Rector Connector Trail

The Rector Trail is one of our favorite hot-weather hikes. It’s short, offers up plenty of shade and includes many iconic red rocks. This hike lets you get up close to many of the Village of Oak Creek’s most recognizable red rocks like Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte and provides plenty of shady spots along the way. On a beautiful afternoon, we turned onto Rector Trail – named after Gene and Darl Rector, who both volunteered with Friends of the Forest to help improve the local area’s trails.

A few of Sedona’s red rock formations that are located in the Village of Oak Creek along the Rector Connector Trail.

The Rector Trail is sometimes listed as the Rector Connector Trail due to the fact that it connects both Bell Rock and the Courthouse Butte trails to one another. Rector is every bit as spectacular as the aforementioned trails, but it’s much shorter and an ideal summer hike. When we don’t have a ton of time, this is one of our go-to hikes in the area. Start your walk on Bell Rock Pathway at the Bell Rock Trailhead on AZ-179, just north of Bell Rock Boulevard and the Village of Oak Creek. After hiking 0.76 miles on the wide walkway, turn right onto Courthouse Butte Loop. The trail provides up-close-and-personal views of its namesake, but after less than one quarter of a mile, you’ll turn left onto Rector Trail. This Village of Oak Creek Trail is narrow and places you closer to Courthouse Butte than even the Courthouse Butte Loop does. When you’ve hiked 1.27 miles from the trailhead, you’ll enter into the Wilderness Area.

Rector Connector Trail is a loop trail that clocks in at just about 3 miles long.

Mountain bikers will have to turn back here as cyclists are not allowed in the Wilderness Area. One thing to note: The trails here can be somewhat confusing to follow. Pay close attention to the signs. After entering the Wilderness Area, the trail begins to climb gradually, and you’ll find yourself at the top of a ridge about 1.47 miles into the journey. From here, enjoy views of Capitol Butte, Baby Bell, Twin Buttes and the Chapel of the Holy Cross along with a partial view of Cathedral Rock. As you continue, views include Cockscomb and Airport Mesa. Rector Trail intersects with the route that climbs Bell Rock at 1.62 miles (identified as Bell Rock Climb on the trail signs). Stay straight. Rector ends at Bell Rock Pathway at 1.75 miles. Turn left onto Bell Rock Pathway for a 2.9-mile round-trip loop.