A Weekend in Sedona: Itinerary and Best Hikes

A weekend in Sedona is enough to hike the red rock trails everyone talks about (Devil's Bridge, Cathedral Rock and Soldier Pass) and to catch at least two sunsets. Sedona feels like one of those places that almost does not look real, and somehow the hikes are as good as the views.

Here is how I would spend two or three days there.

The plan at a glance

• Day 1: Bell Rock, then sunset at Airport Mesa
• Day 2: Devil's Bridge early, Soldier Pass, and sunset at Cathedral Rock
• Day 3: Subway Cave on the Boynton Canyon Trail, or the West Fork Trail for shade and water
• Best seasons: spring and fall

Day 1: Bell Rock and Airport Mesa

Ease in with Bell Rock. The trails around it are easy, the views are huge, and the rock almost looks too perfectly shaped to be real. It is also one of the places people say has vortex energy, and standing there I understood why.

For sunset, drive up to Airport Mesa. You get big views over the red rocks without a long hike, which is what you want after a travel day.

Day 2: Devil's Bridge, Soldier Pass and Cathedral Rock

Devil's Bridge is Sedona's most iconic hike for a reason: a natural sandstone arch hanging over the desert, about 50 feet high and wide enough to walk across. Come early unless you enjoy standing in a very long line for the photo.

The distance depends on where you park. From the main lots it is about 4 miles round trip. If you drive the rough dirt road to the upper trailhead, it is closer to 2 miles. Either way, the last stretch is steep.

After lunch, hike Soldier Pass, the best "a little bit of everything" trail in the area. The 4.1-mile loop, with about 600 feet of elevation gain, passes Devil's Kitchen sinkhole, the Seven Sacred Pools and caves near the top, with red rock views around every corner.

Finish at Cathedral Rock for sunset. The trail is short, about 1.2 miles round trip, and steep, with some scrambling near the top. It is at its best at golden hour.

Day 3: Subway Cave or the West Fork Trail

If you want one big adventure, make it Subway Cave, hidden off the Boynton Canyon Trail. The cave has curved sandstone walls, glowing red rock and an opening so perfectly shaped it barely feels real. Getting there takes some effort: about 6.5 miles round trip, some route-finding and a steep scramble at the end. Inside, look for the ancient Native American pictographs on the cave walls, and leave them untouched.

For something easier, the West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon is a calm 6.8-mile out-and-back with shade and water, and the Birthing Cave is a short 2-mile round trip.

When to go and what to know

Spring and fall are the best seasons for Sedona. Summer days are hot, so start hikes early and carry more water than you think you need. Many trailhead lots require a Red Rock Pass, and the popular ones fill early, so check the Sedona Shuttle, which runs to several of them.

Jeep tours, hot air balloon rides and helicopter tours are fun ways to see the red rocks from somewhere other than the trail. Sedona is also a stop on my two-week Arizona road trip.

Keep on roaming,

Polina