Best Hikes in Sedona AZ: The Top 10 Trails to Check Out

I have quite a bit of history exploring what are considered to be the best hikes in Sedona AZ and truth be told, this is a very popular subject meaning that if you check out other blogs and videos on this topic and see their top 5 or 10 lists, there’s a good chance you’ll see the same exact trails being recommended there too. So what makes this one any different?

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Well aside from me doing them personally, here are details I have on the my top 10 hiking trails in Sedona list that MOST others don’t:

Details on what to expect on each trail (most just cover vague summaries of them).
Which ones are crowded (and which ones aren’t), so you can plan the more secluded ones to visit.
Which ones have vortexes or other cool features.
Extra tips and expert advice on each trail that most other sources on this subject just don’t cover.

Here’s my top 10 list of the best hiking trails in Sedona Arizona:

Soldiers Pass trail.
Fay Canyon trail.
Robbers Roost trail.
West Fork trail.
Cathedral Rock trail.
Birthing Cave trail.
Keyhole Cave trail.
Boyton Canyon Subway Cave trail.
Vultee Arch trail.
Devils Bridge trail.

I’ve done ALL of these hiking trails in literally 2 days (yes I go fast), but I managed to document each one in a separate blog post too for additional guides on how to navigate them.

Note: Some of the parking lots for the trailheads to these hikes require you get a Red Rock Pass which is only $5 per day, so keep that in mind.

But let’s cover each one on this list and what you need to know before you go:

1) Soldiers Pass:

Distance:

Between 4-5 miles (in and out trail).

Trail location in Sedona:

There is an official Soldiers Pass trailhead here.

Hike difficulty: Moderate.

This hike is good for beginner hikers and above, but not anyone who has physical issues (injuries).

Details:

This is one of my favorite hiking trails in Sedona. You’ll be walking on a relatively easy trail with slight inclines and declines for 2 miles before venturing off into a more remote hike that takes you to the famous Soldiers Pass Caves. That is where the elevation of the hike increases a few 100 feet, but the caves are the best part of the hike in my opinion.

Is there any vortex at Soldiers Pass? No.

Is it crowded?

No, but there is very a small parking lot.

Recommendations:

The trailhead opens around 8am and closes at 6pm, and because the parking lot is very small, so get there early or be ready to wait a bit. There is no nearby parking lot so if you can get someone to drive you to the trailhead, that might be a good plan B.

Fay Canyon trail:

Distance:

2.5 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

There is an official Fay Canyon trailhead here where you’ll start.

Hike difficulty: Very easy.

This is a great, scenic hiking trail that’s good for ALL level hikers (families and kids too).

Is there any vortex at Fay Canyon? No.

Is it crowded? No.

Generally most people don’t even know about this trail and the parking lot is gigantic (40 cars can fit there). Plus there are other trails nearby to see after.

Details:

It’s an easy, mostly flat trail, but there is a lot to see. You will start a parking lot and work your way towards a mountain range on a pretty flat trail. As you go, there is an option to see a “bonus” feature of the trail known as the Fay Canyon Arch, which I highly recommend you see. After that, if you continue further into the trail, you will get to the actual Fay Canyon trail which is extremely photogenic.

Recommendations:

Honestly, this trail is awesome to explore anytime, especially during sunset and because it’s not one of the more common hiking trails to see in Sedona, it’s less crowded than the others.

3) Robbers Roost trail:

Distance:

Under 2 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

There is no official location for Robbers Roost. You can use maps from Alltrails to get there by car, there is an official trailhead listing there.

Hike difficulty: Very easy.

Is there any vortex in Robbers Roost? Yes.

Is it crowded? Sometimes.

Details:

Exploring Robbers Roost is like a 90% drive, and 10% hiking experience. The trail to it is somewhat outside the Sedona area and requires you drive through pretty remote areas, but this hike is still a popular one so there’s a GOOD chance you will see other cars on the trailhead no matter when you go.

The actual Robbers Roost area is very small, but offers great scenery and a somewhat decent hiking experience.

Recommendations:

Don’t drive on the remote roads fast, take your time. Once you reach the parking lot (which takes about 20-30 minutes to reach on the remote drive), you will have to hike about 1 more mile to get to the actual Robbers Roost. 3/4 of that mile hike can be done in a 4×4 or dune buggy if you have it, but if not, don’t risk it, park your car in the parking lot and just hike the rest of the road to Robbers Roost.

If you can get here during sunrise or sunset, and on a weekday when there are less people, you are likely to get the best experience on this hike.

4) West Fork Trail:

Distance:

Up to 10 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

Here is the official West Fork trailhead. You will need to pay about $11 to enter.

Hike difficulty: Moderate.

Is there any vortex in the West Fork trail? No.

Is it crowded? Yes.

Make sure to come here early (I’m talking at about 7 am).

Details:

This trail involves you going through about 4 miles by the West Fork river and underneath beautiful canyon walls. At about 4 miles, you’ll come across a “warning” sign saying that to progress further, you need to get into knee deep water. From that area, it’s about another 2 mile hike, then back to the parking lot.

Recommendations:

Absolutely do the extra 2-3 miles of the West Fork Trail hike that involves getting in the water. That is where it gets amazingly good. If the water is cold, you can do things like wear waterproof socks or other gear to protect you, but that area looks a lot like the Subway trail of Zion National Park.

5) Cathedral Rock trail:

Distance:

2 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

There is an official Cathedral Rock trailhead here.

Hike difficulty: Hard.

Is there any vortex in Cathedral Rock? Yes.

Is it crowded? Yes.

The parking lot is very small, and there is also a fee to pay for it. Get there very early or visit this area during the winter when there are far less crowds.

Details:

Cathedral Rock is an amazing, short but difficult hike to the top of a mountain with several gems to admire: An amazing overlook, stone pillars and more. The hardest part of this hike is the incline you have to do. It’s short, but because of the elevation, that makes it difficult (it’s over 700 feet).

Recommendations:

Go when it’s cold (early morning, autumn and winter) because you will sweat while going up on this trail. Also wear somewhat decent hiking shoes or above. I wore the Salomon Speedcross 5 shoes on this and they did very well (you may have slippery areas otherwise). At the top, there may be a line to get the picture of the iconic overlook, but behind it (further up), there is an equally good overlook (with 3 stone pillars) that overlooks Sedona from a different angle worth seeing (and less crowds).

6) Birthing Cave:

Distance:

3 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

You have to park in a place called Long Canyon, then follow specific directions to reach Birthing Cave (instructions are included there).

Hike difficulty: Moderate.

Is there any vortex in Birthing Cave? Yes.

Is it crowded? Sometimes.

Details:

The hike to Birthing Cave is pretty scenic at the start, boring in the middle and amazing at the end when you reach the cave. That cave looks incredible from the inside, but I would caution anyone who wishes to climb deeper/higher in it as it gets a little uneven on the rocks and sometimes slippery as well.

Recommendations:

Generally speaking, go here when it’s cooler because you will be hiking in open Sedona desert for most of the trail.

7) Keyhole Cave:

Distance:

2 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

No official trail, but the closest trailhead is called Sugar Loaf trailhead (you will be able to see the cave from there).

Hike difficulty: Hard.

This hike is not on any known trail, and you have to hike through cactus’s and sometimes deep woods to reach the cave. Thankfully it isn’t a long trek to do that. Once you reach the cave, you can elect to climb to the upper part of it, but I warn you now, it is a shady climb and I would not recommend it (I did it and it was pretty scary).

Is there any vortex in Keyhole Cave? Yes.

Is it crowded? No.

Details:

Keyhole Cave is incredible and so are the views from it if you dare to climb up higher and if you do choose to do that, make sure there is at least someone else near you just in case. There are 2 sections of this hike that are tough:

The actual “trail” to the cave.
The climb up to the upper part of it.

Recommendations:

Use Alltrails, which also has a map of Keyhole Cave to navigate to it and back to the parking lot. And wear fully clothed gear, especially pants because you will likely have to walk through tons of cactus.

8) Boyton Canyon Subway trail:

Distance:

4-5 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

Start at the Boyton Canyon trailhead.

Hike difficulty: Moderate.

Is there any vortex in the Boyton Subway Cave? No.

Is it crowded? Yes.

Early morning hikes there are what I’d recommend. One other possibility (if the parking lot is full) is to park at the Fay Canyon trailhead which is only about a 10 minute walk from there and then walk to this trailhead, then start it.

Details:

Most of the hike to the Boyton Subway Cave is OK, but to reach the actual Subway Cave in Sedona, you need to veer off trail at a certain point 2 miles in and then somewhat bushwhack through the woods for another 1 mile or so before reaching the cave.

The actual Subway part of the hike is awesome, but a little scary for some as there is a somewhat elevated scramble to reach it. You can actually go around it to see even more amazing Sedona views and even some ruins.

Recommendations:

You will likely see a lot of other people walking on this trail so you shouldn’t have problems finding the Subway Cave or getting lost in the woods, but just in case, get a map (from Alltrails) or read my instructions above how to find it. If you do find yourself wondering where it is and don’t have a map, wait for other hikers to pass by and ask them, or if they are going there and know the way, go with them if they’ll agree.

9) Vultee Arch trail:

Distance:

Anywhere from 4-5 miles in and out. There are actually 2 ways to hike to it.

Trail location in Sedona:

There’s an official Vultee Arch trailhead but you need a 4×4 to reach it. You can read my Vultee Arch post here for details on that option, or a second one where there is a small parking lot (for 5 cars) and another, more scenic/harder trail to reach it.

Hike difficulty: Moderate to hard.

Is there any vortex in Vultee Arch? No.

Is it crowded? No.

Details:

If you love arches, this is one of the best hikes to explore. It’s also a great alternative to the next trail on this list (Devils Bridge). But in any case, there are 2 ways to do it. One involves a long drive (or walk) on rocky and sandy ground before parking and hiking 2 miles to it, and the other is a more wild hike (the one I did) with an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet (no joke). I liked it a lot though and the arch itself is amazing, no crazy crowds and you can walk over it easily.

Recommendations:

Use a map app if you do this hike. Also bring water and snacks because it’ll be a long trail for most people. I prefer the harder version as it’s way more scenic and less crowded. Most people don’t even know about Vultee Arch, let alone the remote trail to it (it’s off the main Sedona road).

10) Devils Bridge:

Distance:

Up to 5 miles in and out.

Trail location in Sedona:

There’s 3 different ways to reach Devils Bridge that I cover in the article I linked just now. One of those options (the most common) is Dry Fork trailhead which is super crowded, and the other 2 are more for people who are ready to do more remote driving or hiking.

Hike difficulty: Moderate.

Is there any vortex in Devils Bridge? No.

Is it crowded? Yes!

Details:

This is probably the most crowded hike I’ve ever seen in Sedona, from the main parking lot (Dry Fork) to the actual Devils Bridge where you often have to wait in a long line to get the photo of you on it. Aside from that, the hike, the natural bridge itself and the views are amazing.

Recommendations:

Absolutely go here super early. Even if you arrive at 7 a.m, you’ll likely already see crowds. I think the only people who avoid any crowds on this hike are those who literally get there around sunrise. If you don’t mind crowds, you may want to rethink that because there is a very long line once you get close to Devils Bridge to wait on, so if you can get here and avoid that, do it!

What about the best hikes near Sedona Arizona?

There’s definitely a lot of choices depending on how far you want to go (I have included 5 options above). I also have a whole list of the best hikes in Arizona you can see, and some are as close as 1 hour from Sedona.