Hiking Sedona: Explore Arizona's Red Rock Country (4 Days / 3 Nights)
Hiking Grade: 3 (Introductory)
This trip has been graded adventure touring and includes a series of day walks to explore the Sedona area. Participants should have experience hiking and be comfortable navigating uneven footing and challenging terrain. Be prepared to hike on large rocky steps, loose rock, roots, and smooth rock slopes for 3-7 miles with elevation gains/losses of up to 1000´ for multiple days in a row. Hiking in Sedona is often exposed with limited shade and dry or wet conditions. While daytime temperatures are typically comfortable, they can rise to over 90 degrees in warmer months. To maximize your enjoyment of the trip and to avoid sore muscles, we suggest beginning a regular exercise regimen at least 2-3 months prior to departure. Recommended exercises include hiking, jogging, or cycling. The better shape you are in, the more that you´ll enjoy all that Sedona has to offer.
Description:
Immerse yourself in Sedona’s red rock splendor and Native American heritage on this 4-day hiking adventure.
Spend four days hiking, exploring, and learning in the red rock landscapes of Sedona, where geology, history, and Indigenous culture come together to weave a rich tapestry of the Southwest. Each evening, unwind at a comfortable Sedona hotel, surrounded by the quiet beauty of the high desert. From ancestral dwellings to colorful market squares, cactus-dotted trails to sweeping canyon overlooks, we uncover the many layers of the American Southwest. With expert guides leading the way, we go beyond the usual routes, gaining a deeper understanding of the people and forces that have shaped this region. Unhurried moments, whether it’s a quiet rest beneath red rock spires or watching afternoon light shift across the high desert, invite you to slow down and simply take it all in.
Every day helps piece together the colorful fabric of this storied region. Hike trails lined with ocotillo and juniper through landscapes that feel both ancient and otherworldly. Visit the once “wickedest town in the west” reborn as a thriving artist enclave. Follow the course of a desert stream to long-abandoned dwellings carved into the cliffs. Step carefully through thousand-year-old ruins that still echo with presence. With free time built in, you’ll also have space to explore Sedona’s charm on your own. Whether you’re drawn to red rock vistas, cultural history, or desert sunshine, this trip offers an unforgettable glimpse into the complex and captivating tapestry of the Southwest.
Departure Dates:
2026:
20th Jan - 23rd Jan
3rd Feb - 6th Feb
26th Oct - 29th Oct
2nd Nov - 5th Nov
16th Nov - 19th Nov
2nd Dec - 5th Dec
14th Dec - 17th Dec
*Please inquire directly through our site together with your preferred date and number of people and one of our team will respond with your total price and availability.
Rate Type (Per Person, USD): From $2899.00 per person based on 2 people sharing - Inquire for single supplements
Meal Inclusions:
- 3 Dinners
- 4 Lunches
- 3 Breakfasts
Trip Highlights:
- Set out on invigorating daily hikes along some of Sedona’s most scenic trails.
- Explore the charming, historic town of Jerome and 1000-year-old pueblo ruins.
- Spend each night in a comfortable Sedona hotel.
- Learn about the natural history, ecology and geology of this unique and spectacular landscape.
Day 1: Phoenix Arrival
Our trip begins today in the Phoenix area. Meet your guides and fellow travelers this morning for a brief orientation to ensure we’re all prepared before loading into our private van and setting out to the high desert surrounding Sedona. This morning our skilled guide team takes us to some of the most recognizable and photographed formations in Sedona, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. We take time to circumnavigate both formations and become immersed in the diverse flora and fauna of Sedona, a perfect introduction to the local ecosystem. After a day warming up our legs on the trail, we head to our comfortable Sedona hotel to get checked in and cleaned up before dinner.
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Sky Rock Hotel or similar
Drive time: 2.5 Hours
Hiking: Approx. 4 mi / 6.4 km, Elevation difference: +/- 460 ft / 140 m
Day 2: Hit the Red Rocks!
This morning, we get out first real taste of Sedona’s colorful, captivating geology on a classic hike. Following our experienced guides, we climb through the red rock to a vantage point offering magnificent views of the surrounding landscape. Later this morning, we drive to Tuzigoot National Monument. This large, excavated pueblo features prime examples of pottery, baskets, tools, weavings and demonstrations of how these ancient farmers and craftsmen lived a thousand years ago. The charming 19th-century mining town of Jerome is today’s final destination. Built on a 30-degree slope, many of Jerome’s buildings were destroyed by fires or fell into disrepair. A revised building code finally required structures to be made only of masonry and the town now hosts galleries and tasting rooms featuring local wines.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Sky Rock Hotel or similar
Drive time: 1.5 Hours
Hiking: Approx. 4.5 mi / 6.6 km, Elevation difference: +448 ft / 137 m, -784 ft / 239 m
Day 3: Munds Wagon Trail
After breakfast, we head to a trailhead just above town and hike the historic Munds Wagon Trail, once a popular route for moving cattle out of Sedona. Around each bend, an enchanting moment awaits, a fantastic vista, hummingbirds feeding at a blooming ocotillo, or polished red, white and pink sandstone blended together to create a beautiful geological formation. Our guides help us find a special spot for lunch with a view under the shade of pinyon pines. This afternoon, we have the flexibility to choose our own adventure (while the activities are on your own, our guides provide transportation to various drop-off locations). Take a meditative hike, shop for local artwork, or relax and catch up on some vacation reading. Regardless of your choice, the spectacular red-rock landscape is never far from view.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Sky Rock Hotel or similar
Drive time: 1 Hour
Hiking: Approx. 6.5 mi / 10.5 km, Elevation difference: +/- 1,091 ft / 333 m
Day 4: Red rock State Park
After breakfast, we head to Red Rock State Park, a 286-acre nature preserve filled with stunning scenery. Trails in the park wind through manzanita and juniper, and green meadows are framed by hills of striated red and gold sandstone. Oak Creek flows through the park, creating a riparian habitat brimming with plants and wildlife. Following a series of interconnecting trails, we learn about the geology of the Colorado Plateau and some of the fascinating adaptations that plants and animals have made to survive in this environment. En route back to the Phoenix area this afternoon, we stop at Montezuma Castle National Monument, a cliff dwelling located in a high alcove above Beaver Creek. After our visit to Montezuma Castle, we head back to the Phoenix area and plan to arrive in the late afternoon.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Drive time: 3 Hours
Hiking: Approx. 3.7 mi / 6 km, Elevation difference: +483 ft / 147 m, -470 ft / 143 m
Inclusions:
- 3 breakfasts, 4 picnic lunches, 3 dinners
- 3 nights accommodation
- Private transport
- Guide services
- State Park and National Forest entry fees & sightseeing as specified
- Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks
Exclusions:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Flights, airport taxes, and airport transfers
- Travel Insurance (compulsory)
- Visas
- Medical treatment
- Personal expenses
- Optional excursions
- Tour leader tip (10 - 15% of tour price)
About Your Leader
All of our tour leaders are certified in First Aid and CPR and registered as official guides with the national parks. Most are bilingual and many of our departures are conducted in English as well as one other language (typically German or Spanish). Your tour leader is from the USA and may have grown up here or may have moved here from another country - As many Americans do!