Sedona is one of the most beautiful places in the US and the best way to experience it is definitely by hiking. These are the 4 best easy hikes in Sedona for those of us that can’t or don’t want to be hiking for hours.
While these hikes do range in length and at times steepness, they are all relatively easy compared to some of the 10-mile hikes that are available in Sedona. I am not in shape at all and these 4 hikes were all doable for me.
We loved Sedona and knew we would need to get some beautiful hikes in. So I did a ton of research and these are the best easy hikes that I knew we would be able to successfully accomplish.
We’ll cover the best easy hikes in Sedona, Cathedral Rock trail, best day hikes near Sedona, Sedona view trail, and more!
This post is all about the best easy hikes in Sedona that anyone can accomplish!
Best Easy Hikes in Sedona:
Red Rock Crossing
This one is honestly the easiest hike I have ever done. It is basically a leisurely stroll through a dirt trail. There is a slight decline on the way in at one part, which means a slight incline on the way out. But it was basically like climbing a set of stairs. This hike is honestly less than a 15-minute walk in. Even though it is so easy, it is so worth it! We absolutely loved coming for sunset, we ended up coming two nights in a row. The way the light hits the rocks in the background is absolutely gorgeous!
Just keep walking until you find the wide opening with this view in the background. There was one fork, take the right way and the clearing is just past that! The sunsets fast so make sure you get there with a bit of time to spare. And walking out after the sunset is no problem at all. We were back at our car before it was really dark.
Birthing Cave
Although this hike is not a designated hike yet, it is getting pretty popular so it is regularly trafficked. We actually got super lost trying to find this place but that’s because we started when it was dark and missed the fork in the road. We recommend using AllTrails for this one. You’ll start along the Long Canyon trail and then when you come to a fork there will be a large fallen tree covering a third path option on the left. That’s the path you’ll want to take. Just follow that all the way up the mountain. It’s a bit steep right as you are about to enter and directly in the sun, so go slow and bring water!
Once you enter the cave, it is very small as most of it is steeply inclined cave walls so the standing room is only a bit in the middle. It is also nothing like the photos. The cave feels very wide and shallow and the photos compress everything to make it look like it is a strange teardrop shape. It really doesn’t look like that all, but the photos all come out the same. Also, the photo is super hard to take. Nate had to climb up the wall to get the shot. You will definitely need a wide angle lens like the Canon 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Lens or use your iPhone’s widest angle, that’s how we captured this one!
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Devil’s Bridge
We are getting to the more difficult of the easy ones, but these are still doable. In fact, so many people take this trail every day that we highly recommend getting started before the sunrises to avoid the crowds (and the heat). We were lucky enough to start an hour before sunrise and get the entire place to ourselves. Just be sure to bring a headlamp or flashlight to help light the way!
Although this is a longer hike (3.9 miles out and back), most of the way is pretty flat as you have to hike in from the parking lot (unless you have high clearance 4×4). From the trailhead, you do have a steady incline all the way to the top, with a fairly steep section of “stairs” right at the end. You can walk on the bridge too! Just be sure to watch where you step and don’t rush anyone else who may be up there!
Cathedral Rock
This was the hardest hike we have done, but we went all the way up to the very top. The trail technically ends at the sign at the top of the hill. But if you go to the left, you can climb another steep portion to reach the view of the vortex. All in all, this hike is STEEP but pretty short (1.2 miles out and back).
There isn’t a technical trail, but there are a lot of people so you shouldn’t get lost. Be on the lookout for small pillars of rocks in a cage to lead you along the way as those mark the best spots to climb up. Even though this the hardest trail we have ever done, we saw people of all ages and fitness levels do this hike. If you are patient with yourself, we believe in you! The easiest way to make it easier on yourself is to be sure you have good hiking boots like these Columbia hiking boots with a good grip.
The views truly are stunning and the way down is WAY easier than the way up. There were just a few spots where I scooted down on my butt to be safe. There are a lot of one-way spots, so just be kind and let others go, too.
