Dog Friendly Guide to Sedona
Visitors come to Sedona to first and foremost enjoy the famous red rocks. But with hundreds of hiking trails, jeep tours and 4x4 trails that will lead you to some fantastic vistas, crystal shops and art galleries on every corner, beautiful restaurant patios and the famous vortex sites there’s plenty for all to explore. Below we’ve compiled a list of our seven must do things that are 100% dog-friendly when visiting Sedona.
Hit the Trails
Paws down the reason you come to Sedona - besides the dog friendliness.
Sedona’s iconic red rock walls are truly unique to the area. The walls consist of nine different layers of stone and were formed over millions of years, even long before the dinosaurs walked the land. The red coloring comes from Iron Oxide formed on the individual grains of the rocks to create the beautiful rust color Sedona is famous for. These rocks are home to over 100 trails to explore ranging from all different lengths and difficulties. With so many to choose from, here’s a few that should top your dog friendly hiking list:
Devil’s Bridge
This is one of the most frequented trails in Sedona, and it's one almost anyone can do. Seriously, we saw hikers of all ages conquering this hike. The trail is 4.2 miles out-and-back and it leads to a beautiful natural sandstone arch. You can walk below it and then take the stairs to the top of it, and if you choose, you can actually walk right out on top of it. Typically, there is a line to walk out onto the bridge, but the rule is that the person behind you in line will take your picture while you’re out on the bridge.
This is a busy trail that you will share with jeeps, ATVs, mountain bikes, and likely, countless other hikers. The first part of the trail is wide and easy; the back half of the trail is narrower and steeper as you climb towards the arch. There is virtually no shade on this entire hike until you reach the far end, so make sure you are prepared.
Two parking lots are located off Dry Creek Road and virtually impossible to get a space in, particularly on the weekends, unless you arrive really early. We parked off the main road prior to turning onto Dry Creek. Thankfully, we were early enough that we got a close spot.
If you'd like to avoid the crowds and the dusty jeep trail, start at the Chuckwagon trailhead for a slightly shorter four-mile trip. This trailhead is off Long Canyon Road on the right-hand side. Be sure to study the map at the trailhead as it's important not to miss a key left turn at the first trail intersection you come to. The Mescal Trail begins right across the road. We visited on a Monday morning and started our hike at 7a. The 4x4 path wasn’t busy, so we opted for that route as a more direct path.
Dogs are safe to walk on the 4x4 path up until the 4x4 parking lot about 1.5 miles in. From there, agile pups can try their paw at the rock steps ascending up to the bridge, or if you’re like me you can catch a lift in a K9 Sport Sack. In Doodle Mom’s opinion, this felt like the safer route since this part of the trail is pretty narrow and steep. We also felt like it was easier coming down then going up.
Even though we started early (or at least what felt like it), we still waited 30 minutes at the bridge for our turn to walk out. Our recommendation is to start as early as possible to beat the crowds and potentially the heat.
Bell Rock Pathway
The unmistakable shape of Bell Rock is easy to spot along Highway 179, near the village of Oak Creek. Tourists come here to hike, bike, and sightsee. The sloping walls, which are deceivingly steep up-close, make this landmark an enticing object for hikers.
The Bell Rock Pathway trail is a very easy and accessible pathway and suitable for hikers of all ages and abilities, but it does offer some optional challenges if you who want to climb a short distance up the bell. We stayed on the Pathway for an easy hike after adventuring up Devil’s Bridge that same morning.
The main Bell Rock Pathway runs from Bell Rock Vista parking area to Courthouse Vista parking lot. This section is 3.6 miles one-way, but we recommended parking at the Courthouse Vista parking area and just doing the first 1.5 miles and return the same way. Once you have your back to Bell Rock, that’s when you should turn around.
Once again, the parking lot is small here and we had to circle a few times but there is no fee to access.
Cathedral Rock Trail
This popular trail offers fantastic views of Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, the colorful Mogollon Rim, and once you reach the saddle, vistas of the rolling landscape to the west. Cathedral Rock is also home to one of Sedona's famous vortexes, which is supposedly located at the saddle.
The trail runs up the east side of Cathedral Rock, across a relatively flat area, then ascends up the rocks, crossing the Templeton Trail. Some sections are quite steep and can be a bit tricky. It will definitely require the use of hands and feet - and a backpack for your pup if you don’t think they can make the journey alone. The trail is about one-mile round trip with a total elevation gain of 550 feet. The trailhead is located halfway down Back O Beyond Road, off Highway 179, between Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek. There are two parking lots that are very small, so plan to arrive early and do a bit of circling. Once you snag a spot, you’ll need to pay at the parking machine to get your $5 day pass to display on your dashboard.
Drive the Red rock Scenic Byway
Coming in at #4 by U.S. News of top things to do in Sedona, the 7.5-mile Red Rock Scenic Byway has plenty to see and do. Plan to spend 2-5 hours along Interstate 17 to take in the scenic viewpoints, try a hike or bike a trail. There are also two vortexes to check out, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock in the Village of Oak Creek (also called Big Park).
We enjoyed Courthouse Vista, the Bell Rock Pathway, which is considered an easy hike, and Cathedral Rock Trail, which is considered moderate. When visiting the area, check out your hiking options with All Trails where you can filter by length and difficulty.
The Grille at Shadowrock
Eat Al Fresca
We’re all used to dining on patios with our pups, but the views in Sedona are that pretty that you’ll want to seek out the best outdoor dining in town. Doodle Mom came across this Dinner’s with a View list from Sedona Monthly, and quickly started researching for our itinerary. Unfortunately, we were only able to get into The Grille at Shadowrock, but below are some more insights into a few others from the list that we attempted.
The Grille at Shadowrock: Great for happy hour with $5 drink specials and the most delicious chips and salsa. Fire pits are at several tables on the patio and there’s a s’more kit on the menu.
Saltrock Southwest Kitchen: Doodle Mom actually went here for a massage, but when we called to check out the patio for dinner, they were only serving hotel guests due to COVID-19, so make sure you check on this status before visiting.
Mesa Grill: Make a reservation early! They do take walk ups, but both times we called there was a 1-2 hour wait and online reservations were booked for our entire stay. This is right by the Airport Mesa vortex and Airport Scenic Lookout, so try to plan all three at the same time if you can.
catch a killer sunset
While you can catch a pretty sunset just about anywhere in Sedona, visitors flock to Airport Scenic Lookout an hour or so before sunset to take in the views and watch the sun go down. There’s a large parking lot across the street with a $3 fee and viewing spots are first come first serve.
Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Catholic chapel situated between red-rock towers with amazing views, making this another spot to check out at sunset. We didn’t have time to catch a sunset here, but we did go by to see it after our hike at Cathedral Rock. It’s just a few minutes down the road.
find a vortex
Although all of Sedona is considered to be a vortex, there are specific sites where the energy is more intense. The four best known Sedona vortexes are found at Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Boynton Canyon—each radiating its own particular energy. Some are thought to produce energy flowing upward while at others the energy spirals downward, entering the earth.
We ventured to Airport Mesa to see a different vantage point of Sedona and experience one of the vortexes. This site is the most visited vortex location in Sedona with more than 4 million visitors a year. Airport Mesa is located on Airport Road 5 minutes south of Uptown. There’s a very small pull off for parking, so you may need to circle a few times, but once you snag a spot the vortex location is right at the start of the trailhead and you’ll be treated with some amazing views. You can find the exact vortex spot at the start of Airport Loop featured in the middle photo below, and while we didn’t necessarily feel it we enjoyed the visit. Had we researched it prior, we definitely would’ve hiked Airport Loop. I believe this trail connects to the scenic overlook parking lot, so you could make a whole afternoon of it.
Note: Plan to visit Airport Mesa later in the day so you can check out the sunset up the street at Sedona Airport Scenic Outlook.
Explore Uptown
Surrounded by red rocks and Oak Creek, visitors can enjoy the magnificent scenery of Uptown Sedona while shopping for souvenirs. With its Native American influences and spiritual wellness popularity, each side of the street running through Uptown Sedona are littered with crystal shops, art galleries, souvenir stores and restaurants.
The most popular art and shopping market within Uptown Sedona is Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. Fashioned after a traditional Mexican village, Tlaquepaque, meaning the "best of everything," has been a Sedona landmark since the 1970's. With over 50 specialty shops and exclusive art galleries, many art treasures and distinctive gifts can be found around every corner. Make sure you stop into BowWow Sedona so your pup can get a souvenir too.
Note: If you’re an ornament collector like Doodle Mom, make sure you stop by the Christmas Ornament Shop. They have the best selection.
Go Off-roading with barlow Jeep Rentals
This one is not for the faint of heart and should only be considered if you and your pup are cool with a lot of bouncing around in a vehicle. And by cool, I mean constant gyration for hours.
As you may have seen from Instagram, we found out we are not the off-roading type, but it was an adventure nonetheless. If this is something you fancy, Barlow Jeep Rentals is your place. They offer rentals in Sedona, AZ and Moab, UT. You can rent a Jeep for 24+ hours and several within their fleet are dog friendly (no extra pet fee). Upon arrival, you’ll need to have the proper rental paperwork (driver’s license, insurance card and proof of full coverage) and they’ll provide super helpful maps for finding 4x4 trails and explain the proper gears to use once you find them. They’ll even provide a cooler with ice for your off-roading adventure.
TAKE A DAY TRIP
Sedona is just 2 hours south of the Grand Canyon and can make for a great day trip if you’ve already covered all the ground you’re interested in exploring around Sedona.
The Southern Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon is dog friendly and 12.7 miles of canyon viewpoints stretching from South Kaibab trailhead to Hermit’s Rest. You can easily park at the visitor center and start the trail near Mather Point. The trail is paved, so be prepared in the summer when it heats up. After your walk, if you want to cool off, head to the Mather Point Cafe for some ice cream to go.
Grand Canyon National Park charges an entrance fee of $35/vehicle, or you can purchase an America the Beautiful pass for $80 to enter all national parks for a year.
If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can head to Horseshoe Bend from the Grand Canyon to catch the most amazing sunset. This will make for a long day in the car, so consider an overnight near Page, AZ if you want to squeeze all of this in. If you plan to stay in the area, plan to check out Antelope Canyon via Lake Powell (guide coming soon!) before heading back to Sedona.
We weren’t really sure what to expect when visiting Sedona, but it totally stole our traveling hearts. We hope to visit again soon to add more trails to our list, but until then we hope you enjoy this guide!
Let us know in the comments if there’s anything we should add to this guide or if you tried one of this activities and what your experience was like.