Chicken Point, Sedona- An Epic Beginner Hike
Sedona, Arizona- the most beautiful red rock landscape in the United States- in my opinion. Sedona has about 10,000 residents, but sees 3 million visitors per year. It can be VERY busy. There’s something for everyone here- beginners, high adventure seekers, and the lesiurely/ lazy travelers. If you’re looking for a great beginner hike with great views, Chicken Point in Sedona is perfect. It’s also less trafficked, so it’s a good alternative to all of the popular trails.
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WHY SHOULD I HIKE TO CHICKEN POINT IN SEDONA?
Chicken Point in Sedona is located at the end of Broken Arrow Trail. You should hike to Chicken Point if you’re looking for an EASY TRAIL with great views. It’s a perfect hike for a date or a walk with friends that you want to catch up with- you won’t be too out of breath to talk, haha. It’s also in a part of town that is less busy than others. If you’re planning on hitting multiple Sedona trails in one day (this is common for people to do), this is a good first one to do! It’s also known as one of the BEST SUNSET SPOTS IN SEDONA, but I went during the day.
WHERE IS CHICKEN POINT IN SEDONA?
Broken Arrow Trail to Chicken Point is located South of Uptown Phoenix, near Oak Creek. It’s on the opposite side of Highway 89A from Cathedral Rock. PLEASE NOTE – Sedona can be VERY BUSY on weekends and during holidays. Another important thing to know is that Sedona now has shuttles to multiple trailheads, that make it unaccessible to parking. Luckily, the Broken Arrow Trail does not have shuttles, so you can park there!
WHAT TIME IS BEST TO HIKE TO CHICKEN POINT IN SEDONA?
You can hike to Chicken Point almost any time! Really the only time I do not suggest is in the middle of the day in the Summer (June-August). Sedona can get well over 95 degrees and you should NOT be hiking during these temps. I hiked this trail in May in the morning. I would LOVE to hike this trail at sunset. I’ve seen some stunning photos of the area, like this one by a creator I love on Instagram, Terry!
NEED SOMEWHERE TO CAMP??
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BEST HIKES IN SEDONA: BROKEN ARROW TO CHICKEN POINT
Chicken Point in Sedona is a great introductory hike for newcomers in Sedona. Because it’s not too long or too steep, it’s great for anyone in the family! We saw older adult, young adults, and kids on our hike. Let’s get started.
CHICKEN POINT HIKE STATS
NOTE: most of the trails in Sedona require a Red Rock Pass. They offer Day, Monthly, or Yearly passes depending on your stay. It’s only a few dollars per day and you don’t have to buy a new pass if you do multiple hikes in one day. If you often visit National Parks and National Forests, invest in the $80 yearly America the Beautiful Pass, which gets you into National Forest Fee Areas like this
HIKING TO CHICKEN POINT
You’ll start at Broken Arrow Trailhead, which is on the south of the small dirt parking lot. PLEASE NOTE- Broken Arrow is also a 4×4 trail, which starts in the same area- but it has it’s own trail. It didn’t bother me at all! Here’s what to expect in views for the majority of your hike!
At 0.2 miles, you’ll hit a fork that will divide Twin Butte Trail to the right and Broken Arrow trail to the left. They both connect 0.4 miles before Chicken Point, so it doesn’t matter what way you go! We went up on Broken Arrow, and back on Twin Butte Trail. You get to be more on the red rock cliffs on Twin Butte Trail, which I loved.
GETTING TO CHICKEN POINT
Once Twin Butte and Broken Arrow Trail connect again, you’ll walk 0.4 miles up against the red rock wall until Chicken Point. You’ll know you’re there, as the trail ends. Jeep Tours do end here, and people hop out to take photos. If you’re interested in taking a Jeep Tour in Sedona (whether this trail or another), check out my post below!
INTERESTED IN TAKING A SEDONA JEEP TOUR?
I outline each Jeep company and their tours, and whether I think they’re worth it or not. You need to check it out!
ARRIVING AT CHICKEN POINT- END OF TRAIL
There are some beautiful views once you reach chicken point in Sedona! One thing I wish I did was walk further south to get the wider view of chicken point, like in Terry’s photo above. I’d also like to see it at sunset. But boy is it beautiful here. You can’t go wrong.
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HAVE MORE TIME TO SPEND IN SEDONA?
I’ve got numerous other posts on Sedona, from other Best Hikes in Sedona, to a Full Weekend Itinerary in Sedona, and more. Check out my posts below!
FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT CHICKEN POINT
Chicken Point is easy, accessible, quick, easy to find, easy to park, and not as busy as Sedona’s most popular hikes- what more could you ask for? Low risk, high reward! You’ll finish this hike only wanting more of Sedona. Happy hiking!
