Travel guide · United States
Sedona travel guide
Red-rock buttes, canyon trails, creekside swims and dark desert skies
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Terrydarc, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Sedona is a small town of about 10,000 people at roughly 1,300 metres, surrounded by towering red sandstone buttes such as Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte in the Coconino National Forest. Most visits revolve around hiking, jeep tours and sunset viewpoints, with Oak Creek Canyon's swimming holes and autumn colour to the north and ancient Sinagua cliff dwellings nearby. The town itself has galleries, resorts and spas along two highways, and it is a two-hour drive from Phoenix and about two and a quarter hours from the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are March–May and September–November.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- Best time to visit
- March–May and September–November
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- PHX, FLG
- Mid-range daily budget
- $260–$450 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Red rock buttes, Hiking, Cathedral Rock and Jeep tours
Why visit Sedona
- Trails to Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge, Bell Rock and Soldier Pass start minutes from town, from easy strolls to steep slickrock scrambles.
- Oak Creek Canyon has Slide Rock's natural water slide in summer and the West Fork trail's autumn colour in late October.
- Sunset from Airport Mesa or Red Rock Crossing turns the buttes deep orange and red.
- Sedona is a certified International Dark Sky Community, so stargazing is excellent on clear nights.
- Jerome, Montezuma Castle, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon's South Rim are all within day-trip range.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 13 things to do.
Nature · Village of Oak Creek
Cathedral Rock
Sedona's most photographed butte has a short but very steep trail of about 1 km each way, climbing slickrock with a final scramble to a saddle between its spires.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Religious site · SR 179
Chapel of the Holy Cross
A Catholic chapel built in 1956 into a red-rock ridge, with a giant cross forming its façade and a window looking out across the valley.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Free
Nature · West Sedona
Devil's Bridge
The largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area is reached by a trail of about 6.5 km round trip from the Dry Creek Vista trailhead, finishing with a steep stone staircase.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Active
- Photo spot
- Views
- Outdoors
Experience · Uptown Sedona
Red-rock jeep tour
Open-air jeep tours, led by companies such as Pink Jeep Tours since 1960, bounce over rocky backcountry trails like Broken Arrow, climbing slickrock steps and stopping at viewpoints that would otherwise mean long hikes.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Views
- Active
- Iconic
Nature · Village of Oak Creek
Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte
Bell Rock's rounded shape rises beside SR 179, with the Bell Rock Pathway an easy, wide trail suitable for families.
- Time needed
- 1–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Views
Park · West Sedona
Red Rock State Park
A nature preserve along Oak Creek with gentle trails through riparian woodland, views of Cathedral Rock and a visitor centre explaining local ecology.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Where to stay
Uptown Sedona is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and shopping
Uptown Sedona
Souvenir shops, jeep-tour offices and red-rock views along SR 89A
$$$ · Best for families, budget and first-timers
West Sedona
Local shops, supermarkets and trailheads along the main road west
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and couples
Village of Oak Creek
Quieter community at the foot of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and families
Oak Creek Canyon
Creekside cabins and lodges under sycamores and pines
What to eat
- Prickly pear margarita — A margarita sweetened with the magenta syrup of the prickly pear cactus fruit, giving it a bright colour and a mild, melon-like flavour.
- Navajo taco — A round of puffy fry bread topped with beans, ground beef or chile, lettuce, tomato and cheese.
- Elote — Mexican-style roasted corn with mayonnaise, chile, lime and crumbled cotija cheese.
- Green chile — Roasted green chiles are a Southwestern staple, cooked into pork stews, smothered over burritos and piled onto burgers.
- Verde Valley wine — Vineyards in the Verde Valley below Sedona grow grapes at high elevation, producing reds and whites that suit the hot days and cool nights.
- Huevos rancheros — Fried eggs on corn tortillas with red or green chile sauce, beans and potatoes — a filling breakfast before a long hike.
When to go
The best times to visit Sedona are March to May and September to November, when hiking weather is comfortable and skies are clear. These are also the busiest and most expensive months, so book early and start hikes at sunrise. Winter is quiet and pleasant by day with cold nights, while July and August bring heat and monsoon storms.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Ideal hiking temperatures, wildflowers and the year's biggest crowds, especially around spring break. |
| Summer | June–August | Hot days, high fire risk in June and monsoon storms with flash floods from July; Oak Creek's swimming holes are the draw. |
| Autumn | September–November | Sunny, mild days, autumn colour in Oak Creek Canyon and busy trails, particularly in October. |
| Winter | December–February | Cool sunny days, freezing nights, occasional snow on the red rocks and the quietest trails of the year. |
Getting there and around
Most visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), about 190 km and 2 hours away by car, with scheduled shuttle vans to Sedona. Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), about 50 km north through Oak Creek Canyon, has a few daily flights. Sedona's own small airport is used mainly for scenic flights.
Sedona is spread along two highways, SR 89A and SR 179, which meet at a roundabout called the Y. Most visitors drive, but trailhead parking is limited and traffic builds on weekends, so the free trailhead shuttle and early starts help a lot.
Plan your days
Two days allows two or three hikes, a jeep tour and sunset at Airport Mesa. A third day adds Oak Creek Canyon and Slide Rock or Palatki's cliff dwellings; with four or five, add Jerome, Montezuma Castle or a long day at the Grand Canyon.
Practical information
- Currency
- USD
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink; carry at least 2–3 litres per person on hikes.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, 15–20% for jeep-tour and hiking guides, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.
Heat, dehydration and falls on steep slickrock cause most trail rescues, so start early, carry plenty of water and turn back if a scramble feels beyond you. During monsoon storms, keep out of washes and Oak Creek, which can flood suddenly, and watch for rattlesnakes in warm months.
Flights to Sedona
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Sedona?
Two days allows two or three hikes, a jeep tour and sunset at Airport Mesa. A third day adds Oak Creek Canyon and Slide Rock or Palatki's cliff dwellings; with four or five, add Jerome, Montezuma Castle or a long day at the Grand Canyon. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Sedona?
The best times to visit Sedona are March to May and September to November, when hiking weather is comfortable and skies are clear. These are also the busiest and most expensive months, so book early and start hikes at sunrise. Winter is quiet and pleasant by day with cold nights, while July and August bring heat and monsoon storms.
+What is Sedona known for?
Red rock buttes, Hiking, Cathedral Rock, Jeep tours, Vortex sites, Spa resorts and Stargazing. Trails to Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge, Bell Rock and Soldier Pass start minutes from town, from easy strolls to steep slickrock scrambles.
+Is Sedona expensive?
Sedona is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $260–$450 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Sedona?
Yes. Trailheads, Oak Creek Canyon and day trips all need a car, although the free shuttle can replace driving to several of the busiest trailheads.