Cathedral Rock is one of the most rewarding hikes you can do on a long weekend trip to Sedona. The views are beyond spectacular! Cathedral Rock is easily recognized by it’s beautiful red rock pillar formations and once you get to the top you are greeted with multiple gorgeous viewpoints that make for amazing photos. What I personally loved about this hike is that it offered amazing views from beginning to end! It’s a short trail (2.7 miles out and back) but it can be challenging and steep at times. As I was looking into this hike I saw the commentary ranged from very easy to ‘only 50% of those who start the trail finish’. I truly didn’t know what to expect! I consider myself a physically fit person and I don’t have fear of heights. After completing it I would say that this is in fact a difficult trail and not for those who do have a fear of heights.
After completing this hike for myself I think anyone doing the Cathedral Rock Hike for the first time should know these 5 things.
1. Best Time To Do Cathedral Rock Hike
It is more often visited for sunset but if you go at Sunrise you will avoid the high heat and find less crowds, and have better luck with parking.
2. Parking At Cathedral Rock Trail
You can buy your pass there through a self service station for $5 with a credit card. Parking is very limited.
3. The Trail is well marked If You Know What You Should Be Following
If my friend hadn’t read the sign near the entrance I would have had no idea that there were in fact trail markers at Cathedral Rock. Be sure to look out for these trail markers that are filled with the red rocks as you make your way up Cathedral Rock! Following these will give you the easiest and safest path to the top!
4. Visiting Cathedral Rock Takes About 3 Hours
One thing that I was unsure about was how long does Cathedral Rock take to hike? Obviously this can vary depending on how quickly you choose to move and how many times you stop for a break and for photos but I would plan on the basis that hiking Cathedral Rock takes about 3 hours. My friend and I started around 6 am and took our time, stopping for plenty of photos and resting when needed along the way. Once we made it to the top we took plenty of time admiring the views and taking more photos. We made it back down to the car just before 9 am.
5. There Are Three Epic Photo Spots At The Top of Cathedral Rock
Once you reach the top you will be greeted with this insanely gorgeous view! There were a handful of others at the top by the time I got there but what I found on both the Cathedral Rock hike and Devil’s bridge hike was that everyone took turns getting their photos and you don’t really have to worry about missing out on that perfect shot due to crowds.
I was so excited that we had made it to the top that by the time I got up there and saw everyone else sitting quietly I realized that I was almost screaming from the adrenaline. After sitting for about 2 minutes to take in the view I realized that my energy had completely changed. I was completely relaxed and I felt some sort of vibration going that I had never quite experienced before. There truly is an energy up there! I had to actually experience it to believe it.
If you look over to the right you will see a long ledge that appears to be thin and scary looking but I promise that once you walk over towards it you’ll find that it is very wide and you can easily walk over to the edge to get some really great shots and views! I do want to warm you to not look down if you are afraid of heights! I looked down and regretted it instantly.
Once you are done taking in the views from the ledge on the right, make your way all the way towards the left side of the platform to find these views. In order to find this viewpoint you will have to climb another 5 minutes but it is so worth it! This was my favorite spot at the top of Cathedral Rock! The climb is really easy compared to what you just did to get to the top so if you made it up you can surly do this.
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