Sedona, Arizona 2021

Hiking and Cycling through Majestic Red Rock

The majestic red rock scenery, evergreen vegetation, and endless possibility for adventure make Sedona a popular travel destination. Outside of a little eye-rolling from my husband and kids regarding the energy vortex claims (I am fascinated), we loved it and I can’t recommend it enough! We came to mountain bike, hike, and take in the sights, including an unforgettable day trip to the Grand Canyon, one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.

Logistics:

Flights: From Austin, we flew into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and rented a car through Enterprise. It is a two-hour drive from Phoenix to Sedona. If you are headed there from Tucson, it’s a three- to four-hour drive.

Rental Cars:

I would recommend using Enterprise if renting a car at the airport because Enterprise is the only car rental company in Sedona. If you rent from another car company, your options may be limited if any issues arise while in Sedona. I was informed that Turo is also an option, but I not familiar with exactly how that works.

Lodging:

We chose Enchantment Resort because the private casitas make social distancing during a pandemic much easier than hotel rooms, and because of its proximity to hiking and mountain biking trails in the Boynton Canyon area. Coconino National Forest and Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness surround the resort. You can hike or bike right out of the resort and their Trail House staff (their outdoor activity hub) is a wealth of information.

The resort’s pickle ball, tennis, and bocce ball courts were popular with our group. Their all-inclusive spa resort, Mii amo, was under renovation during our visit and is scheduled to re-open in April 2022. Mii amo was named the #1 Destination Spa in the U.S. in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards in 2019 and 2018.

There is plenty of lodging in Sedona, but if possible, I would avoid staying in downtown. It is super touristy, and traffic gets backed up, especially on the weekends.

If booking lodging at a resort, I highly recommend using a travel advisor. Using a Brownell travel advisor saved us a lot of money. Our advisor scored us a centrally-located casita, had breakfast comped for our entire stay, helped us find upgrades, and scored us a spa credit. It is no cost to you as a traveler, as they receive a commission directly from the resort.

Weather:

August and September are Sedona’s rainy season (the locals call those months the monsoon season), and their summers can be brutally hot. Popular months to visit are October – December and February – early May. There is nothing wrong with January; every tourist destination tends to slow down immediately after the holidays.

Activities:

Pink Jeep Tours is a must. At the recommendation of a friend, we did the Broken Arrow tour (its most popular tour). She recommended that we go at 4:00 so we could be there for sunset. The views are gorgeous and the early evening provides great light for photos! Their Ancient Ruins tour also came highly recommended by the Trail House staff at Enchantment. I also want to mention their top-tier guides; our driver was a wildlife biologist by trade and kept us entertained with his near-encyclopedic knowledge of the surrounding area.

Hikes:

There are several beautiful hikes right outside of the resort, including the Mescal Trail along Sedona’s red rocks. It is two miles out and back or 4.5 miles if you do the loop. Outside of the resort, popular favorites are:

• Devil’s Bridge (near Enchantment – get there early as it’s popular thanks to Instagram!)
• Cathedral Rock Trail. This is a crowded trail. For us, it was worth it to pay one of Enchantment’s knowledgeable guides to help us avoid the crowds and access the trail from the beautiful Baldwin and Templeton trails. 
• Doe’s Trail (Aerie trailhead up to Doe Mountain). This is a moderately steep hike with beautiful views from the top!
• Birthing Cave (two miles out and back)
• Hangover (5.8 miles – popular with the locals)

Cycling:

The mountain biking in Sedona has been great for years and relatively under the radar until recently. We went on a guided mountain biking trip with the fabulous Jim, one of Enchantment’s Trail House leaders, and had a blast. I was nervous at first and was convinced I was going to end up in a cactus, but Jim’s advice and encouragement had me zipping through the beautiful red rocks with confidence. We cycled right out of the resort and did an 8-mile loop consisting of the Aerie, Cockscomb, Chuckwagon, and Deadman’s Pass trails. There was one part of Deadman’s Pass Trail where my husband and son had to walk their bikes. (I had to bail early with my other son – see notes in the gear section!)

Great article on Sedona’s mountain biking scene

Video that motivates me to cycle more

Activities for Generational Trips:

• ATV rentals to tackle off-road trails
• Hot air balloon rides at dawn
• Photography lessons with some of Sedona’s finest photographers
• Quick trip to see Chapel of the Holy Cross
• Golf at Seven Canyons

Gear:

Most of our gear was for our Grand Canyon hiking trip (included in its own separate post!). Trail shoes are important, especially waterproof ones if you are going to be hiking in the snow. I like 12-liter backpacks for biking and 20-liter backpacks for hiking based on comfort and water needs. For mountain biking, I cannot stress enough the need for padded biking shorts, especially when renting bikes. In teaching my twins to be independent, I trusted them to follow our list while packing and to wear the necessary gear based on the day’s activity while there. One of my boys didn’t wear his bike shorts on our long mountain bike excursion and had to cut his ride short and return to the resort early (which meant I also had to leave early to escort him back – life lessons, right?). Packing really is a great way to teach your kids responsibility! Lastly, the weather there varies based on where you are in the canyons. Layers and sunscreen are a must!

Why I Want to Come Back:

I want to come back to the area to check out Flagstaff. The vibe in Sedona (according to the locals) is about quiet reflection, turning inward and calming the f**k down. The vibe in Flagstaff was described as a lively college town for outdoor enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies. Flagstaff is home to Arizona Snowbowl, one of the state’s only ski resorts and also a prime place to hike.