I live to hike. I live here because I live to hike.
With wildfire closures, what’s a Sedona hiker to do these days?
Here are 21 ideas, as of 6/28/2021. Please double check for closures as fire season progresses.
1. Your best bet for a hiking view of the red rocks is Red Rock State Park. It’s open, and offers trails with views of red rocks near Sedona, as well as good bird watching.
2. For more funky rock hikes, take a drive over Mingus Mountain, with spectacular views over the Verde Valley, to Prescott. Hike through amazing rock formations at Granite Dells and picturesque Watson Lake, right in the city of Prescott. On the AllTrails app look for “Flume Trail and Watson Lake”, “Granite Garden” and “Constellation Loop.”
3. While you’re there, visit downtown Prescott. If you’re there around brunch, don’t miss out on the fabulousness at B Simple, where every one of its 5 Yelp stars are well-deserved. Prescott also hosts Shannon’s, dedicated entirely to cheesecake. And of course there’s Whiskey Row. Gotta love it.
4. Badger Springs Trail at Agua Fria National Monument is open. It’s a short walk out to the springs, where there are petroglyphs in the rocks above the creek.
5. Dead Horse Ranch State Park is open with hiking trails and fishing lagoons near Cottonwood. There’s a playground with a kid-size zipline, too.
6. The Grand Canyon is open, a 2.5 hour drive away from Sedona. A drive along the South Rim with short walks makes for a great day trip.
7. Visit Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff, with its remarkable rocks and ancient cliff dwellings. Check website before going to verify it’s not closed for red flag (high wind) warning.
8. See Wupatki National Monument near Flagstaff with more pueblo ruins, scenic drives, and short walks. Easily combines with Walnut Canyon. Check website before going to verify it’s not closed for red flag (high wind) warning.
9. Visit Arcosanti, one hour drive south of Sedona. It’s an experimental town with a molten bronze bell casting business. A fascinating tour with lots to consider during these days of climate change. (Combine with a hike to Badger Springs along the way.)
10, Drive up to the historic mining town of Jerome. Jerome State Historic Park is worth the visit, along with the mine equipment in place just outside the park entrance, where you can peer down a mine shaft deeper than the Empire State Building is tall. Check out the historic shops and buildings of Jerome, espcially my favorite: Nelly Bly, totally dedicated to the amazing art of the kaleidoscope. If you’re up in Jerome on a Monday night, the quesadilla special at The Haunted Hamburger is enormous and delicious for $5.
11. Tour Gold King Mine Ghost Town in Jerome with its extensive collection of antique vehicles. Delightfully kitschy and full of rusty wonder.
12. Tour Native American sites: Tuzigoot, Montezuma Castle, and Montezuma Well (10 min from the castle). The first two require a fee, but if you pay for one you can get into the other on the same ticket.
13. Bubbling Ponds Preserve & Fish Hatchery offers two miles of trails in the Page Springs area next to Oak Creek. Great for viewing birds and other wildlife.
14. Check out the many vineyards in the Verde Valley. Javelina Leap, Alcantara, Page Springs Cellars, Oak Creek Vineyards are just a few. Stop in at Eagle Eye Barrel in Camp Verde and buy some wine barrel furniture to ship home. Or maybe just a charcuterie board. It’s all gorgeous!
15. D.A Ranch Vineyards and Winery in Page Springs offers beautiful grounds with a pond, lots of shade trees, lawn games to entertain kids and adults alike. Only open on certain dates, so check their calendar.
16. Visit the Arizona Copper Art Museum in downtown Clarkdale. Play a game of chess with the giant chessboard in the museum grounds, get a pastry across the street at Violette’s Bakery, in the purple caboose. Or a pizza at Main Street Cafe. Or a beer and some pretzel bites at Smeltertown Brewery. Clarkdale is tiny but mighty cute and delicious!
17. The Clemenceau Museum is nearby, and offers insight into the history of the quaint towns of the Verde Valley.
18. While you’re in the neighborhood, kayak on the Verde River near Clarkdale.
19. Swim in the Verde River at Lower Tapco Verde River access point. (This is the only place we know of for swimming at this point. And it’s hot these days.)
20. Old Cottonwood offers great restaurants from vegetarian curry and kombucha at Fojol Bros to burgers at Colt Grill to brunch at Crema. There’s live music, wine tasting, and shopping all along Main Street, and acres of antiques to browse through at Larry’s, plus lots more antiques and Mexican imports just up the street at Simply Amazing Marketplace.
21. If you’re still looking for a hike at this point, stroll around Cliffrose Trail in Cottonwood, a short 1.3 walk around. Lovely in the early morning or evening.
We hope the National Forest Trails can open soon!
Meanwhile, we’ll be appreciating the many other wonders of the Verde Valley.
And if you need a beautiful place to stay with friendly hosts we’d love to have you stay a few nights at our Airbnb!