If you can stand the heat, Arizona is an incredible place to go hiking.
The state’s striking landscapes of red-rock mountains make it one of the most unique sightseeing
destinations in America, and there are infinite things to appreciate for nature enthusiasts.
There are many incredible hiking trails located within the state of Arizona, and we’ll be
taking a look at some of the absolute best in this video!
From Boynton Canyon Trail to Bell Rock Climb, join ViewCation as we try to determine which
are the best hikes in Sedona, Arizona.
Boynton Canyon Trail To start off this video with a trail that
is accessible to hikers of most expertise levels, we’ll take a look at the Boynton
Canyon Trail.
As the name of the trail suggests, hiking its length allows you to get some incredible
views of Arizona’s staggering Boynton Canyon!
The hike isn’t all that difficult, despite that the fact that it goes on for over 7 miles
and ascends well over 1,000 feet.
The majority of this ascent comes towards the end of the trail, while the hike is fairly
flat before that.
Another thing that makes the Boynton Canyon Trail relatively accessible in terms of Arizona
hikes is that it’s comparatively sheltered from the sun as a result of the canyon itself.
When you get to the end of the hike, you’ll arrive at a viewpoint granting the canyon’s
greatest views.
If hikers are looking to make the Boynton Canyon Trail a tad bit more exciting, there
are a couple of detours that can be taken along the trail’s length that provide equally
rewarding experiences to the main trail itself.
Towards the beginning of the hike along the Boynton Canyon Trail, you’ll find a little
detour by the name of the Boynton Vista Trail shooting off from the main trail itself.
Taking this mini trail will grant hikers more views of some of Arizona’s most stunning
red rocks.
Besides the Boynton Vista Trail, another detour that you can take along the Boynton Canyon
Trail will take you to what is known as the Subway Cave.
This cave is glorious and offers a stark contrast to the general openness of Boynton Canyon.
The cave has become so popular that it’s arguably the main reason that most hikers
take the Boynton Canyon Trail!
West Fork Trail West Fork Trail is even easier and shorter
than the aforementioned Boynton Canyon Trail, though that doesn’t make the hike any less
rewarding!
The trail goes along a little creek by the name of Oak Creek, and the hike provides a
much different experience than many of the others in Arizona.
West Fork Trial isn’t just easier and shorter than the Boynton Canyon Trail, but it’s
also quite a bit shadier!
If you’re visiting Arizona during its hottest period, you may find that West Fork Trail
to be an oasis in the desert state.
The creek itself has formed a canyon over time, which provides a great deal of shade
for hikers.
The water’s cool, and you may even want to go for a dip in it!
The West Fork Trail is only around six miles long and doesn’t ascend much.
Bear Mountain Trail While the hike up Bear Mountain may be the
shortest hike that we’ve examined so far on this list, it’s also the toughest!
This comes from the fact that the mountain itself features some fairly steep passages,
and touts the fairly serious elevation of 1,800 feet.
Though the hike can be difficult, going up Bear Mountain is worth it for the views!
Once you get to the top of the mountain’s summit, you’ll be treated to a staggeringly
wide view of Arizona’s beautiful horizons.
Brins Mesa and Soldier Pass Loop This one is technically two trails, but most
hikers prefer to take it as one continuous loop.
Known as the Brins Mesa and Soldier Pass Loop, this hike is especially scenic.
The entire loop is only around six miles along, though there are a few climbs that can make
it a little tough for inexperienced hikers.
The Brins Mesa Trail offers the more encompassing views of the two trails, allowing hikers to
see out across Arizona’s beautiful landscapes for miles and miles.
You’ll see some of the state’s most staggering red-rock mountains going out as far as the
eye can see!
Things get a little bit more intimate once you get to the Soldier Pass Trail, which grants
hikers the opportunity to see some of Arizona’s most beautiful landmarks up close and personal,
such as the Seven Sacred Pools and the Devil’s Kitchen.
The Seven Sacred Pools are a series of naturally occurring pools along the trail, while the
Devil’s Kitchen is an infamous sinkhole.
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Cathedral Rock Cathedral Rock offers a relatively short hike
that just so happens to be one of the most beautiful in all of Arizona!
The hike isn’t extremely difficult, though there are a few passages where inexperienced
hikers may have a hard time keeping their footing.
The hike is incredibly popular as a result of the views that are offered at the top of
the rock itself.
You’ll typically find plenty of people walking along the trail, so it may be hard for hikers
to feel like they’re truly becoming one with Arizona’s natural landscapes.
However, any amount of overcrowding occurring on the trail becomes a non-issue once you’re
confronted with the staggering views at the top of Cathedral Rock.
To get to the rock itself, you’ll have to do some slight scrambling up a hill, though
it’s nothing that the average hiker won’t be able to handle.
Cathedral Rock is a landmark formed from sandstone spires, and it’s very big!
The Birthing Cave The Birthing Cave may be called as such due
to the fact that it resembles a birth canal, but it offers an entirely different type of
natural beauty to visitors!
The hike to the Birthing Cave isn’t all that hard to take, and it’s more than worth
it in order to get to the cave itself.
Entering the Birthing Cave is like entering into a whole new world.
Not only is the cave itself a beautiful sight to behold, but you’ll be granted an impressive
view of Arizona’s horizon while peering out of it.
The hike is short, but it can be a little bit difficult once you get to its namesake
cave due to some fairly steep climbs.
Fay Canyon The Fay Canyon Trail offers another short
and easy hike with incredible views of Arizona’s landscape.
The trail is only around two miles long, and should only take the average hiker around
an hour.
However, they may want to spend more than an hour simply staring at the scenery!
Like the other canyon-centric hikes featured on this list, the hike along the Fay Canyon
Trail is comparatively shady when judged against a majority of Arizona’s hikes.
This hike is also particularly flat, which adds to how easy and accessible it is.
Of course, hiking Fay Canyon will present you with some gorgeous views of the canyon’s
cliffs, comprised of glorious red rocks rising up on both sides.
If the Fay Canyon Trail isn’t long enough for you and you still want to see more of
the immediate area, try taking the detour to the Fay Canyon Arch.
This landmark is a sight unto itself and is certainly worth taking some extra time out
of your day to see.
Devil’s Bridge It’s hard to think about impressive landmarks
in Arizona without thinking of Devil’s Bridge, and the hike to the staggering natural landmark
is easy!
While the hike to Devil’s Bridge itself isn’t all that difficult, getting to the
Devil’s Bridge Trailhead can be.
The trailhead is only accessible via a four-wheel-drive vehicle, meaning that not everyone visiting
the state of Arizona will have the means to get to it.
If you don’t have a four-wheel-drive vehicle and don’t mind taking a bit longer of a
hike, you can take the Mescal Mountain Trail and it will eventually bring you to the Devil’s
Bridge Trail.
The bridge itself is a naturally occurring rock formation that may make viewers nervous
when they look at it!
Rest assured, the bridge has been standing for a long while, and it’s unlikely that
it’s going to collapse anytime in the near future.
It’s certainly a stunning sight, and those who have the opportunity to stand upon Devil’s
Bridge for themselves may end up kicking themselves if they don’t take it.
Airport Loop Trail This is another loop trail, and it’s only
around three miles long.
It’s another fairly easy hike, and it’s another hike with some awesome views of Arizona’s
stunning natural landscapes!
The Airport Loop Trail is particularly notable in that it allows you to view the majority
of Arizona’s biggest and most notable landmarks.
Along the trial, you’ll be treated with a far-away view of such landmarks as the aforementioned
Cathedral Rock, as well as Courthouse Butte, Munds Mesa, and Thunder Mountain.
You’ll also see a great view of the city of Sedona, as well as Bell Rock!
The climb up Bell Rock is also breathtaking, and will serve as the last great Arizona hike
that we’ll be exploring in this video.
Bell Rock Climb Finally, let’s take a look at the climb
up to the aforementioned landmark of Bell Rock.
Known as the Bell Rock Climb, this hike might seem a little intimidating at first due to
its name and the monumental nature of the landmark itself, but it’s not all that difficult.
The ascent is only around 400 feet, and the length of the hike is just a mile.
Bell Rock is a staggering formation, and it’s one of the absolute most iconic landmarks
in all of Arizona!
The higher you get up Bell Rock, the harder it is to find your way.
Few ever make it to the top, and doing so will require more than hiking gear.
However, simply hiking along the trail to where its definition stops near the top of
the formation is more than enough.
If you’re looking for the most beautiful hikes in Arizona, these represent the best
of the best!
Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that there’s a hike in Arizona that
allows you to see the majority of the state’s most staggering natural landmarks from afar
in one go and that one of the state’s most popular attractions is a naturally occurring
rock formation by the name of Devil’s Bridge?
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