Dez’s way of life

Sedona, Arizona is known for its scenic red rocks, evergreen foliage, and hippie vibes. We have traveled here several times and can’t seem to get enough. Here is our guide to Sedona, Arizona: Hike the Majestic Red Rocks!

With the current travel restrictions for those of us living in the United States, there is no better time to check out all of the amazing sights the U.S. has to offer! Adventure America, my new blog series discusses all of the must-see sights right here in the U.S. We have visited these scenic views several times and can’t get enough!

Right now, it is late February. If you are looking for something a little bit warmer in the next month or so, Sedona is the place for you. With temperatures from the high-50s to mid-60s, it is perfect hiking weather.

How to get there:

We flew into Phoenix, AZ, and rented a car. There are numerous reasonable flights into Phoenix right now. There is a small airport in Sedona; however, you would have to charter a smaller aircraft to get there. It is about a two-hour drive to Sedona and there are plenty of places to stop along the way. We suggest stopping for lunch at Arcosanti. It is this small “experimental town” about an hour into the drive. They have amazing simple meals made from ingredients in their gardens. You will not see anything like it!

What to do:

Hiking

Airport Loop Trail: This is a 3.2-mile loop that has some amazing views. It is not a hard trail; however, you definitely want some decent hiking shoes. You will have to climb up a few rocks. Parking is also an issue if you want to park right next to the trailhead. There is plenty of parking up top by the airport for under $10. There is also the option of just checking out the airport mesa viewpoint if you’re tired from all of the hiking but still want amazing views. This is a couple of feet from where you pay to park. There is a restaurant with views of aircraft taking off and landing with the beautiful landscape as a backdrop. We recommend reservations as the restaurant is small. The hotel at the airport is an older hotel with beautiful views, but beware it can be booked for weddings. Call ahead to inquire.

Chapel of the Holy Cross: This trail is very short, heavily trafficked, and very easy! The church itself is something like no other as well! I would look it up on their website and make sure there is not a church service going on. Parking and crowds will be a challenge during that time. On a weekday afternoon, it is not bad. If you are looking for a relaxing short walk/hike. This is a great one!

Cathedral Rock: This trail is only 1.2 miles, but you will work to make it to the top! The first third of it is a nice trail. The next parts are vertical and climbing up rocks and you will get dirty. We made it in 30 minutes, but we were running to the top trying to make it before sunset! Sunset here was one of the most stunning views I have ever seen; however, I recommend a headlamp. It was tricky getting down in the dark without one. There was still a good amount of people at the top trying to catch the sunset, so be prepared to hop in line to get one of the famous overlook photos! If you are looking for less of a crowd, I suggest earlier in the morning.

Devil’s Bridge Trail: If you have a four-wheel drive, you might make it to the 1.8-mile trailhead. There is super limited parking, and it is relatively hard to get to.  For the rest of us, it is about a 4.8-mile hike. It is not super strenuous. The first half of the hike is actually on a dusty dirt road that feels like it goes on forever. Once you hit the actually Devil’s Bridge Trailhead, it gets more exciting! The trail becomes steeper and starts to go uphill. There are several spots to stop and take in the breath-taking views! The trail can get crowded on a nice day. We got there around noon and had about a thirty-minute wait to take our picture on the bridge (it was definitely an Instagram vs reality moment). I suggest going early if you are looking for solitude. If not, we made plenty of friends while waiting and taking in the beautiful views!

Off- Roading

There are some amazing spots that you can only get to with a jeep or solid four-wheel drive. We rented a jeep the last time we were there and loved it. Kris from Red Rock Rubicon, provided us with everything we needed to have an awesome day!

Outlaw OHV Trail: This is a 23.2 miles trail that ends at the Honanki ruins. This trail was so fun, and only had a few challenging moments. The route took us about an hour and a half. It is definitely the most scenic way to get to the ruins! The ruins were incredible! The cave dwellings and paintings were well worth the drive!

Schnebly Hill Road was the most beautiful road I have been on! We drove up for the sunset and were not disappointed! The road itself was challenging, but disconnecting our sway bar made it easily doable but not for the faint of heart. It took about 45 minutes to get to our stopping point. There were amazing views the entire way up as well!

Until next time,

Dez and Jordan