Hike and Bike the Sedona Red Rocks

Millions of years ago, when the face of our Earth was very different from what we see today, forces of nature – specifically wind, water, and erosion – were hard at work, slowly sculpting the sandstone formations that now grace the Sedona skyline, and beckon its visitors to come outside and play.

With beautiful scenery, year-round sunshine and protected forest land all around, Sedona has become a popular destination for outdoor adventure. So whether you are into hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, or rock climbing (or all of the above), you will find it in Red Rock Country.

With over 200 miles of trails, hiking and biking are among the most popular activities.

For a fairly easy hike and a chance to experience one of Sedona’s famous vortex sites, hike the Bell Rock Pathway, 3 mi.* There are two trailheads: one at Little Horse and one at Bell Rock Pathway. Once you get to the base of Bell Rock, a side trail will take you to the top for spectacular views of the valley below.

Boynton Canyon Trail, 2.5 mi., is another vortex site and a fairly easy hike as well. Here, you’ll walk beneath beautiful red rock formations and eventually down into the canyon, where you may notice a change in the vegetation and a slight drop in

temperature. Be sure to also take the short, side trail, near the beginning of the hike. It climbs to the top of one of the mesas for a nice vista.

You may also want to do some hiking in the beautiful Oak Creek Canyon, just north of Sedona. Some recommended hikes include the A.B. Young Trail, 2.4 mi., and West Fork, 3 mi.

While many of the 200-plus trails are open to biking, those that pass through federally designated wilderness areas are not.

For biking, Andy Reinert, a mechanic at Absolute Bikes
in Sedona, recommends Llama Trail, about 2.2 mi., and Templeton Trail, 3.5 mi.

“Templeton Trail,” he said, “goes directly off of Bell Rock Pathway and it’s kind of nice because Templeton actually takes you around the base of Cathedral Rock, which is, pretty much, the second most photographed thing in Arizona – second to the Grand Canyon.”

For more advanced trails, he suggested checking out Broken Arrow, 1.5 miles, which passes through Old Canyon – named for the John Wayne movie of the same name; or Little Horse Trail, 1.6 miles, which leads up to Broken Arrow.

The weather, and, of course, the scenery, make Sedona a great destination for biking, however, the many prickly oddities of this desert landscape can be unforgiving to your tires. Before heading out, you may want to stop by Absolute Bikes or one of the other shops, and pick up a spare bike tube and/or get some Slime put in your tires. And don’t forget to pack plenty of water.

For information about these and other trails throughout Red Rock Country, visit www.redrockcountry.org.

* Miles are one-way