Your Photography & Hiking Guide to Sedona, Arizona
View of Cathedral rock in Sedona, Arizona. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!
Sedona, Arizona is one of my favorite travel destinations. The hikes are amazing, there are so many beautiful photography spots, and the weather is great spring through fall. This blog will be all about what to do on your visit. I’ll go over the best hikes and my favorite photography spots around Sedona, Arizona.
Getting to Sedona
When I’ve visited Sedona, I’ve flown into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and roadtripped from Phoenix. Sedona is about a 2 hour drive from Phoenix, so I recommend renting a car, and seeing a bit of both Phoenix and Sedona. Sky Harbor is the most affordable airport to fly into, as it’s the largest. I’ve written a whole blog about visiting Phoenix and the fun day trips you can take from there, so check it out if you’re looking to visit both cities.
I’ve only ever done day trips to Sedona, but I’ve visited multiple times throughout the years. Roadtripping from Phoenix, hiking all day, then roadtripping back makes for a very long day. If you’re looking to stay a few nights, check out these amazing stays!
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Using the Sedona Shuttle Service
Since Sedona has become such a popular location, they’ve started to offer shuttle services to the hiking trails to prevent people from parking on the sides of the roads. The parking lots fill up very quick, so I recommend using this handy shuttle service. You’ll see signs along the roads guiding you where to park to catch the shuttle to the correct hiking trails. The shuttles come often and it’s a convenient and eco-friendly way to explore around Sedona.
Devil’s Bridge Hike view
Devil’s Bridge Trail
Devil’s Bridge Hike is an incredibly popular hiking trail, mainly because of the awesome view and photo spot! The hike is rated moderate on AllTrails. It’s almost 4 miles out-and-back. I recommend trying to get to this trail early, as it can get busy. Once at the top, you’ll see this incredible view. If you’re not there early, you’ll likely need to wait in line to get a photo on the bridge alone. We started later than we wanted, around 10:00am, and had to wait maybe 30 minutes in line to get this photo, which wasn’t too bad. I’ve heard stories of the wait being over an hour! That’s why timing is key for this hike.
Even though there were quite a few people on this trail, it didn’t really seem crowded until we arrived to the bridge. Overall, I enjoyed this hike very much. The views were lovely the whole hike. We went in the spring and saw the cacti blooming and the weather was beautiful.
View along Boynton Pass Road
Boynton Pass Road
Don’t miss the beautiful views along Boynton Pass Road near Devil’s Bridge hiking trail. There are pull off spots all along this road, because the view is so pretty! This is a fun spot to snap a quick photo before venturing on to your next hike.
Top of Cathedral Rock view
Cathedral Rock Trail
Another beautiful hike and photography location is Cathedral Rock. This trail is rated moderate on AllTrails, but I thought this hike was much harder than Devil’s Bridge Trail. This trail is short, only 1.2 miles out-and-back, but it’s very steep. You climb a long ways up in a short distance and in some spots, you have to scramble a bit. It’s pretty fun and I think overall, this is my favorite hike in Sedona! The red rocks around you are just stunning and at the top, you feel like you’re in another world. We hiked Cathedral Rock in the late afternoon, so the light was very beautiful. Sunset would also be a great time, just be sure you’re back at the bottom before it gets dark.
For all Sedona hikes, make sure you bring water. I like to hike with a Camelbak. Sedona can get very hot and heat exhaustion can happen quickly. These hikes will definitely make you tired!
Scrambling on Cathedral Rock Trail
Secret Slickrock Trail
One of my favorite views that requires almost no hiking, is the view of Cathedral Rock from Secret Slickrock Trail. This spot can be a little hard to find. Drive along Chavez Ranch Road, and at the end, look for the trailhead. When we were looking, we saw some other cars parked here, which was the giveaway that we were in the right spot. Although this is technically a hiking trail, it’s incredibly short and is easily walkable in any kind of shoes. Once you’ve made the short walk through some trees, you’ll see a beautiful opening with the best views of Cathedral Rock. We even got to witness a wedding ceremony when we were there!
We took photos at this location after we hiked Cathedral Rock, so it was really cool to see Cathedral Rock from a different perspective. I definitely recommend this spot for some awesome photos.
View of Cathedral Rock from Secret Slickrock Trail
Airport Mesa Vortex
Another stunning photography spot that doesn’t require much hiking is the view from Airport Mesa Vortex. This is a scenic overlook area with 360 views of Sedona! The parking is limited, but you can also head over to the Sedona Airport Overlook for a similar view. It’s pretty incredible!
Airport Mesa Vortex view
Bell Rock Trail
Bell Rock Trail is also a fun, short hike with beautiful views of Sedona. This unique rock is shaped like a bell and you have to scramble to get to the top. It’s a really short hike, only .8 miles out-and-back, but it’s still rated moderate on AllTrails. I thought this was the easiest hike compared to Devil’s Bridge and Cathedral Rock Trail.
View from the top of Bell Rock Trail
Sliderock State Park
If you’re looking to cool down from all your hiking, visit Sliderock State Park. It’s seriously so much fun! I had a blast sliding around the rocks in the refreshing water after our hikes. The views are beautiful and the vibe is great here. I loved Sliderock State Park.
Having fun at Sliderock State Park
What Else to Check Out in Sedona
I recommend doing a little shopping and grabbing some food around Tlaquepaque Village. It’s such a cute area with lots of local artistry and delicious restaurants. It’s also a unique spot for photos that’s a little different than all the red rocks.
Chapel of the Holy Cross is another cool stop to make. I haven’t gone inside, but it is pretty amazing to see such a beautiful chapel built into Sedona’s red rocks.
Overall Thoughts on Sedona, Arizona
Overall, Sedona is one of my favorite photography and hiking destinations. The red rocks all around Sedona are one of a kind and they’re so beautiful to photograph! I’d love to keep exploring as there are many hikes and fun activities I haven’t tried yet. I highly recommend Sedona, Arizona for any photography or nature lover.
Camera used to document my travels: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 35mm lens, Olympus Om-1 35mm film, and iPhone
