Sedona
A town ringed by red sandstone spires, famous for Devil's Bridge, Cathedral Rock and its "energy vortexes"—the most popular red-rock hiking spot on the American Southwest Grand Circle.
Sedona lies in north-central Arizona in the Oak Creek valley at the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 m, surrounded by red sandstone spires, mesas and canyons sculpted by weathering over hundreds of millions of years. About 190 km north of Phoenix and about 180 km south of the Grand Canyon's South Rim, it is the most popular red-rock town on the American Southwest Grand Circle. Key areas: Uptown's main street and Tlaquepaque Arts Village; Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte and the Chapel of the Holy Cross along Highway 179; Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Red Rock Crossing, Soldier Pass and Boynton Canyon in West Sedona; Oak Creek Canyon to the north (Slide Rock State Park and the West Fork Trail); and nearby, the Sinagua cliff dwellings (Palatki, Honanki and Montezuma Castle), the mining town of Jerome and the Verde Canyon Railroad. Sedona is also famous for its "energy vortexes" as a destination for meditation and spiritual retreats, and is certified as an International Dark Sky Community, making it great for stargazing. Spring and autumn (Mar–May, Sep–Nov) are best; summer days often exceed 35°C with afternoon thunderstorms Jul–Sep; winter brings occasional snow. Getting there: about a 2-hour drive from Phoenix airport; sights in town are spread out, so you'll need a car, though a free shuttle serves popular trailheads on weekends. Most trailheads require a Red Rock Pass (about $5/day) or a national parks annual pass. Allow 2–3 days.
Top sights
- Devil's Bridge – Sedona's largest natural sandstone arch, where you can walk onto the top for “floating in the air” photos. It is the most popular hiking tr…
- Cathedral Rock – Sedona's most photogenic red-rock spires and one of its four famous 'energy vortexes,' with a short, steep scramble to a saddle lookout.
- Bell Rock & Courthouse Butte – A red rock shaped like a giant bell beside Highway 179, forming a loop with neighboring Courthouse Butte; the most accessible vortex in Sed…
- Chapel of the Holy Cross – A modernist chapel built into red rock cliffs in 1956, with a giant cross running down its facade and views over Red Rock Canyon.
- Airport Mesa – A mesa lookout and vortex beside downtown, with 360° views over West Sedona and the surrounding red rocks. The top choice for sunset.
- Oak Creek Canyon – The creek canyon between Sedona and Flagstaff, traversed by the Highway 89A scenic road and dubbed a “mini Grand Canyon.”
- Slide Rock State Park – A natural smooth sandstone slide about 25 meters long in Oak Creek, down which you can ride the current; the most popular swimming spot in…
- Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village – An art and shopping village in Mexican colonial style, with flagstone courtyards, fountains, a small chapel, and galleries and restaurants.
- Uptown Sedona – Sedona’s main-street visitor district, surrounded by red rocks, where restaurants, crystal shops, galleries and Pink Jeep tour departures a…
- Red Rock Crossing (Crescent Moon Picnic Site) – A classic photo spot on Oak Creek where Cathedral Rock is reflected in the water, said to be one of the most photographed scenes in the Ame…
- Boynton Canyon – One of Sedona’s four major vortexes, home to the “Kachina Woman” rock spire and a canyon trail, with the hidden Subway Cave nearby.
- Soldier Pass Trail (Seven Sacred Pools & Devil's Kitchen) – A trail linking the giant sinkhole “Devil’s Kitchen,” the stepped stone pools of the “Seven Sacred Pools,” and Soldier Pass Cave.
- West Fork Oak Creek Trail – The most popular creekside trail in Oak Creek Canyon, crossing the water more than a dozen times between red and white cliffs, with spectac…
- Red Rock State Park – A nature preserve by Oak Creek with gentle trails and views of Cathedral Rock, suited to birdwatching and easy hiking.
- Palatki Heritage Site – Sinagua cliff dwellings from the 12th–13th centuries and rock art spanning thousands of years beneath red rock cliffs, with ranger-led inte…
- Honanki Heritage Site – The largest Sinagua cliff dwelling complex in the Red Rock area, with plenty of ancient rock art on its walls; the bumpy road suits off-roa…
- Montezuma Castle National Monument – A five-story Sinagua cliff dwelling set into a limestone cliff, among the best-preserved in North America and one of the first national mon…
- Montezuma Well – A natural spring-fed basin formed by limestone collapse, with ancient cliff dwellings in its walls, part of Montezuma Castle National Monum…
- Tuzigoot National Monument – A Sinagua stone-built village ruin on a ridge above the Clarkdale area; from the summit you can overlook the Verde Valley.
- Jerome – A century-old copper mining town clinging to the steep slopes of Mingus Mountain, once called “the wickedest town in America” and now an ar…
- Verde Canyon Railroad – A sightseeing train departing from Clarkdale, running a 4-hour round trip through the red-rock canyon of the Verde River, with tunnels and…
- Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park – A Tibetan Buddhist white stupa at the foot of the red rocks in West Sedona, surrounded by prayer flags and a kora path, a tranquil place fo…
- V Bar V Heritage Site – Arizona’s largest known Native American petroglyph site, with more than a thousand Sinagua carvings, including astronomical and calendrical…
- Schnebly Hill Road – A dirt road east of Sedona that climbs to the edge of the Colorado Plateau, where Schnebly Hill Vista overlooks the whole red rock valley.
- Fay Canyon & Arch – An easy short trail through a red rock canyon, where a hidden natural stone arch hugs the cliff wall.
- Snoopy Rock – A red rock east of Uptown that resembles Snoopy lying on his doghouse, best viewed from the Marg’s Draw trail.
Where to eat
- Elote Café – One of Sedona's hardest reservations, a modern Mexican restaurant known for fire-roasted corn and smoked brisket burrit…
- Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill – Chef Lisa Dahl's red-rock-view restaurant serving South American-style wood-fired steaks and handmade empanadas.
- Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits – A family-run Uptown fixture open since 1993, known for high desert fare such as cactus, rattlesnake and bison.
- The Coffee Pot Restaurant – A Sedona breakfast institution famous for its 101 omelettes, popular with locals and visitors alike.
- Indian Gardens Café & Market – A former canyon general store turned café, known for sandwiches, house-baked pastries and a garden terrace.
- Café José – A family restaurant open since 2004 with affordable prices; Mexican and American comfort dishes are popular with locals.
Itineraries
- Arizona Desert, Red Rocks & Grand Canyon – A Phoenix loop taking you from the giant saguaro cacti of the Sonoran Desert to the red rocks of Sedona and the South R…