Experience the Cathedral Rock Hike in Sedona with Confidence

Sedona is filled with so many hikes that it can be overwhelming sometimes. If you are looking for a short trail that is also rewarding, this is the one for you. The Cathedral Rock hiking trail is considered challenging amongst most but is also only 1.2 miles long. This hike will take you vertically to one of the best viewpoints in the park. Hiking boots are highly recommended for this one. The vortex the rocks create here is powerful according to some, so you won’t want to miss it.

In this guide, I will go over the extra details you will want to know before making your way along the Cathedral Rock hiking trail.

Where is the Cathedral Rock Located?

Cathedral Rock is located more towards the Southwestern corner of Sedona. This specific trailhead has 2 parking lots that are first come first serve but not Thursday- Sunday. On those days the parking lot will be closed and you will have to take a shuttle to the trailhead. Below I will go over your options in more detail.

If you plan on flying out of Phoenix, check out these other hikes near Phoenix that you might enjoy!

Some of my other favorite hikes in the area are the Sedona Windows hike & Subway Cave. These are great alternatives if Cathedral Rock is too crowded.

Cathedral Rock Parking Lot

If you are coming to do this hike during the earlier portion of the week, then you should head to Back’O’Beyond Road. Here you will find two parking lots.

When visiting on the weekend, you will need to head to 1294 SR 179 which is right down the road. This shuttle is completely free and won’t take long to arrive at your desired trailhead.

If you want to look at this shuttle schedule, as well as others, then you can head to their official website here.

How to Get to Cathederal Trailhead

This hike is similar to the Devil’s Bridge hike in which it has two different trails that you can start on to get to the final spot. If you are looking for the quickest point-to-point, then you will want to head to the parking lot on Back’O’Beyond Road.

Baldwin Trail to Cathedral Rock

Reaching Cathedral Rock from his route will add a couple of miles, but it is totally worth it. This trail will take you along the creek for a little less than a mile. Afterward, it will start winding around, leading you toward the base of the hike. From here on, it will be the same difficulty and steepness as mentioned previously above.

If you want to take this trail instead, then you’ll want to head to Baldwin’s crossing. Type Baldwin Trailhead parking lot on your GPS and it will take you right to it.

Cathedral Rock Hike Details

My Experience Attempting the Cathedral Rock Hike

We decided to camp out the night before outside of Sedona. It was a perfect night out to do so. We did the Devil’s bridge hike that day and wanted to do one more hike before heading home. The reason we chose the Cathedral rock hike was because of its views plus the short distance.

We started by typing in the location of the trailhead and driving to it. As many others around us soon realized, we were not allowed to drive toward to parking lot past 7 am. We asked where we needed to head, did a U-turn, and made our way toward the shuttle parking lot.

This was only a few short minutes down the road. We waited until the shuttle filled up and then we were on our way to start the Cathedral Rock hike.

Is the Incline Difficul?

When we arrived off the shuttle, we followed the crowd of people also starting this hike. You will begin by walking on a mainly flat surface for a quarter of a mile. Once past this, it will start to increase in steepness gradually.

There wasn’t much of a line in this first section. It was more of an open area that didn’t seem too difficult at first.

You will know you have arrived at the steepest section of the whole hike because everyone is taking turns going down and up. This section wasn’t really that bad. The small crevice we had to climb up made for a backed-up trail line.

This was quite alright though because it was another gorgeous day in Sedona and I was just glad to be outside.

Arriving at the Top & Drinking Coffee

Right after finishing the steepest section of the entire hike, we then gradually made our way up to the top of the hike. This was only another quarter of a mile or so until the end. This didn’t mean we were out of the clear yet.

The trail will become flattered but you will walk up to a steep section that would require some climbing. We enjoyed this as it kept us on our toes.

Once at the top, we enjoyed the scenery, took some photos, and made a couple of cups of coffee.

Things to Know

With Sedona gaining more and more popularity every year, the rules can sometimes change. It’s a good idea to keep up to date on the current news of the park.

Do You need an America the Beautiful Pass for the Cathedral Rock Hike?

Yes and no. If you are looking to hike this during the time of the week when the shuttle isn’t running, then you’ll need to purchase a Red Rock Pass.

This costs $5 but if you have an America the Beautiful pass you can use that instead. Just be sure to put it on the dashboard of your car.

Best Time to Hike in Sedona

The best time to hike in Sedona would be between the months of September – November and March – May. With that being said, Sedona is perfectly fine to visit year-round!

There are chances of snow in Sedona which is nothing something you’d see in Phoenix. But it only snows in Sedona a few times a year and it can be magical!

Where to Stay in Sedona

• Sky Ranch Lodge: One of the most reviewed accommodations in the area, Sky Ranch Lodge is a fantastic location with plenty of amenities.
• Sky Rock Sedona: A great deal for the area, Sky Rock has some of the best views coupled with a good price per night.
• Hilton Vacation Club: Priced as one of the cheapest places to stay in Sedona, Hilton Vacation Club won’t disappoint.

Other Hikes in Arizona

Sedona is a popular tourist area in northern Arizona. There are many hikes to do around the town as well as things located in Flagstaff, just an hour north.

But sometimes it can get too crowded during the peak season. Below are a few hikes that I’ve personally done and can vouch for.

• Sunrise Hike
• Camelback Mountain (Scottsdales Most Popular Hike)
• Tom’s Thumb
• Piestewa Peak
• Pinnacle Peak Trail
• Seven Falls in Tucson
• Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park
• Hike to the Top of Picacho Peak

Final Thoughts

I’m not huge into large crowds on hikes and I don’t think many people are. I was nervous about this hike being too packed and is not enjoying it. Boy was I wrong. Once we got past the steepest section, there weren’t as many people around us all the time. When we made it to the top, we easily found a section to ourselves to sit down and enjoy the view. Overall I would highly recommend this hike to anyone as long as they don’t mind a little bit of rock climbing.