What You Need to Know Before Visiting Sedona
Sedona is a destination for millions of visitors every year. Folks from around the world, the United States, and Arizona come to visit. It’s easy to soak in the beauty of the magnificent red rocks, find outdoor recreation opportunities, enjoy a good meal, and experience generally great weather.
With its immense beauty and popularity comes crowds and congestion, so we advise visiting with a plan… and a backup plan. Below, we share some of the best things to do in Sedona, including hikes by difficulty, places we’ve eaten, and stays we’ve enjoyed—so you can build your own itinerary with confidence.
The surrounding area and Sedona is easily broken up into four main sections:
West Sedona is on the 89A on the west side of town, and this is where all the grocery stores are and many dining options.
Uptown is after the 179 intersects with the 89A and continues north towards Flagstaff. There are plenty places to stay, eat, and shop here; it’s usually the most congested part of town.
South of Sedona along the 179 is the Village of Oak Creek with places to stay, eat, shop, and hike.
North of Sedona is Oak Creek Canyon with a few places to stay and eat, and many places to hike, camp, and fish.
Sedona is surrounded by the Coconino National Forest, and is full of public land for recreation. However, there are still rules and regulations everyone needs to follow. Coconino National Forest calls this part of the forest, Red Rock Country & Ranger District and you can find their map here, broken into six sections. Most trailhead parking requires Red Rocks Pass or appropriate Interagency Annual Pass. Some trailheads are only accessible by the Sedona Shuttle; it’s free and easy to use!
Don't Forget to Leave No Trace!
It’s absolutely imperative that we, the visitors and admirers of Sedona help keep it clean, protected, and still a home where wildlife and plants can thrive. It’s critical that we follow the Leave No Trace principles, stay on trail, pack out all trash and food scraps, leave artifacts alone, and respect wildlife and others. To learn more and take the Sedona Cares Pledge, click here.
Sedona Guide Navigation:
Our Latest Sedona Recommendations
This section features the latest places we’ve explored in Sedona. From scenic hikes to great meals and overnight stays. We keep it updated as we continue to visit.
Bell Rock Loop
- This is an easy 1.8 mile loop in Sedona with 203 ft in elevation gain, but you can make it longer if you would like. There are a lot of different trails in this area! If you want you can also climb up Bell Rock, but it is very steep.
- This hike is located off of State Route 179 just north of the Village of Oak Creek. There are two areas to park at for this hike. North of Bell Rocks is Courthouse Vista TH and south of Bell Rock is Bell Rock Vista TH – Map
- There are vaulted toilets at the trailhead & a kiosk to buy Red Rock Pass is at parking lot
- Here is the link to AllTrails
- Looking for more beginner-friendly trails? Check out our full guide to easy hikes in Sedona below!
Pyramid to Scorpion Trail Loop
- We loved this trail! On a Saturday evening in late July we were the only ones on trail (can’t guarantee it will always work out like that)
- Overall the trail isn’t too challenging except for a short section on the south side of the loop on Pyramid Trail. Here it is quite steep
- Alltrails lists the loop clockwise, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND going counter clockwise and finishing on Pyramid trail. This will offer spectacular views of Cathedral Rock
- We recorded 2.2 miles with 301 ft of elevation gain
- The parking lot is not large and may be used by overflow parking from Crescent Moon Ranch
- To make the hike longer, start at Scorpion trail at the top of the hill across the street from the high school for a 4.3 mile hike
- Red Rock Pass not required
- AllTrails Link
- Tip! Hike on this trail during golden hour for a great glow on Cathedral Rock. If you plan to be on trail after dark make sure you have a light and trail map
Bear Mountain
- This is a difficult 5 mile out and back hike with over 2,024 ft in elevation gain
- This hike is at the same parking lot for Doe Mountain and parking is limited. Bear Mountain is across the street
- There are vault toilets at the trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Picazzo's Healthy Kitchen
This restaurant is a great option if you’re looking for vegetarian or vegan food. They have an entire menu dedicated to vegetarian/vegan food. The pizza we had was amazing! We got half veggie half with meat. They also have a great happy hour.
You can visit their menu here
Mountain Mondern - Sedona
Mountain Modern is a small boutique hotel with a sister property in Jackson, WY. Their carefully curated design caters to the outdoor experience. The rooms are well thought out with plenty of space to hang and store gear in addition to having coat hooks. We’re shocked at how many places miss that feature. Lastly, we think the hard tile floors are a smart move for an outdoor centric town. With so many things to do on dirt, it’s nice knowing the floors clean easy compared to carpet.
Mountain Modern is dog friendly with a fenced in area for pets to be off leash. The property also has a pool and small restaurant called the Den. Located on the west side of Sedona just off 89A, the hotel is close to many great Sedona hikes and outdoor experiences.
Note:
We are continuing to improve and update these pages as we discover new recommendations. In the meantime, we hope you find our current suggestions & information useful!
