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You’ve heard about Sedona, Arizona. You’ve seen the photos of those towering red rock formations with people the size of ants at their bases. You’ve thought about visiting, but you might not know what to do once you get there other than gawk at the sheer beauty.
When it comes to Sedona, there is no shortage of things to do. Although, some attractions are better than others.
That’s why we’ve created your ultimate Red Rock Country travel guide, or bucket list places in Arizona, below, broken into categories based on the Sedona attraction type, including state parks to see, excursions to take, hikes to explore, sightseeing stops, and leisure activities.
Parks
Sedona itself is like one big park waiting for you to explore all of its hidden trails, canyons, rivers, and caves. However, a few notable parks within Sedona comprise some of the top things you should do when you visit, such as Slide Rock State Park, Amitabha Stupa, and Peace Park.
Slide Rock State Park
Especially if you visit Sedona in the grueling summer, you’ll want to swing by Slide Rock State Park. This hidden oasis welcomes thousands of tourists and locals each year to splash around, swim, and slide down the red rocks into a pool of cool water.
Slide Rock State Park is a great place to bring kids of all ages. Although you might want to purchase some water shoes beforehand, the park didn’t get the name Slide Rock without reason.
Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
Sedona attracts spiritualists, but no other park in the region reels them in quite like Amitabha Stupa in Peak Park. Amitabha Stupa is a 36-foot spiritual statue that people flock to for meditation, prayer, and peace.
You might not be religious or spiritual, but once you step foot in Peace Park and make the short trek up to the statue, you might change your mind.
Hiking
Immerse yourself in Red Rock Country with a hike or two during your Sedona vacation. Even if you don’t consider yourself a hiker, these few trails give you amazing views that are well worth the journey.
Airport Mesa Hiking Trail and Vortex
Perched atop one of Sedona’s many mesas, you’ll find the city’s tiny local airport, hence the name Airport Mesa. You’ll find the Airport Mesa Hiking Trail leading up to the airport and all around the mesa.
The rocky path wraps around the rock before reuniting with the trailhead to give you stunning 360-degree views of the red rock landscape around you. However, the trail isn’t as popular among tourists as its vista trail for its vortex.
A vortex is a naturally occurring phenomenon within specific areas where the earth’s gravitational pull is more substantial. Some people who stumble upon these areas might say they feel more at peace, happier, or drawn to the site.
While the city is said to have plenty of these spots, the Airport Mesa location is one of the most accessible Sedona vortexes. It’s located at the mesa base with unmistakable signage and doesn’t require much time or effort to mount.
Devil’s Bridge Trail
Probably one of the most well-known trails in Sedona, the Devil’s Bridge route takes you up a cliffside to overlook a rocky archway floating above the Coconino National Forest’s wooded floor. If you’ve ever searched for Sedona online, you most likely saw a picture of Devil’s Bridge pop up too.
The hike itself is not too strenuous. For the most part, you wind along relatively flat land. The last quarter of the path begins a quick ascent but does not require hiking expertise to conquer. Ultimately, it’s a great trail for everyone to enjoy and explore the red rock terrain.
Boynton Canyon Trail
The Boynton Canyon Trail is a hike for everyone. It takes you meandering through the canyon with crimson peaks towering over and rich wildlife surrounding you. The trail has become quite popular among tourists because of its attractive sightseeing options and effortless terrain.
You can access the trail from various points, one of which resides at the Enchantment Resort. From its beginning, you’ll walk along a paved road before launching deep into the canyon’s heart.
The hike is roughly two hours long, but you might want to stay a bit longer since it’s considered one of Sedona’s many vortex sites–another reason while you’ll find heavy traffic through the area.
Sightseeing
There are plenty of sightseeing opportunities within Sedona that don’t require a strenuous hike up a mountain. Instead, you can fast forward past the hike to view the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Palatki Heritage Site, and the Red Rock Scenic Byway.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
You don’t have to be particularly religious to visit Sedona’s famous Chapel of the Holy Cross. The chapel is carved into the mountainside, offering spectacular views of the red rock landscape.
It’s been around since the mid-1950s when Marguerite Brunswig Staude–a student of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright-designed it and still emanates its original beauty.
Palatki Heritage Site
Take a short trip over to the beautifully preserved Palatki Heritage Site. Tucked away into the mountainside, you’ll find the authentic cliff dwellings and cave drawings from the region’s Native Americans.
Here, you will take a very brief hike up the mountainside. A guide will greet you at each historical destination to give you an overview of the artifact’s significance and insight into the lives of the Native Americans who once called the land their home.
Even if you’re not a history buff, seeing these ancient ruins is awe-inspiring. It’s the perfect combination of education and adventure.
Red Rock Scenic Byway
If you don’t get the chance to conquer every hike you had listed for your trip, you must take the red rock scenic drive. Along this winding road, you get stunning views of all the major rock formations in the red rock state park, including Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Courthouse Butte.
You’ll find the route outside of town following state route 179. As you drive, you can pull off at a few different sightseeing stops to take pictures and take in the views fully.
Excursions
Explore where you can’t typically set foot in Sedona and neighboring areas with some adventurous excursions, such as the renowned Pink Jeep Tours or a Grand Canyon day trip.
Pink Jeep Tours
If you seek the thrills of mountain biking through the red rocky terrain in Sedona but want something a bit more relaxed and less complex for a novice, you might enjoy Sedona’s famous Pink Jeep Tours.
Unlike other tours that might take you along even roads to tour historical monuments, Pink Jeep Tours take you on an off-road adventure up and into the mountains for a thrilling adventure.
With these tours, you can choose your adventure level and destination.
For instance, say you get car sick. Then you might not want to settle for the diamond-back tour since it ascends steep inclines and propels down rocky hillsides. The tours also offer a trip to some Native American historical landmarks to explore.
For the moderate thrill seeker, you might enjoy the Broken Arrow ride, which takes some risky maneuvers but gives you views of Sedona you will never forget.
Grand Canyon Day Trip
Sedona isn’t all that far from access to the Grand Canyon, so it only makes sense to take advantage of the short getaway via Sedona’s various tour groups.
The Grand Canyon’s south rim is only about a two to two-and-a-half-hour drive, making the entire excursion four hours. However, once you get to the canyon, you’ll probably want to stay for an hour or more to take in one of the world’s wonders and to take pictures during the trek over there.
Leisure
Not every day you spend in Sedona has to be an exhaustive hiking adventure or off-road exploration. Instead, you can relax with some leisurely attractions like visiting the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village or tasting fine wines on the Verde Valley Wine Trail.
Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village
Whether you’re looking for something to do in between hikes before attending a reservation, or you don’t know what to do next, you might want to check out the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.
Unlike Sedona’s uptown, this village area is more high-end. You’ll find numerous art galleries with fine art and photography. You can also pop to and from upscale shops and grab a quick snack from one of the many quaint eateries too.
Verde Valley Wine Trail
Whoever said California was the only place to get a quality wine tour in the United States was dead wrong. The Verde Valley wine trail boasts delicious local wines for enthusiasts to enjoy.
It’s just a short trip from Sedona to Cottonwood, and while you might not have the backdrop of the red rock, you still get breathtaking desert views while you sip your wine.
Book Your Trip
Pack your bags and get ready to dive headfirst into Red Rock Country. From hikes and historical sites to wine tours and day trip getaways, you’ll want to book your vacation rental in Sedona before the season heats up. Don’t wait any longer. Book your vacation today.
