Devils Bridge is the largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area standing at 54 feet tall and 45 feet across. About 0.5 miles in, you come to a rather challenging pass to get across the creek area. Most of the time, youll come across non-dangerous wildlife like a desert jackrabbit, some ravens, and beautiful buzzing hummingbirds. Located just 10 miles north of Payson, this waterfall is the most challenging to access of all the locations on this list. The general basics of this simply this: leave no trace of your existence on a trail. This natural rock bridge is one of the most photographed locations in Sedona as it is an iconic trail. Part of an old hydroelectric dam, the area was renovated in 2003. Here are six of the best waterfalls in Arizona that you can either drive right up to or easily walk to from a parking space. Wed recommend putting this one on any Sedona weekend itinerary! Hi Emily and Berty. Because of the beauty of the natural sandstone arch, this trail is incredibly popular. The trailhead is easy to reach, the path is easy, and the hike itself is fairly short. So please do your best to respect this area and leave no trace. What is the best time of year to visit sedona? Beautiful trail, water was cold and weather was in the 70s, enjoyed swimming in pool near waterfalls. The water was running very hard so we couldnt finish the trail, but wow absolutely worth the views!!! You can opt to park at a less-trafficked trailhead and extend your trail to see more of the amazing Sedona desert and still reach Soldiers Pass. The iconic Bell Rock formation is named after. Much of the trail is overgrown with thorn bushes, probably due to its being closed this summer. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. This natural rock bridge is one of the most photographed locations in Sedona as it is an iconic trail. Many people dont experience altitude sickness until between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, but its still good to be aware of how your body handles elevation change when visiting Sedona. Using Sedona's Secret 7 allows visitors to spend more time outdoors enthralled in natural beauty and connecting in a personal way to the landscape far from crowds. We always end up finding cool caves, arches, and magical pools. The strange and unusual places Atlas Obscura readers wanted to visit most in 2018. Theres A LOT of scrambling and the rocks are super slippery. Soar over Sedona in a Helicopter Air Tour. You never know when you could slip and fall and need to mend a cut! We dont want you to miss out on these epic Sedona hikes, so read on to get inspired on your next trip to Sedona! Discover Havasupai Falls in Supai, Arizona: This secluded aqua waterfall in the Grand Canyon is the perfect swimming hole, and the Havasupai tribe's fiercely protected natural wonder. About half a mile in veer to the right and climb up and walk the elevated plank. Explore the most popular waterfall trails near Sedona with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Once there, the views from the 100-foot Havasu Falls are priceless. Wear proper footwear to climb the boulders. It can be done as a day hike or an overnight. The rain slowly dissolves the limestone walls, creating unstable conditions for the caves below thus more collapses! Waterfalls certainly arent the first thing to come to mind when people think about Arizona. Copyright 2023 Sedona Arizona. Otherwise, youll have to hike 10 miles there and 10 miles back. There's a rough dirt road that leads to this 200-foot waterfall, and it's quite the impressive sight. At many points we found ourselves off trail, walking over fallen trees and brush and a lot of navigating and bushwhacking was required. Before you explore these uniquely beautiful places, get in tune with Sedonas environmental ethic by taking the Sedona Cares Pledgeand please followthe Leave No Trace principles. This was a spur of the moment hike for us we saw a photo of this cave on a wall at a restaurant and knew we had to find it. And when you see this cave in person its easy to imagine outlaws using it as a hiding place. A lot of water, way more than the first trip with Copper. On our way back, we found them and were pleasantly surprised. WebSeven locations within five categories hiking, biking, vistas, picnics and stargazing offer a total of 35 hidden gems scattered across the Greater Sedona area. We absolutely loved this place! The first part of Devils Bridge trail is Take in panoramic views of Sedona illuminated by the sun. WebSeasonal waterfalls at the upper end of Fay Canyon, from spring snowmelt. Short hike , lots of scrambling, be careful very slippery, overall nice views, a little confusing at the end but nice, good for beginners. Youll mostly feel like your lungs and heart are working just a bit harder on Sedona hikes. WebOur favorite waterfalls in or near the Greater Los Angeles Area. Thank you! If you are unfamiliar with the Leave No Trace principles, click here to read more about outdoor ethics and practices to be a good steward of the Earth. The road to get to the trailhead is rough. Book a Sedona UFO and Star Gazing tour with a knowledgeable guide and learn about constellations, night sky lore, mythology as well as aliens. The Grand Canyon draws in over five million tourists each year and is hailed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. We love to bring a Nalgene on our Sedona hikes! 10 Destinations You Must See In The American Southwest, The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip, Hiking Angels Landing in Zion National Park, Love hikes in Sedona? A moderate hike, the trail is not well-marked and you cant see the cave from the trail until you make your way around the rock. Road in is rocky and rough, high clearance vehicle handled nicely. Hiking onto Bell Rock is tons of fun, making it one of the most popular hikes in Sedona. Crowded towards the beginning of the trail, but climbed around and over to get further up trail and enjoyed solitude! If youre taking the main Cathedral Rock trailhead, youll cross a large wash, and then proceed to guess your way up a sandstone rock face. We found this one to be our favorite because it felt like there was something new to see around every corner. Much of the hike is through a wash and along side the cliffs with two small creek crossings. And there are 31 state parks in Arizona, each of which has incredible scenery and history behind it. Please stop rating the trail 1 star because the road is closed due to a fire. The Seven Sacred pools look their best after a fresh bout of rain. WebSwimming hole near Sedona: Wet Beaver Creek. The falls is gorgeous and a refreshing dip at the end. Bell rock Trail loop is about 3 miles round trip from Bell Rock Trailhead 1 and takes you around bell rock where you will also be able to see Courthouse Butte. WebOur favorite waterfalls in or near the Greater Los Angeles Area. Offer subject to change without notice. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. We were disappointed to see the River was very murky. Could not find a decent crossing without taking off shoes and rolling up pants, was not motivated to do so. Looking for More things to do In Sedona, Arizona. Never launch/land near or approach wildlife. Sedona Recreations Flying Information can be found here. Dont expect solitude. Beautiful! Devils Bridge is a popular locationfor photographers at sunset, so youre likely to find fewer people on the trail in the morning. GPS : 3455'48.1"N 11148'24.1"W. USGS Map: Wilson Mountain. . Take the left trail (which is smaller and less used) towards the tall red rock cliffs. Lovely day. Lots of flood debris, way more than last time we did this hike in 2019. Waterfall isn't that big and the trail is very short. If the weathers warm enough, there are plenty of wonderful waterfall swimming holes in Arizona that are the best way possible to clear off in the hot Copper State summers. Using Sedona's Secret 7 allows visitors to spend more time outdoors enthralled in natural beauty and connecting in a personal way to the landscape far from crowds. Can you Get to the Top of Bell Rock? Maidenhair Falls. It is accessible by visiting North Rim, Arizona. The 21-mile bumpy ride on Fossil Creek Road will take you to a parking lot. Monica is a Din (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Web7. WebTrailhead Location: Dry Creek Road, Sedona, AZ 34.9028 N, 111.8138 W Devils Bridge is one of the most popular hiking trails in Sedona. Or would you like to view a map of our most famous hiking trails? Some parts of the trail get rocky as it crosses old dry creek beds. Park at these trailheads for an easier time but longer trail lengths: Red Rock Crossing is a small section of Oak Creek riverfront with incredible views of Cathedral Rock in Sedona. Soldiers Pass trail is the hike to take if you want to be entertained the entire way. Many visit Sedona to hike among the red rocks and scenic canyons. The general rule (from The Green Belly Blog) is to bring a half-liter of water for every 1 hour of hiking. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com. This is because several factors make it incredibly accessible for most hikers. Heres a little background information on these incredible Sedona viewpoints: After these attractions, if youre looking for some more peace and quiet on the trail, continue on to the Red Rock Mountain Secret Wilderness Area. ReadOur Top Hikes To Take In Arches National Park. Saw what looked like a mine entrance a ways back so decided to check it out but once again was too deep of water to cross to get to it. What is the most popular and difficult waterfall trail in Sedona? 331 Forest Road Read More: Discover The Secret Caves of Soldiers Pass Trail In Sedona. I wear sunscreen and a hat on all my hikes to make sure my skin is protected from the sun. How to Dispose of Waste Properly Like a Local, Learn How You Can Help Preserve and Protect Sedona, Sedona Trailhead Shuttle - Guest Communication Toolkit for Employers, Verde Shuttle Employer Marketing Toolkit. I got to the trail at about 6:45am and we had the waterfall to ourselves and then decided to leave. WebHighest Elevation: 5,000 ft. - Secret Canyon Trail, top of Soldier Pass. Sedona Jeep Tours offer off-roading rides among Sedonas red rocks. 10/10 for Honda Accord off-road capability. About 3.5 miles into the hike, you'll stumble upon this picture-perfect desert oasisa clear, cold, deep pool wedged in Theyve set up a system of camping permits that only letsa small portion of applicants into the village of Supai, where the falls are located. The way we find RV boondocking sites is through a website called Campendium.com that provides locations to free and paid RV campsites as well as places to dump your black and grey tank with a little (poo) symbol. And as if one aquamarine waterfall wasnt enough, there are four more in the area. Once you see a depression in the cliff wall, keep your eye out for an even smaller path that forks to the right. Make sure to educate yourself on the potential hazards of your trail, and know the basic emergency procedures if you encounter such danger. Make sure to pay $10 for your entry pass once you get to the trailhead. The trailhead is easy to reach, the path is easy, and the hike itself is fairly short. A monument to the one-armed geologist who led the first documented expeditions through the Grand Canyon. This area is becoming increasingly popular for everything from its family-friendly hikes to difficult backcountry trails and climbing opportunities. Hiked this trail in 2017 and it was so beautiful sad to see its closed! See landmarks like Bell rock and Chapel of the holy cross from the air. To visit the falls you must first obtain a permit and reservation to stay at the Havasupai Campground overnight, as day trips to the falls are not permitted. Discover Havasupai Falls in Supai, Arizona: This secluded aqua waterfall in the Grand Canyon is the perfect swimming hole, and the Havasupai tribe's fiercely protected natural wonder. Hi Alice! Please respect them and preserve these sites by leaving no trace. But you could easily do all of these hikes in the winter months, when Sedona is a lot cooler. Stay left when you see the sign that says maintained Yavapai Road Ends and park at the first lot (if you dont have a high clearance vehicle). But luckily, we found it and had the whole cave to ourselves! It should take you about 2-3 hours to complete, depending on how fast you walk, and how long you spend at the natural bridge. Want to pack your own snacks? WebSecret Canyon lies within the most popular area for hiking around Sedona, the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness, centered around Dry Creek a few miles northwest of town. We went off trail towards the end. The gate to the parking lot opens from 8:00 am 6:00 pmand parking is limited to only 16 spaces. This is a rule not just earmarked for Sedona hiking trails, but trails everywhere in the world! People look at these reviews for the quality of the hike or experience. You inspire me with your stories! Please respect this area and. Below, weve listed other popular hikes in Sedona and their trail distances, which we will plan to explore next time we visit Red Rock Country. Call 928.282.7722. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Overall, definitely worth it and will definitely be going back! These hidden refreshers offer so much more than a relaxing dip. Beautiful trail, conditions were fantastic. WebSecret Canyon lies within the most popular area for hiking around Sedona, the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness, centered around Dry Creek a few miles northwest of town. Once on the trail, you will follow the edge of Hancock Ranch on the way to Loy Canyon and then the trail parallels Loy Butte until you see a big, old tree with cut off limbs. If you want to take a dip in some waterfalls in Arizona, check out these seven. Best Sedona hikes for sunrise and sunset: There are specific rules and regulations about where you can fly drones in Sedona. This is a wide valley surrounded on three sides by high red cliffs split by many deep, hidden canyons, usually with a maintained footpath at least part of the way upstream. Still worth it though, as you get to enjoy many views of cascading water anyway. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. But this hike to the cliff dwellings at the secret subway cave was my favorite trail in Sedona. The stairs can get a little slippery at times, so make sure to travel with care, especially if you have mobility issues! Youll definitely want to remember Sedonas epic scenery. 3 miles out and back (1 mile if using the 44 trail), This Sedona cave is top of my list because of how unique the large, open cave is with a natural rock window on the side of a cliff, overlooking the landscape with. It is 1.1 miles from the start of Soldiers Pass to get to Seven Sacred Pools. The first part of Devils Bridge trail is an easy, flat trail. You might even get lucky by seeing a rainbow from the air. My 60lb dog struggled with it a bit. Keep your kids close to you, especially when you start climbing up the rocks. Arizona > Sedona > Hiking > Fay Canyon Trail > Photographs. Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. The waterfalls are in a secluded area of the park but can be easily reached in one day. Remember, only one person can go up and down this feature at a time, so make sure to be aware of people that are climbing down.