Little Horse Trail
The Little Horse Trail is one of our favorite hikes in town for two key reasons – the trail is relatively flat and lets you get up close to Sedona’s famed red rocks. The trail kicks…
Coconino National Forest
Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock is a storied Sedona hike. For starters, this impressive red rock formation is one of Sedona’s most recognizable sites. Beyond that, the views are truly spectacular. You’re both up close to the red rocks,…
Huckaby Trail
Huckaby Trail is a favorite hike among locals and tourists alike, and it’s not hard to see why. This Oak Creek Canyon trail offers up views of Sedona’s red rocks and lets you cross one of…
A.B. Young Trail
This time of year is our absolute favorite for hiking. The cool temperatures mean you can spend hours on the trails. In the winter months on the weekends, you’ll often find us taking long, meandering hikes….
Rock Climbing in Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona rocks. We know that. But Northern Arizona’s literal rocks make it a popular region for rock climbing. “It’s got a lot of diverse types of climbing that you can do in a short distance,”…
Devil’s Bridge
The sandstone arch that gives this trail its name has become a star on social media. The arch’s visual appeal is undeniable. Many hikers flock here to see this incredible arch with their own eyes, and…
Chapel Trail
Summer’s high temps generally linger in September, and if you’re looking for an easy and short trail that features stunning red rock views, try the quick and easy Chapel Trail. Although dogs are not allowed inside…
Rock On
Scott Newth pulls out several binders filled with photocopied documents from the 1800s, maps, diagrams, and pages and pages of research on rock art in the Verde Valley. You’d swear he’d been researching the…
Munds Mountain Trail No. 77 in Sedona
The only remnant of any movie set ever built in Sedona is a tall rock chimney and fireplace shrouded in brush and trees on a rocky basalt road at the top of the Mogollon Rim. Reaching…
Courthouse Butte Loop in Sedona
The verdict is in: Courthouse Butte Loop is one of the prettiest trails you’ll hike in the snow – and it’s easy. The 4.5-mile loop traverses the base of Courthouse Butte, one of Sedona’s largest monoliths,…
Boynton Canyon in Sedona
Scenic Boynton Canyon near Enchantment Resort is one of Sedona’s most popular trails and deservedly so. But because it’s in danger of being loved to death, we haven’t written about it in 12 years. Instead, we’ve…
A.B. Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon
The A.B. Young Trail is the only route (of which we know) that climbs the west wall of Oak Creek Canyon. From AZ-89A in the northern reaches of the canyon, you can spot the trail, which…
Sedona Reflections
In Sedona, everything is better in October. Daytime temperatures slowly start to drop and the summer monsoon storms dissipate. It’s also an ideal time to explore Pumphouse Wash in Oak Creek Canyon. Five miles of…
Sedona’s Loy Canyon
Sometimes you just want to walk in the woods, Hansel-and-Gretel style. That’s when you need to explore Loy Canyon and Loy Canyon Trail. The trail meanders along the floor of the canyon for 4 relatively flat…
Sedona’s Baldwin Trail
We don’t hike much during this time of the year, however, if we’re going to spend time on a trail, Baldwin ticks all of the boxes for a summertime jaunt. It’s in close proximity to Oak…
Sedona’s Thunder Mountain Trail
Thunder Mountain Trail is a gem of a hike that meanders along the base of its namesake, also known as Capitol Butte or Grey Mountain. Though there isn’t a ton of shade along the trail, it’s…
Vultee Arch Trail in Sedona
Back in the day, accessing the Vultee Arch Trailhead wasn’t nearly as challenging as it is now. The only way to reach it today is with a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle (yes, you need both high…
Fleur-de-Sedona
Mary Senseney The first thing that strikes you about Mary Senseney’s Village of Oak Creek garden is its orderly, well-manicured and thoughtfully executed design. But when you stroll through the courtyards and along flagstone pathways, you…
Templeton Trail in Sedona
For those who like to spend half the day rambling through Red Rock Country at a leisurely pace, Templeton Trail is right up your alley. You’ll only encounter one steep climb along this 9-mile (round trip)…
Sedona’s Munds Wagon Trail
We’ve hiked this trail in warm weather without a puddle in sight, so we suspect our experience was relatively rare, which made it even more special. Despite a blustery breeze, the scenery made us feel like…
Sedona’s Cathedral Rock Trail
Cathedral Rock Trail has long been one of our top 10 favorite hikes in Sedona, but the recent crowds in the area have kept us at bay for a couple of years. Then it dawned on…
Sedona’s Boynton Canyon Vista
When the days are short and the temperatures chilly, we like to explore some of Sedona’s shorter trails, and Boynton Canyon Vista checks all the boxes. The trail leads to a saddle between two red rock…
Sedona’s Wilson Canyon Trail
After hiking Sedona’s trails for more years than we care to admit, we’ve realized there aren’t a lot of trails for beginning hikers, those out for a casual Sunday stroll or families with young kids. If…
Sedona’s White Mesa Trail
Sometimes you hike for the beauty and the views, while other times you hike just to get a bit of exercise in the great outdoors. White Mesa Trail, located southeast of Sedona in the Beaver Creek…
Sedona’s Hangover
Were you disappointed (but obviously not surprised) that The Hangover Part III wasn’t worth the price of admission? We guarantee you won’t feel that way about the new Hangover Trail that traverses Mitten Ridge. For the…
Beyond Sedona’s West Fork
Even the most casual local hiker has most likely explored West Fork. It’s one of Sedona’s most popular hikes, especially in the fall when the trees along the trail put on a brilliant display of…
Sedona’s Cow Pies Trail
If you don’t mind a bumpy ride to get there, Cow Pies Trail is probably one of the flattest and easiest hikes in Sedona. It also happens to be located in an area of Red Rock…
Sedona’s Herkenham Trail
Few things match the beauty of Red Rock Country covered in a blanket of snow, especially when you consider that it’s a rare and fleeting sight. If you don’t want to waste time finding an off-the-beaten-path…
Sedona’s Sterling Pass Trail
Perhaps we’ve watched too many episodes of Finding Bigfoot, but if sasquatch was going to winter in Sedona, there’s no doubt he’d feel at home in the unnamed drainage surrounding Sterling Pass Trail. The area has…
Brins Mesa Trail
Back in June 2006, Brins Mesa made headlines when a fire broke out in the area, scorching more than 4,000 acres. Nine years later, you can still see the evidence when you hike the popular –…
Weir Trail
The weather outside is frightful…frightfully hot! When you want to find a swimming hole where you can beat the heat, check out Weir Trail. An offshoot of Bell Trail located east of I-17, Weir Trail ends…
Sedona Bike & Brew Festival
The athletic teams at Sedona Red Rock High School aside, we don’t have a lot of opportunities for spectator sports here in Sedona, which is one of the reasons why the Sedona Bike & Brew Festival…
5K Summer Series in Sedona
The City of Sedona Parks & Recreation and Sedona Running Company present the 5K Summer Series with races in May, June and July at 6 p.m. The first one happens May 28. All events take place…
Hike Sedona: Hog Heaven
If you read our March 2015 cover story, you know the growing popularity of mountain biking in Sedona has led to the adoption of new trails by Coconino National Forest. One of our recent discoveries is…
Hike Sedona: Robbers Roost
According to local legend, Robbers Roost (also known as Shaman’s Cave or the Hide Out Cave), located northwest of Sedona but visible from any high vantage point in town, was a hideout for bandits and bootleggers,…
Mountain Biking in Sedona
The popularity of mountain biking in Red Rock Country over the last 10 years has exploded, and it shows no signs of slowing down. On any given weekend you will see large vans parked at local…
Hike Sedona: Chapel Trail
Some of the most iconic movie locations in Red Rock Country are located in the region once known as Little Horse Park. You and I know it as the Chapel Area. Several trails in the vicnity…
10th Annual Sedona Marathon Event
Happy 10th birthday to the Sedona Marathon! The race, organized by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, returns Jan. 31 at 9 a.m. with 3,000 runners and walkers expected to participate in the marathon, half-marathon, 10K and…
Sedona Winter Hike: Bear Mountain Trail
The trail that leads up Bear Mountain may only be 2.5 miles one way, but it’s easily one of the most difficult hikes in Sedona. The trail begins across Boynton Pass Road from the Bear Mountain/Doe…
Coffee Pot Trail
Sedona doesn’t lack difficult hiking trails. The majority of our routes seem to be long, involve steep climbs and include rocky terrain. We are always on the lookout for trails that are suitable for all ages…
Long Canyon
Confession: In the 13 years we’ve been publishing Sedona Monthly, we have never featured Long Canyon Trail. Once we realized the error of our ways, we made a beeline for the trailhead on Long Canyon Road…
Oak Creek Canyon Block Party
It’s been a long summer for business owners in Oak Creek Canyon. Not only did they suffer through the Slide Fire at the end of May, they had to deal with the intermittent closure of SR…
Huckaby Trail
Huckaby Trail is a favorite hike among locals and tourists alike, so it’s no surprise that it was suffering from too much love. Originally constructed in 1998, the trail was rerouted at the end of last…
Sedona View Trail
The recently opened Sedona View Trail lives up to its name, offering panoramic views of West Sedona in its entirety. The trail also provides a much-needed route for hikers and mountain bikers by connecting the Airport…
Mooney Trail
With an unprecedented number of sunny days in January and February and an influx of visitors from the East Coast this winter, Sedona trails have seen a fair amount of use thus far in 2014. So…
Chuck Wagon Trail
Used by mountain bikers for years, Chuck Wagon Trail only recently became an official Coconino National Forest trail. The route has been modified to accommodate hikers and provide an alternate path to Devil’s Bridge, a popular…
Eagle’s Nest
Red Rock State Park, a 286-acre nature preserve located on the southwestern edge of town, includes 10 developed trails, daily guided nature walks and a plethora of monthly activities. Oak Creek runs through the park, and…
Teacup Trail
It’s easy to see why many of Sedona’s most iconic rock formations received their names – there’s no mistaking Bell Rock or Snoopy Rock. But Teacup Rock is a bit more difficult to discern. The best…
Marg’s Draw
For a casual hike with stunning views, it doesn’t get better than Marg’s Draw. The trailhead is located in the center of town, the ascents are short and the red-rock pinnacles are inspiring.
Top of the World
Humphreys Peak captivated us long before we moved to northern Arizona, and judging by the number of people we encountered on our hike to the summit, we aren’t the only ones. Unlike the impressive mountain ranges…
HOT!
Hot: family-owned eateries, art classes, swinging from the trees, thrifting and funny girls. Not: Camping in front of the air-conditioner for two months. Here are 21 reasons to get out of the pool and seize life…
10 Favorite Sedona Hikes
This month, Sedona Monthly celebrates 10 years of publishing Arizona’s magazine with the great view. Hooray for us! Hiking is one of the reasons we moved to Sedona, and since our first issue in March 2003,…
High on Sedona
Spend some time with your head in the clouds! Come fly with us as we board a helicopter, hot air balloon and biplane to discover a new perspective of Red Rock Country. Think flying is for…
Go! Get Outside! Hike!
Hiking has been our passion for years and is part of the reason we moved to Sedona in the first place. After visiting and living in Sedona for more than 10 years, we just now feel…
Sedona Confidential
When we moved to Sedona many moons ago, we felt like we already knew the town like the back of our own hand – we had, after all, vacationed in Sedona for five years. But a…
Green Sedona
In April 1970, Earth Day was celebrated for the first time. Society’s environmental awareness has come a long way in the last 39 years, and Sedona won’t be left behind. Red Rock Country is goin’ green,…
11 Reasons Autumn in Sedona is So Cool!
Autumn’s arrival in northern Arizona heralds more than just shorter days and cooler nights – in fall, Sedona seems to awake from a sluggish summer slumber to show off all her splendor with vibrant changing leaves,…
Live Your Sedona Adventure!
Opportunities for adventure in Sedona are as endless as the brilliant blue sky or breathtaking red rock vistas. It’s a fact that hits home for me every day – my husband, Daniel Finch-McCaffrey, is Hilton Sedona…
Love on the (Red) Rocks
It was the Super Saturday of Sedona weddings. On May 21, 2005, more than 50 couples said “I do” in town – pledging their love in small groups along Oak Creek and in big bashes at…
Nature Calls!
Ask Sedona residents why they settled in Red Rock Country and you’ll hear some variation of this response again and again: It was just too pretty to leave. Visitors get the message too, flocking in huge…
Night of the Western Stars
Actors Clint Walker, Edd “Kookie” Byrnes, Robert Horton, and Morgan Woodward were the guests of honor on Feb. 3 when Los Abrigados Resort and Spa hosted the second of the four planned “Hands Through History” evenings…
Into the Sunset
The Bradshaw Ranch is padlocked now. In May 2003, it became another parcel of federal land, soon to blend into the rest of the Forest Service holdings surrounding it. But while the future of the land…
