Sedona is one of those magical places in the Coconino National Forest known as Red Rock Country. Coconino National Forest is home to the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine trees in the world. This is evident as you drive north of Sedona on 89A, known as the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive. Along this road, you will find several hiking trails, swimming holes, and picnic areas shaded by the Ponderosa Pines.
As you make your way into Sedona from the south, you immediately see why this is known as Red Rock Country. Red Rock cliffs abound, taking your breath away. As the sun rises and sets, you are treated to the display of nature’s natural art as you watch the light reflect off the surrounding cliffs. It is impressive and takes center stage as you walk through downtown. Every day is different from the next with the weather changes. You will never get tired of observing the beauty that surrounds you.
Sedona is a popular destination for all outdoor activities. There are numerous hiking and mountain biking trails to enjoy the natural beauty. With this comes plenty of visitors from around the world, so be prepared for crowds! Several trailheads are in or near residential neighborhoods, and parking along the road is prohibited, as with Cathedral Rock. Trailhead parking is often limited, as was the case for the Soldier Pass Trailhead, a popular hiking destination with only 14 parking spots. This parking lot is gated, with a timer to open and close at set hours! There is also a maximum vehicle length limitation of 20 feet. This was the first time I had seen a timed, gated parking lot for a trailhead.
To get a parking spot at the popular trails you need to arrive early! The entrance gate at Soldier Pass is posted with signs clearly stating no waiting at the gate or on the road before it opens. We arrived around 7:30 AM to check things out and were the first to arrive. Since we could not park at the gate or on the road, we left to return before the gate opened at 8 AM. Upon our return, there was a line of cars waiting to get in. There were several vehicles lined up on the side of the road, which was not allowed based on the posted signs. I am not sure if this area is policed, but we successfully got one of the remaining parking spots that morning.
For us, we attempted to make the most of our one-week stay. With temperatures ranging from 105 to 110 F, we would hike in the morning hours, leaving the afternoon open to find a place to escape the excessive heat.
Sedona is also a dark sky city which means the city has taken extensive steps to reduce light pollution. This is achieved via a lighting ordinance, dark sky education, and citizen support of dark skies. By doing so, the Sedona night sky provides some of the best star gazing opportunities. If you make this your destination solely for stargazing, early July and late August is monsoon season, and cloud cover could be an issue, so plan your trip accordingly.
A one-mile section of 89A makes its way through downtown Sedona. Shops, restaurants, art galleries, and jewelry shops line both sides of the street. You will find street parking and several parking lots in the downtown area. If interested in a backcountry Jeep tour of Sedona, you will also find several Jeep tour companies in downtown Sedona.
As you continue south on 89A through Sedona, you reach the traffic circle where you can continue on 89A South or take 179 South. If you continue on 89A South, you will be in the commercial section of town. Here you will find several shopping plazas, restaurants, grocery stores, and hotels. There are plenty of restaurant options along this stretch of 89S, from budget dining to four-star dining. It is a great option if you wish to escape all the activity from downtown.
Take 179 South to Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village just south of downtown Sedona. This shopping plaza is fashioned after a Mexican Village. You will find restaurants with over 50 specialty shops and exclusive art galleries in a beautiful setting shaded by sycamore trees. Parking is limited so you may want to consider walking here if you can.
As you continue down 179 South, you come upon additional art galleries and shops at the Hillside Sedona Shopping Center. For fun and quirky stuff, stop at Son-Silver-West Galleries Inc. We enjoyed walking around this property. It seemed to go on forever as we made our way through multiple rooms, each room offering unique items for sale.
As for hikes and dining options, I have provided a list below. We hiked and dined at the places highlighted below.
We visited Slide Rock State Park many years ago and highly recommend a visit. This is a popular destination for anyone visiting Sedona. The park fills fast, so you must arrive early! Be aware of entering Slick Rock State Park from south of the park, as it can be tricky. There could be a line of cars looking to enter from the north. They have the right of way, and you will need to cross 89A into their path to enter the park.
Activities we did during our stay in Sedona:
Bell Rock – A popular 0.8 mile out and back hiking trail. As you get closer to the Bell Rock, you begin to climb and the trail can get confusing as it is not clearly marked. Most people we came across made their own way up Bell Rock via their own path. Take a minute to determine which route might work best. If you can find a trail marker that would be great, if not watch others and determine who managed to find the easiest way up. It appears you can climb up Bell Rock as high as you can. We would not attempt to summit and I am not sure you can. We did see many people climbing as high as they could. There appears to be a trail that leads around Bell Rock, heading south west. At the time we were hiking, we were not certain of this so we only ventured approximately a quarter of the way around before turning back.
Baby Bell Rock – We accessed Baby Bell Trail from the same Trailhead/Parking Lot as Bell Rock. You have the option to go completely around Baby Bell Rock, a 3.6-mile loop trip, or cut across in front of it, on the south side, about 1.0-miles, highlighted in red below (Bell Rock to Phone Trail). This is what we did as we came from Bell Rock. This trail was not as crowded as Bell Rock so we enjoyed the scenery, less the crowd.
Soldier Pass – Gated parking area opens at 8:00AM and only 14 parking spots. Trail leads you past Devil’s Kitchen, a sink hole, and then to the Seven Sacred Pools. I assume these would be more impressive if there was enough water flowing through each, which was not the case during our hike. It looked more like the Seven Sacred Puddles. As with any hike in Sedona, the views were pretty nice. We missed the Solider Pass Cave Trail and would hike to the intersection of Brins Mesa Trail then turn back. In total, it was about 4-miles.
Devil’s Bridge – The parking for this trailhead was full when we arrived so we would have to park along Bayton Pass Road. This added about 0.6-miles to the 3.9-mile out and back trailhead to Devil’s Bridge. One can reach the actual start of the trail via a high clearance vehicle. Without one, you need to hike the entire 3.9 miles. The final 0.3-miles to reach Devil’s Bridge is a rock scramble, and you will climb about 300 feet before reaching the long line of people waiting to take a picture on top of the bridge. People were saying the wait was about an hour. If you do not wish to stand on the actual bridge, skip the line and grab a picture of Devil’s Bridge between individual photo shoots. Most of the time you are hiking on a wide, dry river bed.
Views from Devil’s Bridge Trail
Fay Canyon – This trailhead had the largest parking lot we have seen during our entire stay. This was a 2-mile out and back trail which offers an option to extend your hike to Fay Canyon Arch. It is a bit of a climb up to the “arch” and beware of the cactus along the trail. Actually, we never saw the arch or did we? As I write this, I discovered through some research that the arch is “hidden” by a narrow slit which we did not notice. Check out this blog for details on the arch we missed.
West Fork Oak Creek – This was my favorite hike during our stay. There is an entrance fee but it is worth the cost. If you hike the entire trail it is 6.5-miles round trip. We hiked about 2.5 miles in and then turned around. Most of the trail is shaded and follows West Fork Oak Creek. You will make several creek crossings along the way, adding to the adventure. Very enjoyable hike, consider adding this to your list!
Chapel of the Holy Cross – During our visit, parking was an issue so we had to park at the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, the Chapel offered golf cart rides to the Chapel from the lower parking lot. Once on the golf cart you see the sign, tips appreciated. With the temperature reaching 100 degrees, it was worth the tip!
Coffee Shops and Restaurants we dined at:
Fire Creek Coffee in Oak Creek – If there is a line, it must be good! And, it was.
Javelina Cantina – Great Happy Hour, but you must be seated at the bar. Probably the most reasonable place in town!
Mesa Grill at the Sedona Airport – Great breakfast spot overlooking the Sedona airport. You will pass the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout which has a fee to enjoy the view from atop the Mesa.
Hilltop Deli – Another great find in Sedona with reasonable prices and great sandwiches!
Cream & Cake Couture – Treats and ice cream.
Red Rock Gelato – According to Google, it states permanently closed. Check before arriving.
Nearby Towns we explored:
Cottonwood – We spent a morning in Old Town and walked Main Street. This is a sleepy town, and this may be because we arrived early in the morning, located 20-miles from Sedona. Along Main Street you will find antique shops, wine tasting rooms, a very large rock shop, and many dining options. Most shops were not open when we arrived around 9:30 AM. Things did pick up by lunch time and most restaurants were full! We had a quick lunch at Red Rooster Cafe and enjoyed walking around Larry’s Antiques at the edge of town.
Jerome – Located 30-miles from Sedona, this was once an old mining town and now is a revitalized ghost town which sits high on a hill. This place was busy! 89A weaves through the town lined with shops and restaurants. We enjoyed the afternoon walking through the shops, it was a nice break from Sedona. We did not tour the Gold King Mine & Ghost Town , located 1-mile outside of town. It has a 4.4 star Google rating, so it might be something worth checking out.
Activities & Attractions we did not have time for:
Baldwin Trail Trailhead to Cathedral Rock
Slide Rock State Park – A popular destination for anyone visiting Sedona. With natural slide rocks in Oak Creek and waterholes.
Grasshopper Point Swimming & Picnic Area off 89A North of Sedona
There is so much to do and see in this area you will find yourself wishing you can stay longer and planning for your return.
Check out this hotlink to the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and review their Visitor Guide for ideas and experiences as you plan your trip.
Savvy-Traveler 
The best information on the internet if you’re traveling. Great job!
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