5 Can’t Miss Things To Do In Sedona: Red Rocks & Adventure

Hike Cathedral Rock

This is the most popular hike in all of Sedona and it is the first thing people are going to ask you about when you tell them you visited Sedona. Be ready to deal with lots of people, but it is so worth it. At the top, you’ll get unreal panoramic views of the red rocks and the desert. The views are even better at either sunrise or sunset if you can make those times work out.

Pro Tip: Make sure you have good hiking shoes as this isn’t an easy hike with some pretty challenging terrain and rock scrambling required.

Hike Devil’s Bridge Trail

This is another very popular hike in the Sedona area as it ends at a natural sandstone arch giving you an iconic Instagram photo opportunity on what appears to be a very narrow bridge with the red rock scenery behind you. This is a more moderate hike and likely can be done by about anyone!

Pro Tip: To avoid waiting 1-2 hours in line for that Instagram photo, wake up early and get on the trail before the mid-morning crowds hit.

Visit Subway Cave via the Boyton Canyon Trail

Subway Cave is another Instagram photo dream. You get there by hiking part of the Boyton Canyon Trail. The turnoff to Subway Cave is supposed to be “secret”, but the reality is 90% of people hiking this trail past the scenic vista (near the beginning) are going to Subway Cave. There is a very clear fork in the trail a little over 2 miles in and you will want to head right to get to Subway Cave. If you aren’t sure – just wait for someone else to come along and follow them. You’ll be treated to more iconic Instagram photos once you are up and in the cave.

Pro Tip: You can take the more challenging route up straight up and in the cave once you arrive, but you can also turn left and walk up and around the cliff edge to the cave as well. There will be people doing both, so just follow the path that makes the most sense for you.

Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross

Sedona is considered a spiritual hotspot with various vortexes located around the area. One spiritual place you don’t want to miss though is the Chapel of the Holy Cross. No hiking required unless you park at the bottom of the hill and want to hike up to the Chapel and even that is a short hike. We recommend going to both the top and the bottom. At the top, you’ll get panoramic views of Sedona’s red rocks as well as a look inside the Chapel. At the bottom, you get the iconic red rocks as a background to the Chapel which is an absolutely stunning image.

Pro Tip: If you don’t want to drive up and down the hill multiple times waiting for a parking spot to magically open up for you, visit the Chapel early before the crowds hit or late in the afternoon or early evening when people start to head to dinner.

View Sunset at Airport Mesa

You can’t leave Sedona without viewing at least one sunset and a place that everyone can do that at is Airport Mesa. No hiking required as there is a parking lot ($3 per car in 2025) that allows you to park and simply walk across the road to a perfectly placed overlook for sunset photos. Get there 20-30 minutes before sunset or earlier if you want to relax with the incredible red rock scenery before sunset occurs.

Pro Tip: Most people stay on the pavement section of the overlook. This might leave you without a great view if you are standing behind tons of people. However, you can also go stand on the dirt in front of everyone and there are plenty or rocks to sit on while you wait. We arrived only 20 minutes before sunset and essentially jumped the rest of the crowd as they weren’t willing to leave the pavement.

Tour Options

If you aren’t into hiking or just want someone else to handle the details of all your activities while you are in Sedona so that you can just relax and enjoy the experience – check out all of the Viator Tour Options at your disposal. There are plenty of options within Sedona and plenty more options for day trips out of Sedona to places like Flagstaff and Antelope Canyon.