The Best Weekend Itinerary in Sedona, Arizona

Dreaming of the perfect summer getaway with warm weather, cool water, and sitting by the campfire?? Sedona is the perfect place for you! In this post, we will be reviewing a 3-day Sedona itinerary with all the tips + tricks to make your weekend unforgettable. This is also the perfect trip for those on a budget. At the time of this trip, my husband and I were in the midst of medical school + had an income of ZERO. We still loved adventuring, so we planned this trip to cost minimal extra money besides the gas to get there. Sedona hotels are oftentimes over 200-300$ per night, and campsites are often booked up, so we resorted to FREE DISPERSED CAMPING. If you’re ready to visit Sedona, keep reading!!

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WHAT IS THE WEATHER IN SEDONA LIKE?

In Summer Months (June-August), temps top out at around 95 degrees + drop into the low 60s in the evening. Remember, it’s dry heat here in Sedona, so there isn’t much humidity as it doesn’t rain here often! This trip is based in July, but feel free to apply it to other months! Temperatures from March-May & September- November range from the 50s to the 80s. Ready to go over the best weekend itinerary in Sedona?

PACKING LIST

CAMPING

• Ever Advanced Pop-Up Tent: This is a dupe of the tent I have + it is EASY + amazing.
• Coleman Portable Bottle Top Burner Stove: I’ve had this for YEARS + it never fails me.
• Eno Hammock + Hammock Straps: Allows you to hang up your hammock at longer distances.
• Headlamp
• Sleeping Pad, Bag, and Pillow

HIKING

• Camelbak Hydration Pack: This is a dupe of the tent I have + it is EASY + amazing.
• Wide-Brimmed Hat for Sun Protection
• Keen Terradora Hiking Shoes
• These highly rated Hiking Sticks– helpful especially on your way back up.

DAY 1 (SET UP CAMP)

My husband and I both worked full-time work weeks at the time, so we left as soon as we were done at about 4 pm on Friday. Sedona is approximately 2 hours away from Phoenix. Our first stop was to set up our campsite. For camping, we chose FOREST ROAD 525C DISPERSED CAMPING.

This campsite is on the West part of Sedona, about 10 miles from Downtown. If you’re coming from Phoenix coming up the I-10, follow Highway 89A through Cottonwood, and you will come up the west side. When you reach the coordinates below, you will turn left onto FR525 (there will be a sign notating this). There is dispersed camping along this road for MILES. A reminder that dispersed camping means no showers, bathrooms, or other resources, so make sure to pack out what you pack in + dispose of human waste properly. If you go another 2.8 miles, you’ll turn left again onto FR525c. My husband and I went another 5 or so miles past this until we found a spot we loved. This is a dirt road + it does get bumpy, but we saw multiple Sedans driving by our campsite (we have a Jeep Wrangler).

Highway 89A Turn Off to FR525 (0 mi): 34.814317, -111.905114

FR525 to FR525c Turn Off (2.8 mi): 34.850367, -111.916267

There were cars that drove back + forth occasionally, but overall this campsite was very peaceful. We spent the evening relaxing, playing card games, and eating my famous campfire chicken bacon alfredo.

DAY 2 (HIKE, WATER HOLE, DOWNTOWN)

Today was busy, so get ready for a full schedule! I stepped out of our tent at sunrise, and to my surprise saw multiple hot-air balloons landing. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see them in the distance. We had a quick meal at our campsite + were quickly off to hike Cathedral Rock before it got too hot (remember it gets up to the mid-90s in the summer). I HIGHLY recommend adding Cathedral Rock to your weekend itinerary in Sedona.

CATHEDRAL ROCK HIKE

Distance: 1.2 mi total/roundtrip

Elevation Change: 741 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Duration: 1-2 hrs

Location: East Sedona. 500 Back O Beyond Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336

Dog Friendly: Yes

Read More: A Complete Guide to Hiking Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona

CHAPEL OF THE HOLY CROSS

Location: 780 Chapel Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336

Hours: 9-5 daily

Walking: Minimal (up a short, steep hill from the parking lot)

Trailhead: Chapel Trail at base of the Chapel

After fueling up on Gatorade + leaving Cathedral Rock, we took a short drive across the road to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. This is a beautiful Catholic Chapel nestled into the Red Rock of Sedona. There are no regularly scheduled masses at this time, but you can go inside the chapel. There is also a gift shop downstairs of the chapel.

DOWNTOWN SEDONA

After a toasty morning of outdoor adventures, we took a break to downtown Sedona for a cold smoothie and some time in air-conditioned shops! Downtown has EVERYTHING you could want, from ice cream shops to a cowboy burger restaurant to rock shops to cute clothing boutiques. We stopped by Pink Java Café for a cold smoothie + some of the best views of Downtown Sedona. PS- if you’re into pressed pennies like me, there are hundreds of them downtown! All of the mentioned places below are within walking distance of each other, no need to re-park!

After a cool break in downtown, we were ready for another adventure- a water hole! A lot of well-known water attractions in Sedona either cost money or are always full, from Slide Rock State Park to Grasshopper Point to West Fork Trail. If you’re looking for a lesser-known spot, this is the hike for you!

HUCKABY TRAIL

Distance: Approx. 1 mile round trip

Location: Midgley Bridge Parking Lot- Few Minutes North of Downtown

Coordinates: 34.885546, -111.741396

Dog Friendly: Yes

When you park at Midgley Bridge (on the left side right after crossing the bridge if coming from the city), you’ll park + walk underneath the bridge on Midgley Bridge Trail. This parking spot does require a Red Rock Pass. Keep going until about 0.2 miles, you’ll turn right on the Huckaby trail. This trail is steep as it drops down the canyon. In no time, you’ll hear + see Oak Creek. Walk until you find your favorite spot. My husband and I hiked in our Teva Sandals, which was fine, but having hiking shoes would have been nice going up the canyon. We brought our hammock, a book to read, towels, and sun protection. This area is like a mini-slide rock. You can swim, slide down rocks, sunbathe, and hike.

After we were done relaxing by the water, it was time for dinner. We decided to stop by Wildflower Bakery before heading back to our campsite to relax.

DAY 3 (SECRET CAVE)

Today we planned for a morning hike and a trip back home to get ready for the next work week. We decided to sleep in a little bit (yesterday was exhausting!), eat, pack up our campsite, and leave for our morning hike! I mentioned earlier that we camped on FR525c, and one of the reasons why is because Robber’s Roost is on the same road! 

Expect it to take 30-40 minutes from the Highway 89A turn off to FR525. This road is smooth most of the time, but the closer you get to the trailhead, the rougher it gets. As you can see above, there is room to park about 0.5 miles before the trailhead if you’re not driving a 4WD/high clearance vehicle. We have a Jeep Wrangler and even considered parking early due to the rough road. It does take time to get to this trailhead, but the quietness is worth it- not many people know about this area! We were the only ones on the trail for our entire hike.

Highway 89A Turn Off to FR525 (0 mi): 34.814317, -111.905114

FR525 to FR525c Turn Off (2.8 mi): 34.850367, -111.916267

**stay left at the fork where you see the “maintained yavapai road ends”

Non-4WD Parking (9.7 mi): 34.915750, -111.978222

Robber’s Roost Trailhead/ 4WD Parking (10.9 mi): 34.931111, -111.972167

When you get to the trailhead, you’ll see this post in the photo above and then you know you’re going the right way. I highly recommend this trail for anyone including dogs and young children. It’s beautiful and not too difficult! You’ll dip down into a valley with some shade cover, and then start a climb up the rock. Sooner than you know, you’ll turn a corner and see the cave. It’s large and has plenty of shade- the perfect spot for a lunch break! It’s beautiful at all times of the day. We went on Sunday morning around 9-10 am which we loved. It would be beautiful at sunset as well.

After a weekend of sunshine, camping, beautiful hikes, we were ready to head back to Phoenix and get some rest. You won’t regret following this weekend itinerary to Sedona, Arizona!

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Camping: Free

Red Rock Pass: $5

Smoothie: $5

Dinner: $15

Gas from Phoenix to Sedona: $30

The rest of the food we ate throughout the weekend was part of our normal weekly budget, so beyond that, we only spent $55 extra for a 3-day trip to Sedona. Pretty good if you ask me! I hope you have a wonderful trip, and HAPPY HIKING!

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A Complete Guide to Hiking Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona