Summer Hiking in Sedona

The following is a personal account of Marshall and I's ventures through Sedona this past summer, which were all made in an attempt to escape the Phoenix heat. This is not a comprehensive list, but rather a realistic description of some popular trails surrounding the area for all you hikers out there.

Courthouse Butte Loop Trail

This gorgeous scenic trail is off the 179, milepost 308.2. It is a 3.9 mile, heavily trafficked hiking spot. The views cannot be understated. When I heard "Red Rocks" this was the landscape I envisioned. Think I'm exaggerating? Just look at the iPhone shots I captured below. This is a dog friendly trail, as long as your pup is on a leash, so Marsh went with me! This was our first day outing to Sedona and the views alone were worth the drive from Phoenix. There was some foot traffic; however, more bicyclists than fellow hikers. As is in the name this is a loop, so it's intended to be an easy circular path to follow. However, (full disclosure!), I got us lost and wound up on the Bell Rock Vista trail, which is linked to Courthouse Butte Loop. It was unplanned and added a few extra miles, but it worked out. The rock markers are helpful, but there aren't a whole lot of them. It probably would have been beneficial to have looked at the map prior to... but that didn't happen. Marsh and I were hiking for three hours, putting us at 10:00am in the mid-July Arizona heat. The temperature ranged between 70-85 degrees, and this trail provides little to no shade. We saw tons of lizards and there were ant hills everywhere.

Wilson Canyon Trail

This is a quant little area with multiple trails to choose from. It's 2.7 miles total. Marsh and I started at 06:45am and we were done in one hour and fifteen minutes, with small pit stops here and there for photo ops and water breaks. It was mid-August and the temperature ranged between 65-72 degrees. This is a one way, out and back trail, encapsulated by the Coconino Forest landscape. There were lots of trees, cacti, and rock formations, which made for incredible views and nature sounds. It was shaded 80% of the time during our morning hike. There was no running water at the time, but there were some standing water puddles along the way. However, from what I understand and at different parts of the year, there is a stream that runs through the area. Wildlife we saw: birds (hummingbirds mostly), lizards, and rabbits. I was reminded (afterwards, of course) about hiking in the middle of forest and to keep the wildlife in mind. As it turns out bobcats are native to the area. I carry pepper spray and a whistle, but I don’t think that would have fended off any predatory cats, should there have been an encounter. In other words, be cautious and stay alert while you're hiking.

This trail is open to hikers only, no horseback riding or biking. As you've probably already gathered, it is dog friendly, as long as you keep your pet on a leash. I have a dog who likes to lead, so when leashing is required, that means a lot of pulling. For anyone in a similar situation be sure to wear shoes that grip, as the terrain is primarily dirt and rock. Confession -- since we were the only two on the trail at the time, I let him off-leash to lead the way and he loved it! Just as most every other trail in the area, Wilson Canyon Trail was marked with rocks covered in fencing wire to keep on you the appropriate path. Side note, I typically use the app AllTrails when I'm in search of hiking trails in areas I'm unfamiliar with. The app rated this trail with moderate difficulty. Aside from a few rocky areas with varying inclines, the trail was well established, narrow, and easy to follow. As you can see below you'll come to a wooden "end of trail" sign to indicate the need to turn around and go back.

Huckaby Trail, Linked to Creek

It is marked as an in and out trail, however there are two entrances; parking off Schnedly Hill Rd, and the Wilson Canyon Trailhead. Marsh and I explored this hiking trail from both directions on two separate days. Both instances were worthwhile.

The first time we went right after our Wilson Canyon Trail hike, since it was only 08:30am, and it was heavily trafficked at that point. There is limited parking right after the Midgley Bridge (which is the trailhead entrance). Parking is $5 for the day pass. Biggest piece of advice is to get there early! There are large stone steps that takes you down to a lookout area with history markers explaining the Oak Creek area. It is a rocky terrain and you have to travel down the mountainside and back up out of the canyon. There are some safety railings at the beginning, but be cautious as the rock pathway can be slick. It is approximately a 0.5 mile path that takes you directly to the creek. Once you cross the creek it links you to the larger portion of the 5.9 mile trail. This creek is nuzzled into a canyon, so it is primarily shaded with large bank areas to post up and relax for a while. This trail is definitely family friendly. I let Marsh off leash to romp around and splash his way through the stream. Keep in mind you will need to travel back up the mountain in order to return to the parking lot, so save a little energy and don't forget your towels.

The second time Marsh and I ventured this portion of the Coconino National Forest we hiked a total of 5.9 miles, 2.8 miles in (to the creek) and back out. It was early morning (06:45am-09:15am) in mid-September and Marshall had to be kept on his leash as the path narrowed and circled down a mountainside. It was a quiet, windy morning with a high of 54 degrees. There is definitely more foot traffic mid-day, seeing how Sedona is the getaway spot from the unbearable Phoenix heat. As most other trails, the caged rock markers made it easy to navigate shortly following the trailhead. The surface is predominantly rocky with red sand, along side various changes in elevation. Embarrassingly enough, I caught myself winded a few times, not sure it is was the hilly disposition of the trail or Marsh eagerly pulling ahead of me. Either way make sure you have reliable footwear on. The creek access was Marsh's favorite, mostly because he just can't help but jump at the sight of water.

Munds Wagon Trail

It was a gorgeous day (as I suspect most are in Sedona) so I decided to try out this trail after our second trip on Huckaby from 09:15am to 09:45am. Munds Wagon's trailhead is across the lot from Huckaby, so parking wasn't an issue, as we were already there. Munds Wagon is typically 4.0 miles in and out, but we only did two miles total. Honestly, it was starting to get a little hot for Marsh and foot trafficked had increased. Keep in mind Pink Jeep tours saturate the area, but that doesn't seem to diminish the appeal or views of Red Rocks. The trail is similar to the rocky terrain seen with Huckaby trail with less shade, so be sure to wear sensible shoes and a hat.