Guide To Hiking Bell Rock In Sedona Arizona
Are you planning to hike Bell Rock in Sedona? You’ve come to the right article.
Bell Rock is the first iconic mountain you’ll see as you arrive in Sedona if you enter on the Red Rock Scenic Byway. It’s one of my favorite easy hikes, and perfect if you’re visiting Sedona for the first time and want to enjoy red rock views.
This article will cover where to park, where to start the hike, and a map pinning both locations so you can easily navigate this trail.
Here is everything you need to know to hike the Bell Rock mountain.
Bell Rock Hike At A Glance
- Highlight: Trail that ends midway up Bell Rock mountain with panoramic red rock views
- Length: 0.8 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Passes needed: Daily Red Rock Pass ($5/vehicle)
- Restrooms: Vault toilets at the parking lots
How To Get To Bell Rock
Bell Rock is the first notable mountain you’ll see as you enter Sedona through the Village of Oak Creek.
The best place to park for the Bell Rock hike is the Courthouse Vista Parking Lot, which is right by the trailhead. If you can’t find parking here, you can park at the “Bell Rock Pathway” lot.
Keep in mind that it will add around a mile to the hike, as it’s on the opposite side of the mountain from where you climb up. Both parking lots have restrooms, and require a Daily Red Rock Pass ($5/vehicle a day).
You can purchase a Daily Red Rock Pass online at this website before you arrive. For your convenience, I’ve pinned the parking lots and start of the trail on the map below.
Hiking Bell Rock
The Bell Rock Trail is a very straightforward hike up the mountain. There’s trail markers throughout the hike for the first half, but as you get further up the mountain, the path is less clear.
I’ve hiked this trail multiple times, and always stop at around midway up the mountain.
At midway, you’ll have an amazing panoramic red rock, so you don’t necessarily need to climb to the top.
The hike to the top of the mountain requires a significant amount of scrambling, so it may not be suitable for those with mobility issues.
Beyond hiking up the Bell Rock mountain itself, you can hike the surrounding trails. The Bell Rock Trail connects to various trails, including the Courthouse Butte Loop, Baby Bell, and Llama Trail.
These are all flat and easy trails that loop around the mountains, and perfect for beginners and families.
Just remember to take note of where you’ve hiked, so you can easily get back to the parking lot. There’s multiple connecting trails, so it’s very easy to get lost around this area.
For step-by-step directions to the Courthouse Butte Loop and nearby trails, I recommend downloading the offline maps on Alltrails.
Other Easy Hikes In Sedona To Check Out
If you’re looking for more easy, family-friendly trails, you’re in luck in Sedona. Here are some of the best short and scenic hikes in town.
Airport Mesa Vortex
- Highlight: Short trail to the best panoramic vista of West Sedona and iconic mountains
- Length: 0.3 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Parking: Free (by the vortex) or $3/vehicle at the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout
- Restrooms: Porta potties at the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout
Airport Mesa is one of the shortest Sedona hikes with the most rewarding views.
It’s a short hike to the top of a small mound with panoramic views of West Sedona, and iconic mountains like Bell Rock, Coffee Pot Rock, and more.
There’s a small limited parking lot for this trail, and it’s a short walk up the “Summit Trail” to reach the viewpoint. It’s most popular during sunset, so it’s best to visit in the morning or midday to find parking.
If you can’t find parking by the trailhead, you can park at the large parking lot by the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout ($3/vehicle), and hike the “Airport View Trail” down the hill.
Baldwin Trail
- Highlight: Flat trail to a creek with a spectacular view of Cathedral Rock (especially during sunset)
- Length: 1.75 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Parking: Daily Red Rock Pass ($5/vehicle)
- Restrooms: Vault toilets at the parking lot
The Baldwin Trail is a flat trail through the grassy meadows to a river, with views of Cathedral Rock.
The trailhead is located on the opposite side of the river as the Crescent Moon Picnic Site, so it’s a nice place to go swimming during summer.
Additionally, this is one of the best sunset hikes in Sedona, where you can watch Cathedral Rock mountain glow orange!
Chapel Trail
- Highlight: Trail beginning at Chapel of the Holy Cross with amazing red rock views
- Length: 1.3 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Parking: Free at the Chapel or Mystic trailhead
- Restrooms: Porta Potties at the chapel parking lot
The Chapel Trail is a short hike that begins at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, and has spectacular red rock views.
The trail goes east of the chapel, and you’ll have views of Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, and interesting rock formations.
You can park for free at the chapel, or down the street at the Mystic trailhead if the chapel’s lot is full.
Chicken Point Overlook
- Highlight: Beautiful overlook with a sweeping view of the valley
- Length: 3.2 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Parking: Free parking at the Broken Arrow Trailhead
- Restrooms: Vault toilets at the parking lot
Chicken Point Overlook is a great beginner-friendly hike to an overlook with a sweeping view of the valley.
The trail begins at the Broken Arrow trailhead, and it’s a mostly flat trail through the forest, with a slight incline before you reach the overlook.
This is a popular off-road trail for Pink Jeep tours, so there’s a good chance you’ll see people on a Jeep tour here.
If you don’t want to share the trail with Jeep tours, you can also reach the overlook via the Chapel Trail.
Boynton Canyon Vista
- Highlight: Flat trail to a scenic vista of the canyons with unique rock formations
- Length: 1.1 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Parking: Daily Red Rock Pass ($5/vehicle)
- Restrooms: Vault toilets at the parking lot
Boynton Canyon Vista is a short, family friendly hike to an overlook of the pine forests, and unique rock formations.
It’s a mostly flat trail, with a slight incline until you reach the overlook.
At the end of the trail, you’ll see an 80 ft tall rock spire known as the “Kachina Woman Rock” and a small butte known as “Warrior Rock”.’
Here you’ll have an amazing view of the canyon walls and Ponderosa pine forest.
Fay Canyon
- Highlight: Flat, shaded trail through the forest with views of red sandstone cliffs
- Length: 2.4 miles roundtrip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Parking: Daily Red Rock Pass ($5/vehicle)
- Restrooms: Vault toilets at the parking lot
Fay Canyon is an easy, flat trail through the canyon that’s shaded by pine trees. The trail is mostly through the forest, but towards the end, you’ll get to see the beautiful red canyon walls.
At the end of the trail, there’s a nice overlook of Fay Canyon, and mountains like Bell rock in the distance.
This is the perfect family-friendly hike that’s not as crowded as Sedona’s more popular hikes.
Bell Rock FAQs
Should you hike Bell Rock or Cathedral Rock?
If you want the most spectacular view in town, I recommend hiking Cathedral Rock.
Cathedral Rock only has a small portion where you’ll need to scramble up the mountain, whereas Bell Rock requires a significant amount of scrambling.
However, Bell Rock has an amazing view, and doesn’t require you to climb all the way up the mountain.
If you’re looking for an easy hike, I recommend hiking Bell Rock, or getting a view of Cathedral Rock from the Baldwin Trail.
Can you hike Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock in a day?
Yes, you can hike Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock in a day if you’re an experienced hiker, or up for a challenge.
These are both short trails, but they’re steep uphill hikes, so you can definitely expect to be sore the next day.
Is there a shuttle for Bell Rock?
There’s no direct shuttle to Bell Rock’s main parking lots (Courthouse Vista, Bell Rock Pathway), but Sedona shuttle stops at the Little Horse Trailhead, which also connects to the Bell Rock trail.
If you can’t find parking at Courthouse Vista, there’s typically plenty of parking at Bell Rock Pathway or the Little Horse trailhead lots.
Is Bell Rock dog-friendly?
Yes, Bell Rock is dog-friendly as long as they’re leashed. It’s a steep uphill hike to the top of the mountain so it may not be suitable for all breeds, but it connects to many flat trails that are perfect for dogs.
Related articles you may be interested in: