Sedona Day Trip From Scottsdale: The Complete Guide

The red rocks of Sedona are one of Arizona’s must-see wonders, close enough to Scottsdale that you can trade saguaros for crimson cliffs and still be back for dinner in the Valley. The catch: trailhead lots fill by mid-morning, so Sedona rewards a plan. Here’s the day, hour by hour.

7 a.m.: Leave Scottsdale With a Full Tank

Sedona sits about 115 miles north of Scottsdale, roughly a 2-hour drive: Loop 101 to I-17 north, up the long climb past Camp Verde, then exit 298 onto State Route 179, the Red Rock Scenic Byway, which drops you into the Village of Oak Creek and then Sedona.

Leave by 7 a.m. and you’re at a trailhead around 9, ahead of the parking crunch. Fill the tank in Scottsdale (gas costs more up north) and download offline maps, because cell service gets patchy in Oak Creek Canyon.

9 a.m.: Park, Then Pick One Hike

Most trailheads sit on National Forest land and need a Red Rock Pass on your dash (an America the Beautiful pass works too). Buy one at the trailhead kiosk or the Forest Service visitor center on SR 179 south of the Village of Oak Creek.

On busy days (weekends, spring break, most of March through May and October) the free Sedona Shuttle runs from park-and-ride lots to the most popular trailheads, and some of those lots close to private cars while it runs. Check the schedule the night before, and ride it if your trail is on the route.

Now pick one hike, matched to your legs and the clock:

• Easy: Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte loop. About 4 miles, mostly flat, both landmarks in view the whole way, from the Bell Rock Vista or Courthouse Vista lot on SR 179. Two hours at a wander.
• Short and steep: Cathedral Rock. Just over a mile round trip from Back O’ Beyond Road, but it’s a slickrock scramble with about 700 feet of climb to the saddle and the postcard view. Allow 90 minutes; skip it if the rock is wet.
• Long and crowded: Devil’s Bridge. About 4 miles round trip from the trailheads off Dry Creek Road to a natural sandstone arch you can walk out onto, with a line for the photo. Three hours; start early.
• Views: Airport Mesa loop. Around 3 miles circling the mesa above town with barely any climbing. The tiny lot partway up Airport Road fills first; the overlook at the top has a bigger lot (small fee) and the full panorama with no hiking.

Not up for a climb? Sedona’s famous pink Jeep tours get you into the backcountry without the sweat. You’ll also hear about energy vortexes at Airport Mesa, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock: gorgeous spots whether or not you feel anything.

Noon: Lunch and a Wander at Tlaquepaque and Uptown

By noon you’ve earned lunch. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village sits on SR 179 just south of the Y (where 179 meets 89A): Spanish-colonial courtyards from the 1970s, sycamores, galleries and a handful of restaurants with patios. Park in its free lot, eat, then browse.

Uptown Sedona is a few minutes north on 89A, a walkable strip of shops and patios facing the rocks. Parking is metered and fills on weekends, so park once and walk. Don’t linger past 1:30; the canyon is calling.

2 p.m.: Oak Creek Canyon

North of uptown, 89A becomes the Oak Creek Canyon scenic drive, and within ten minutes the cliffs close in and the creek runs beside the road.

In warm months, stop at Slide Rock State Park, about 7 miles up the canyon, where the creek pours over smooth sandstone and doubles as a natural water slide. There’s a per-vehicle fee, the gate closes when the lot fills (often by late morning in summer), and the water is cold even in July.

In cooler months, walk West Fork Trail instead (separate day-use fee): a shaded side canyon with a dozen-plus creek crossings in the first 3 miles.

Then drive to the top: the switchbacks on 89A climb to the Oak Creek Vista overlook, about 30 minutes from uptown, with a view back down the whole canyon. Mid-October into early November is when the canyon turns gold.

4:30 p.m.: Chapel of the Holy Cross

Back through town and south on SR 179, then left on Chapel Road. The Chapel of the Holy Cross was built into the red rock in 1956 and is free to visit. Parking is tight, so be patient; the ramp leads to a quiet, simple interior and a sweeping view over the red rocks. Hours are daytime only. Twenty minutes is plenty.

5:30 p.m.: The Sunset Drive Home

This is the payoff. Head south on SR 179 as the sun drops and Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte light up on your left. Pull into the Bell Rock Vista lot for ten minutes of glow, then keep rolling; watch for deer at dusk.

On Sundays and holiday weekends, southbound I-17 backs up from mid-afternoon into the evening. If traffic looks red, have dinner in the Village of Oak Creek and leave after 7. Either way, you’re back in Scottsdale between 8 and 9.

When to Go

• Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are peak: mild days, highs mostly in the 60s to 80s, and the biggest crowds. This is when the 7 a.m. start and the shuttle matter most.
• Summer is hot, but Sedona sits at about 4,300 feet and runs 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Scottsdale. Hike at 8 and float at Slide Rock at 2. July and August bring afternoon monsoon storms; get off the rock if you hear thunder.
• Winter is quiet and often perfect, with cold mornings and sunny afternoons. After a storm you get snow on the red rocks for a day or two; shaded trails get icy.

What to Pack

Bring:

• Water: 2 liters per person minimum, more in summer.
• Shoes with real grip. Slickrock is exactly what it sounds like.
• Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses; shade is thin.
• Layers: mornings run 20 degrees cooler than afternoons, and the canyon rim is cooler still.
• Trail snacks, plus a card or cash for the pass kiosks.
• Offline maps and a car charger.
• Swimsuit, towel and water shoes if Slide Rock is on the list.

Day Trip or Overnight? An Honest Verdict

Straight answer: as a day trip, Sedona works if you leave by 7 and pick one hike, accepting that you’ll skip plenty. You get the red rocks in morning light, a good lunch, the canyon, the chapel and a sunset drive.

Stay over if you want a sunrise hike and the night sky (Sedona is a certified dark-sky community). Four hours of driving in one day is real, and the driver will feel it by the chapel.

The middle path: make Sedona the day-trip day of our 3-day Scottsdale itinerary, with a slow morning on either side. If four hours in the car is a dealbreaker, the Superstition Mountains and Apache Trail give you a big-landscape day 45 minutes east of Scottsdale.

Pair It With the Sonoran Desert Back Home

Sedona is spectacular, but the Sonoran Desert right outside Scottsdale is a wonder in its own right, no two-hour drive required. A Desert Dog Offroad Adventures guided U-Drive sand buggy tour starts at the Butcher Jones OHV Staging Area in Tonto National Forest, past Saguaro Lake, 45 minutes from central Scottsdale and Old Town, and runs 2+ hours, so it fits the day before or after Sedona: a morning ride, or a sunset ride that rivals any red-rock view.

You drive your own 2-seat buggy with a guide leading the whole route; helmets, water, snacks and adventure photos are included. Drivers need to be 16 with a valid license, and passengers ride from age 8. Book a guided sand buggy tour, and for more ideas see our roundup of Arizona day trips from Scottsdale and Phoenix.

Ready to explore closer to home? Call us at (480) 837-3966 or book a desert tour, and we’ll show you the Sonoran at its best.