A Complete Guide to Hiking Cathedral Rock in Sedona (& an Extra Secret Hike!)
Today we’re talking all things Cathedral Rock. I will say, this is my favorite hike in Sedona and one of my favorite hikes in the country. It is short, challenging, and beautiful. I will never get sick of doing this hike. STAY TUNED for a secret hike at the end of the blog.
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WHERE IS CATHEDRAL ROCK?
Cathedral rock is on the East Side of Sedona, on Highway 179. From Central Phoenix, it takes about 1 hr and 49 minutes to get to the trailhead (without traffic). When you’re driving up Highway 179 from highway I-10, you’ll pass the Visitor Center, Bell Rock, the Chapel of the Holy Cross on the right, and then you’ll reach Back O’ Beyond Road, which the trailhead is on. This road is windy and has many beautiful houses lining it.
The 2 main parking lots are small, so make sure to start early in the morning or be prepared to wait for a spot. You cannot park along the narrow road. There are pit toilets at this location as well. You will need a Red Rock Pass to park here- which costs 5$. You can purchase this pass at the visitor’s center or the parking lot. The America The Beautiful Pass covers this fee. Let’s get started on the hike.
CATHEDRAL ROCK HIKE
Location: 500 Back O Beyond Rd
Distance: 1.2 mi total/roundtrip
Elevation Change: 741 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 1-2 hrs
Dog Friendly: Yes
You’ll start off with a calm walk until about 0.3 miles when you reach the intersection of Cathedral Rock Trail + Templeton Trail. From here, the hike becomes steeper. If you are with young children or have other limitations, this is a great viewpoint to take pictures + turn back around.
Beyond this point, you’re going to want good hiking shoes to help you climb up walls of rock. I wear Keen Terradorra, which are my favorite hiking boots. The rest of the hike is steep and tires even the most experienced hikers out. Make sure to take frequent breaks. My dog (40 pound Australian Shepherd/ Cattle Dog Mix) had no problems getting up, but did require some help going down the steeper parts of the hike.
After ascending over half a mile of rock, you’ll be much relieved to see that end of trail sign and rewarded with beautiful views!
photo op locations at the top
I know you’re wondering where the best places to take pictures are, so here we go!
to the right
If you go to the RIGHT of the “End of Trail” sign and walk along the edge of the rock wall (carefully), you get a beautiful cliffside picture. This is sometimes termed the “End of the World.”
to the left
If you go to the LEFT of the “End of Trail” sign, up a few rocks, and turn to the left, you get an awesome view of one of the Cathedral Rock spires. Please be careful!
I highly suggest hiking this trail at sunrise or sunset where the colors of the rock really shine. Make sure to bring a backpack (I never hike without my Camelbak), lots of water, sturdy shoes, and appropriate clothing based on the weather. This trail is often highly trafficked + isn’t too hard to keep on trail, but I always use AllTrails to track and time my hikes.
So what was the secret I mentioned earlier??
SECRET ALERT!
If you can’t get enough of cathedral rock and it’s beauty, I’ve got another hike for you. If you’ve done the Cathedral Rock Trail, you’ve seen Cathedral Rock from an East viewpoint. But there’s another view! If you hike Secret Slick Rock Trail, you get a marvelous view of the same rock from the “back” side, a west viewpoint.
SECRET SLICK ROCK HIKE
Distance: 0.7 mi total/roundtrip
Elevation Change: 78 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 15-30 minutes
Location: West Sedona. Chavez Crossing Rd, Sedona, AZ. Coordinates: 34,829, -111.799
Dog Friendly: Yes
SO WHERE IS THE TRAIL?
This trail is on the West side of Sedona, off the 89A. This trailhead is about 8 miles or 20 minutes from Downtown Sedona. If you’re driving south on the 89A, you’ll turn left on Upper Red Rock Loop Rd near Sedona High School. Keep going about 1.5 miles, turn left on Chavez Ranch Rd that will turn into Chavez Crossing Road. You will come to a small dirt lot, park here. The trailhead is on the West side of that lot. There is not a pay station here, but I do suggest having a Red Rock Pass.
This trail is very short and easy and you’ll want to spend lots of time resting + taking pictures at the bottom. I do suggest bringing a chair/blanket, a drink, and some snacks with you. On your way down, look out for cactus spikes, there’s a lot of prickly pear cactus on this trail. Within a few minutes, you will see the rock plateau below that is the end of the trail.
At the end of the trail, look to the left and you’ll see Cathedral Rock. In my opinion, the most beautiful rock structure in all of Arizona. I highly suggest coming here at sunrise or sunset.
When we hiked, sunset was at about 7:15 pm, and we got to the end of the trail at 6:30 pm. It was absolutely breathtaking watching the colors change from complete brightness to golden hour, to what I call “pink” hour, to blue hour, to darkness. This is one of the lesser-known areas in Sedona, so it doesn’t get too crowded; however, you might run into a photographer or two. While my family was waiting for sunset, we had about 20 minutes of being the only ones there, and it was magical. When you’re done staring + taking pictures, it’s only a quick walk back up to your car.
I hope you enjoy Cathedral Rock as much as I do!!
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