The minute you start researching hikes in Sedona, this one pops up instantly. It’s Cathedral Rock, baby.
Scrambling up this iconic butte makes it near the top of most Sedona visitors’ bucket list. After all, who can’t resist some adventure combined with epic views?
The Cathedral Rock dilemma
Due to its massive popularity, however, getting to Cathedral Rock can be challenging. The official trailhead is located on Back O Beyond Road and is closed from Thursday to Sunday.
So, from Thursday to Sunday, you will have to take the Sedona Shuttle to the Cathedral Rock Trailhead. And naturally, this seems like a pain in the neck.
Even when the trailhead is open, it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find a parking spot here, especially in spring and fall.
The solution…
Instead, you can hike to Cathedral Rock via the Baldwin Trail. On this trail, you will hike along a pleasant creek, see the rock from a cool angle, and still get to scramble up it.
So, if you are worried about finding parking, don’t want to take the shuttle, or want to experienced a lower-trafficked Sedona trail, this post is for you.
Cathedral Rock hiking stats
- Difficulty: moderate; scrambling up Cathedral Rock is strenuous
- Length: 4 miles out-and-back
- Time: 2-4 hours
Cathedral Rock hiking instructions
Getting to the trailhead
The Baldwin Trailhead parking lot is located on the left side of Verde Valley School Road. This road is gravel but relatively easy to drive (unlike W Park Ridge Road from earlier that day!).
The lot is fairly large, and on mid-afternoon on a January Friday, there were still plenty of open spots.
Now, this was where I made a big mistake. We started out on the trail next to the restrooms. After a while, it was clear that this was not the trail to Cathedral Rock.
Instead, cross the street and continue a few hundred feet on the road. Then you will reach the start of the Baldwin Trail.
And…it was here that my camera battery decided to die on me. So, for the rest of the hike, my mom graciously lent her phone to me to take pictures. Thanks, Mom!
Baldwin Trail
Then, take the trail to the left. This trail does permit mountain bikes, so keep an eye out for mountain bikers.
At first, the trail is very wide, sandy, and easy to walk on.
At this next trail junction, continue right on the Baldwin Trail.
As you hike along, you will see Cathedral Rock in the distance. This is a great place for a selfie!
Shortly after this, you will come to another trail junction. Now, you will continue to the right and start on the Templeton Trail.
Templeton Trail
Now, you’ll be hiking along Oak Creek, which is cool and shady. In the summer, I imagine this would be incredibly refreshing.
The trail also starts to become noticeably more narrow and rocky. Soon, it starts to climb uphill and becomes pretty steep.
After the steep uphill part, you will be hiking along flat slickrock. In the distance, you can see hikers making their way up Cathedral Rock.
Even though you are getting closer and closer, Cathedral Rock still seems so far away. Eventually, you’ll reach this trail sign and continue on the Cathedral Rock Trail.
Now comes the exciting part!
Cathedral Rock Trail
From here, it is essentially one big scramble to the end of the trail. At first, it is not too hard.
The wire baskets filled with rock act as cairns, so make sure to follow them.
Whenever you go, the trail will likely be packed with people, so be patient, wait your turn, and let faster hikers pass you.
Now comes the most technical part of the whole hike. You will have to climb up this seam of rock. In real life, it looks worse than in photos, but if you find the right hand and foot holds and go slow, it shouldn’t be impossible.
Of course, do keep in mind that I have prior scrambling experience. If you are a newbie hiker and scrambler, you might find this much more challenging than I did.
The higher up you climb, the better the views get. I truly believe these are the best views I got in Sedona. The photos don’t even come close to showing how stunning it is.
From here, the scrambling is not super technical, but it is very physically exhausting. I had already hiked almost 10 miles that day, and boy, was I bushed.
Also, there is now a LOT more exposure, so be careful not to fall.
Your final destination, between the the spires, now comes closer and closer.
The final climb up the trail is brutal, brutal, brutal. Even though the scrambling is finished, you will have no breath left.
End of trail
But then you finally see it – the “End of Trail” sign! And from here, enjoy the view. You can even walk out on the ledge to the right for a cool photo-op, but be careful as it is very narrow.
Finishing the hike
Coming back down Cathedral Rock may take a little longer than scrambling up. However, the sunset was quickly setting by this time, so my dad and I booked it back down to the Templeton Trail.
Since we started late in the day (3:45) in January, the sun was going down FAST. So, we moved fast too, finishing the hike in literally an hour and 59 minutes.
As we hurried back to the trailhead, we enjoyed a very nice sunset.
What to bring on the Cathedral Rock hike
- Water, water, water: you will definitely be exerting yourself
- Snack (optional)
- Daypack: to hold your stuff
- Camera/phone
- Jacket: if you’re going for sunrise/sunset
When to hike to Cathedral Rock
Concerning the time of year, the best time to hike to the rock is in the winter off-season. Spring and fall will be very crowded, and summer will be extremely hot.
Sunrise at Cathedral Rock would be gorgeous, and this way, you would beat a lot of the crowds on the scrambling sections. Late afternoon is also nice, as you get nice lighting, the crowds start to diminish, and you can view the sunset on the way back.
Cathedral Rock via Baldwin Trail conclusion
In short, Cathedral Rock via Baldwin Trail is a CAN’T MISS hike in Sedona. Out of all the hikes we did on our trip, this was most certainly one of my favorites.
And by hiking along the Baldwin and Templeton trails, you’ll experience many different cool views as well as a lot fewer crowds and an easier parking experience.
While you’re still here, be sure to check out my Devil’s Bridge, Subway Cave, and Brins Mesa trail guides. They are all amazing Sedona hikes as well.
If you have any questions or want to share your hiking experience, don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments section.
Happy hiking!
PG, I didn’t make it to Cathedral Rock, but the trail you outlined was still awesome. Hiked in a bit with my kiddo and then turned around and hiked back. We loved the creek side spots. Truly special. Thanks for showcasing.
Even if you don’t do the scramble, this hike is still a banger!