clustered together to form what looks like a Cathedral when looking at it from a distance. I literally said that it looked like a Roman coliseum when I saw it far off on the horizon when we drove down from Flagstaff a couple of days before.

Other Hiking Trails at Cathedral Rock

There were several hiking trails to choose from in and around Cathedral Rock. We chose an area that took us to a small little valley tucked away between two rock formations. There were a lot of small flat rocky plains where we could lay down a mat and have some snacks, rested and looked at the fantastic views. It was also shaded and had some wet spots left over from light rain the night before.

It was the road less traveled. We saw a few hikers or dirt bikers that would zip on by below us on the trail. There are many other hiking trails that lead to rocks you could climb, and around the main cathedral as well.
So the Cathedral Rocks made it as #1 onto my Top 3 Hiking Trails for Beginners in Sedona list. Hiking in Sedona is just so easy, you can practically do it from someone’s backyard. But don’t do that, that would be trespassing. HAHA!

These tours look amazing and I would totally do these when I visit Sedona again.

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Chapel of the Holy Cross

We headed to the Chapel of the Holy Cross next.

This beautiful structure was built on Coconino National Forest land and completed in 1957. The chapel was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude, who had been inspired in 1932 by the newly constructed Empire State Building to build such a church. Richard Hein was chosen as project architect, and the design was executed by architect August K. Strotz. Thanks Wikipedia!

It is a lovely place to visit. I am not 100% sure there are hiking trails close by.

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Airport Mesa Vortex Sunset

After our rest, it was just late afternoon. We had heard many people rave about the incredible sunsets in the area. And the best spot to view a famous Sedona sunset was at the Airport Mesa Vortex. We got ready quickly and headed up there early so we could get good parking. The sun sets at around 7pm around this time of year. I think we arrived at about 5:30pm. You can also drive up to the actual airport and find parking there and view the sunset from that area but it won’t have the 360-degree effect.

But the Mesa was better. Dress warm since the wind gets a bit chilly. It was a quick 5-minute uphill hike to the small Mesa. You have the 360-degree view from this area but the direction of where the sun sets is glorious! It was %$@#&* amaze balls!

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Day 4 – Devil’s Bridge & Seven Sacred Pools

Devil’s Bridge Hike

Our last day in Sedona was also our departure day. Our flight back home to California was later in the evening, so we had a full day to do whatever we wanted.

We decided to venture out for the big hike. The big doozy hike. (At least for us beginner hikers.) We kept hearing about the Devil’s Bridge Trail and the husband did some research. He said there was a shortcut we could traverse that would cut the hike down by half. We tried that way, but due to the rains, the short cut was blocked by a really fast flowing creek that we definitely could not cross! What’s plan B?

Devil’s Bridge – Plan B

Told you our SUV was going to be handy. We used our SUV and basically drove through crazy rugged terrain and cut the trail down by 1/3. It was super fun! And we passed a lot of hikers on the way that probably wished they had a vehicle that could drive the terrain. We got to an area where other cars were also parked so at least we weren’t the only ones. Then we hiked up the rest of the way. Phew! This was the longest hike I have ever done but it was worth it!

Coming back down was worse, my knees were pretty angry at me. I highly recommend a hiking stick! I swear I’m trapped in an 80yo body! Overall, the Devil’s Bridge made it to #3. If you’re going hiking in Sedona, this one is a must-see. I think it’s considered one of the best hikes in Sedona. But it’s a bit more strenuous. Needs a bit more mojo to take it on. So be prepared, and start early. If I can do it, then anyone can!

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Seven Sacred Pools Hike

We grabbed lunch afterwards and since we still had half a day left. Then we wanted to hike the trail to Soldiers Pass and the Seven Sacred Pools. They were both on the same trail but the Soldiers Pass was further in. We made it to the Devil’s Sink Hole and the Seven Sacred Pools, but I was too tired to continue traversing to Soldier’s Pass so we decided to skip it. We went back to our bungalow to finish packing and head to the airport.
But I would definitely add the Seven Sacred Pools as #2 trail to check out when you’re hiking in Sedona.

Check out these high-end luxury tours in the Sedona area!

In Conclusion

So in conclusion, the Top three hiking trails for beginners in Sedona I would personally recommend for are:
1) Cathedral Rocks,
2) Seven Sacred Pools and
3) Devil’s Bridge.
In this order from easy to moderate. With the best views and “worth it” moment upon completion. Hiking in Sedona is a great outdoor activity to enjoy if you are an outdoor enthusiast.
Just wear good shoes and layer your garments. Wear sunscreen and a hat for sure too.

Honorable mentions related to hiking in Sedona, best hikes in Sedona and Best Sedona Tours: Visit the Airport Vortex Mesa at Sunset. Do the Pink Jeep Broken Arrow & Scenic Rim Tour.
Sedona is incredible and beautiful. And we will definitely be going back some day soon.

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RtM Travel Notes

(RtM Travel Notes: We used our travel points and time share for this trip. Our Flight and Rental Car were covered by American Express Gold Travel points. And our Accommodation at the Sedona Pines Resort for 7 days was covered by RCI Timeshare through Club Melia, however we only stayed for 5 days.)

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