Cathedral Rock Trail (Sedona): The #1 Hiking Guide
Let’s get straight to the chase: the Cathedral Rock Trail in Sedona is an absolute must-do on your Arizona trip or weekend getaway. It is one of the best hikes in Arizona. The most epic sunset, the most incredible red rock landscape, and the most thrilling rock scramble up to the top, make Cathedral Rock a very special hike, brimming with Vortexes (more on that later). Learn how to witness all the views yourself with this complete hiking guide.
How long is the Cathedral Rock Trail?
According to the hiking map at the Cathedral Rock Trailhead, the hike is 1.4 miles round trip. While that doesn’t seem too bad, don’t let that number fool you. There is a steep rock scrambling section half way through the hike.
I would plan ~1.5 to 2 hours for this hike. That will be a perfect amount of time to enjoy the surrounding vistas, see the sunset at the top, and embrace the red rock energy that Sedona is known for.
Are Dogs Allowed at Cathedral Rock?
Yes, dogs are allowed! I have read hiking reviews that dogs were able to handle the rock scramble section. Other reviews recommend bringing a secure dog harness in case they need help.
How Difficult is the Cathedral Rock Trail?
Cathedral Rock has an elevation gain of 744 ft in little over a half mile. All Trails rates this as moderate. I agree with this rating.
The difficulty of this trail primarily stems from the steep rock scramble section. You will definitely, at times, be on all fours, scrambling your way up to the next section. Difficult for a non-hiker, but nonetheless fun.
I would hate for anyone to get discouraged or blindly cross this off their list because of the rock scramble, because I truly think the view at the top is worth it. I suggest to at least try, and make a decision if it is worth it once you are there.
Parking at the Cathedral Rock Trailhead
The address of the parking lot is 500 Back O Beyond Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336, as indicated in the map above. Searching for “Cathedral Rock Trailhead” on Google Maps should also produce the same location.
The parking lot can fit a decent amount of cars, but it is known to fill up during peak times (summer, non-sunrise-or-sunset hours). Thankfully, there is a quick turnover rate due to the short nature of the hike. Don’t be surprised, however, if you have to hover for a while, waiting for a spot.
Parking Fees
– $5 daily fee, good at all Sedona trails
– $15 weekly pass, good at all Sedona trails
– $20 annual pass for all Sedona trails
– Free with National Park Pass (America the Beautiful Annual Pass)
Pay the daily fees or get your pass at the kiosk at the Cathedral Rock Trailhead Parking Lot. The kiosk accepts both cash and credit.
Cathedral Rock Trail Hiking Map
The map pictured above stands at the start of the Cathedral Rock hike, as indicated by the “You are Here” sign. This map, however, is not very useful because the hike itself is not blown up.
This 2nd map is a screenshot from the All Trails app. As you can see, it is much more detailed. I highly recommend downloading this app (this is not sponsored btw, I just really love it), because it allows you to see your location in real time in relation to the trail as you hike, ensuring that you don’t get lost. Spoiler Alert: we got lost because I was living under a red rock, not using the app at the time!
Points of Interest Along the Cathedral Rock Trail
Bell Rock: A Formiddable Red Rock Formation
Literally minutes after you begin the trek up, you are rewarded with plentiful views of red rock country. Parts of the trail widen into flat, open spaces, like the one pictured below, conducive to exploring and roaming around. Because of this, however, one can easily lose sight of the trail.
The trail markers are these man-made barrels / pillars of wooden logs. They are placed throughout the entire trail, beginning to end.
At a flattened area of the hike, you can see the vast red rock country with the towering Bell Rock in the distance, pictured on the right. The bold contrast of green trees, red rocks, and blue skies is what makes Sedona….Sedona.
The Rock Scramble
As I have teased earlier, the rock scramble is the biggest obstacle of the hike. In the photo above, I accidentally caught a stranger on all fours, carefully descending the rocky slope.
Looking up at the climb for the first time, I was quite intimidated. It was way steeper than I expected (and I even read reviews about how steep it was!).
I am happy to report it is easier than it looks! And more fun than you’d expect! However, the reality is that a good portion of people do turn around here, because they can’t complete it.
It starts off with a big open area of rock layers, like a tiered cake. The vastness translates to there not being any exact trail or path up the steps of these rock formations. It’s a classic case of choose your own pokemon adventure!
Eventually, the trail converges into arguably the hardest section of the rock scramble.
As you can see in the picture, this section involves scrambling up a crack line or crevasse. You will use all of your limbs to keep you grounded. A backpack would be helpful to free up your hands from your phone or water bottle.
Looking back down at where we started, just like how my boyfriend is doing in the picture, you are going to feel accomplished. You might also be asking yourself “How the heck am I going to get down?” But it is easier than you think too.
Cathedral Rock Vortex
What is a vortex you ask? That’s a great question. A vortex is a swirling center of energy, allowing for healing, spiritual medicine, and meditation. It’s a sacred, powerful source of energy that is said to rise from the red rock Earth.
Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking what in the hocus pocus? However, I actually didn’t know what a vortex was until after the hike. Looking back, I realized that this area did feel different. The energy here — it makes you feel recharged and inspired.
I am not a spiritual person (by any means), but I do feel very drawn to and inspired by nature. As we took a break after the rock scramble section, sitting among the cacti, the colors of dawn, and feeling the warm temperature of the rocks on our butts, all I can say is I get it. I get the vortex vibe. I’m no expert, but I can appreciate it for what it is.
Here’s a higher up view of red rock country. It felt like I was looking at a painting.
All of Sedona is said to be a vortex, but there are 4 hot spots where the energy is said to be very present. The next section, where you will see the sunset at the saddle, between two red rock formations is one of these treasured hot spots.
Epic Sunset at Cathedral Rock
I recommend, and cannot stress this enough, hiking Cathedral Rock during sunset. It is one of the top 5 sunsets I have ever seen in my life. One of my other favorite sunsets is at Mori Point.
At the saddle, sandwiched between two sets of rock pillars, you will have a prime view of the sun setting in the distance. Could an already gorgeous hike get any better?
Plan to get here at least 20 minutes before sun down. You want time to take enough pictures and enjoy the show in peace. Another reason to get there early is because there might be a queue (as there was for us) to take photos at arguably the most instagram-worthy spot, which looks like this…
Instagram Photo-Op at Top of Cathedral Rock
Before I explain how to take this shot, let me just say that sitting here felt freakin’ unreal. The warm rays, distant hills, and steep cliffside — basically, the Sedona Vortex is saying “what’s up!”
Directions. When you reach the saddle, you will see an “End Of Trail” sign. Take a right on the saddle, and you will see a narrow path, along the cliff, that leads to the exact spot where I am sitting in the picture.
The path itself is not too narrow, but what makes it thrilling is there is a gap in the ledge! You have to literally hop/jump onto the next ledge, like it’s a Super Mario or Crash Bandicoot game! So amazing. I’m living my childhood dreams.
This spot is highly trafficked, so you may be waiting your turn. I had to wait for 2 parties before my boyfriend could take some shots. After me, was the last party to claim the spot, an engaged couple who were taking their engagement photos! They literally brought a change of clothes and hired a professional engagement photographer. Keep them in mind, I have a story later…
Another tip: there is a section to the left of the End of Trail sign where you can roam a bit more. I recommend doing this as it has some unique views as well, and not many explore it.
Heading Down During the Dark
Story time! You might want to skip this section, because it is not informational, but you just might learn a thing or two from our (and other people’s) mistakes!
So right after the sun set below the horizon, I told my boyfriend we should head down. I didn’t want to climb down in the dark because, I mean, what a nightmare that would be.
He insisted we stay up there for about 10 more minutes. I couldn’t blame him, because the view was incredible. There is something about the colors of the sky after a sunset. However, I was getting incredibly antsy about how dark it was getting so he eventually obliged.
Getting darker by the minute, we had difficulty locating the trail markers, the barrels I mentioned earlier. My boyfriend led the way, but for 10 minutes we couldn’t find any barrels. We decided to backtrack in the direction to the saddle. At this point, I was getting SCARED. I remember catastrophizing about how we will be needing to get helicoptered out. I 100% was overreacting, but in the moment, I felt how I felt!
We were not the last group to leave the top. We used their echoed voices in the distance as a way to widdle our way back to the path, and we did. Whew! Absolute relief. I also felt smug, because just 10 minutes earlier I was telling my boyfriend we were going the wrong way and I was right. A necessary detail to the story.
It’s darker than you think it would be right after sunset, because the trail is on the East side of the mountain. In other words, any remaining light, is blocked by the towering rocks, so you are hiking in the shaded dark.
The picture above was taken as we began to descale the rock scramble section. As you can see, it was hard to see! After rock scrambling, we busted out our flashlights to make our way in the dark.
In the darkness, we somehow started following a guy solo traveler down the mountain. I think there were one or two times where the group of us got lost from the trail, but then one of us would find it again. Strength in numbers!
We finally got to the parking. Bless. While we waited for pitch darkness to take photos of the starry night sky, we chatted with the solo traveler who was from Alabama (I think). As we talked, we noticed there were three flashlights still at the top of the trail! Like, the TOP. I could not fathom. I knew immediately that they were more lost than the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815.
As more groups came back to the parking lot, I deduced who the people still lost were. The engagement couple and their photographer! At this point, it was dark like how I like my chocolate. Like, 90%. Their family, waiting at the parking lot, were getting nervous, calling them, but to no avail, because of a lack of signal.
We conversed in the parking lot for at least an hour, as the flashlights in the distance slowly found their way down the hill. Praise the Sedona Vortexes, they made it back to a round of wholesome applause and hoots and hollering by their family. The fiance exclaimed they saw rattlesnakes and confirmed that they were indeed lost, multiple times! I am sure that was a story they will never forget.
Moral of the story, you ask? Well…
3 Biggest Tips for Hiking Cathedral Rock Trail
#1 Be Prepared to Hike in the Dark
If you want to view the sunset at Cathedral Rock, and trust me you do, then you need to be prepared to hike in the dark a bit. Make sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp. How dark it will get will depend on how long you stay at the top. We stayed for about 10 minutes after the sunset and experienced 10 minutes of getting lost. By the time we reached halfway to the parking lot, it was nearly pitch dark.
I am sure the engaged couple wished they had left the top earlier. I am sure their engagement photos look absolutely amazing, but at what cost? A triggering, traumatic experience is the answer. Heh. Also, wouldn’t you think the photographer would have known their way a bit more, assuming they were experienced?
#2 Bring a Backpack
Why bring a backpack? Well, the rock scrambling section will likely require you to use all your limbs, so you’ll want to have your hands free at all times. You don’t want to carry your phone in one hand and your water bottle hydroflask in the other while scrambling up that crevasse. Trust me.
Bring a backpack to Cathedral Rock for all of your essentials and the climb up will be much easier.
#3 Wear Hiking Shoes
This tip also relates to the rock scrambling section. You want shoes with good enough traction to help grip the rocks as you ascend and descend them. Don’t wear flip flops, you will get stares.
The Verdict: Should You Hike the Cathedral Rock Trail?
Yes. I mean… have you read my post? It is a must-do on your Sedona itinerary or Arizona road trip. Say it louder for the people in the back!
Cathedral Rock gets a 10/10 from me. One of my favorite hikes. Ever.
‘Til the next adventure,
Keanu (aka 9 to 5 Travel Guy)
5 thoughts on “Cathedral Rock Trail (Sedona): The #1 Hiking Guide”
Love to see this every day !
Yes, that would be a dream for sure.
hi there, your article is perfect.Following your site.
Thank you so much! Make sure to subscribe to get updates when I post next!
I love a good scramble! Amazing photos!