This is a very popular trail. We started at 7:00 am and there was one other car in the parking…read morelot. By the time we left at 10:00, the parking lot was packed and a car was waiting for us to leave to take our spot. There are several cool things about this trail: it's 5 minutes from downtown Flagstaff, it's also a campground (you have to walk through the campground to get to the trail), it offers rock climbing and it connects with the Arizona Trail. Sandys Canyon Trail is a beautiful hike that offers great views of the San Francisco Peaks as well as canyon walls. The trail itself is pretty short and it ends when it connects with the Arizona Trail. We continued on the AZT for a few more miles. Easy hike, suitable for anyone.

Beautiful hike for all fitness levels. Parts of the trails can be steep but you can modify your…read moreexperience to accommodate your level. Well-maintained, spotless, no trash or graffiti (shocking for someone from LA, sadly). Free parking and no admission. Highly recommended.

This is the best hike I have ever been on! Quite challenging but soooo worth it! The views all…read morethe way up and at the summit are just insane. I would say my hubby and I are average skilled hikers and it took us 1.5 hours to walk to the very top and back. For sure bring water and hiking shoes and your camera. You will need your hands free for certain rock climbing areas. Check out my photos- they are all real life, no editing! P.s. parking is tight and thurs-sun you have to take the shuttle or an uber there

Cathedral Rock is a moderate trail. I highly recommend that if you're not used to using all hands,…read morefeet and your butt to climb, hike and walk through then don't attempt to go far here. You have to park in a lot, take the metro rail to the entrance and then make sure you use the bathroom first thing because there are no other bathrooms. Watch others to see how they tackle the rocks and hills and different areas. Also, trust when I say that you will get red dirt all over you and what you carry. Make sure you have a backpack and water bottle that you can just carry on your person. When you reach the top, it is truly a masterpiece! Going down was harder than going up by the way. Be very careful on your way down. Took us about 1.5 hours to get to the top and then about the same going back down. Watched a few people slip and fall, walk barefoot, and even touch the cactus. We're so glad we took this trail as beginners in Sedona.

I recently hiked a gorgeous trail in 105-degree weather. It was quite challenging, and halfway…read morethrough I wasn't sure if I would reach the top, but I made it! If you decide to go, here are a few tips: - There are some shaded areas where you can stop to catch your breath. - Be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen. - Use a water backpack instead of a bottle; you will need both hands free for certain sections of the trail. - Parking is very limited, so I recommend arriving early. - I do not recommend bringing little kids *Beautiful views made it all worthwhile*

I have a "life list" and Devils Bridge has been on it for a while. Well another checkmark on my…read morelist. The hike is fairly easy but there is an area with a small climb. The bridge itself might be a little intimidating if you have a fear of heights. The experience was as I imagined... spectacular. People line up for pictures and everyone is nice enough to take other people's pictures. Please come and create your own adventure.

Simply a marvelous place. This national forest surrounds the Grand Canyon, but it doesn't get even…read morea small fraction of attention as the Grand Canyon does. Maybe that's a good thing, since the peacefulness is one of the attractions. You really get a good sense of place when visiting. The Kaibab National forest covers 1.6 million acres, from canyons to prairies and mountain peaks. There are three sections: the North Kaibab Ranger District (north of Grand Canyon National Park), the Tusayan Ranger District (south of Grand Canyon National Park), and the Williams Ranger District. There are several visitor centers that have information about the area and things to do. Some of the national forest is scarred by forest fire, but new plant life is colonizing those areas again.

GC was closed to overnights because a water main broke... This is a good alternate choice if you…read moreare mostly "self-contained"! Very close to GC and on the same road.

Oak Creek Canyon Vista Overlook sits right at that transition point where the road climbs and the…read morelandscape suddenly opens up. You're driving, maybe half paying attention, and then it hits you. You pull over almost on instinct. This isn't a long hike or a full-day commitment. It's immediate. You step out, walk a few yards, and the entire canyon drops away in front of you. Oak Creek Canyon stretches out below like a living map, winding through layers of red rock, green patches of forest, and shadowed cuts that shift depending on the time of day. The elevation here gives you a different perspective than what you get down inside Sedona. You're not surrounded by the formations. You're above them, looking out across the whole system. It changes how you read the landscape. You start to see how everything connects. The road threading through the canyon, the way the rock walls rise and fall, the contrast between desert and greenery that somehow coexist in the same frame. The light does a lot of the work here. Early morning is sharp and clean, pulling out detail and texture. Midday flattens things a bit, still impressive but less dramatic. Late afternoon is where it really settles in. The sun drops, shadows stretch across the canyon, and the reds deepen into something richer. It's the kind of view that keeps evolving the longer you stand there. There's usually a steady flow of people, but it never feels overwhelming. The overlook is wide enough that you can find your own space, lean against the railing, and just take it in without feeling rushed. There's a calm to it, even with others around. What I like most is how effortless it is. No planning, no gear, no commitment beyond pulling off the road. And yet the payoff feels like something you had to work for. It delivers that sense of scale Sedona is known for, but in a way that's accessible to anyone who shows up. You don't stay for hours, but you don't leave right away either. You take a few photos, then a few more, then you stop taking them altogether because you realize it doesn't translate. Some places are like that. Five stars, easy. It's one of those stops that turns a drive into something you remember.

Very beautiful overlook. It was a little crowded, but there was more than enough parking, even for…read morea Saturday. Beautiful views. There are bathrooms there. Very basic but does have running water to wash hands. Excellent views, great for graduation pictures, will be back again!

This is a beautiful trail with a lot of vegetation and scenic variety. We did the trail from the…read moreStrawberry side hiking towards Pine. Park in the lot just east of Ralls Dr on the south side of AZ-87 in Strawberry. The first 1.5 miles wander gently up and down through pine, juniper and manzanita forests with some of the largest junipers and manzanitas that I have seen. The first 1/4 mile is close to the highway, but after that the highway noise dies out. Views of the Rim to the east and also the town of Pine open up after a mile. At about 1.5 miles the vegetation changes to juniper and low growing manzanita with little shade; however in another half mile you come to a pine shaded area and a junction to trails that lead down into the town of Pine. On a weekday in May we only saw one other hiker!

It's a beautiful walk through the Rim Country with lots of wildlife and occasional views.read more

This is a fun lake to explore because there is so much to do here. We came over here to Watson Lake…read morebecause Lynx Lake had to be drained and we couldn't kayak over there. Watson Lake is great for boating, hiking, fishing and day picnicking. Rock climbers like to climb on the large rugged granite rock formations known as Granite Dells. These rock formations make this lake very picturesque. I used to see pictures of Watson Lake all over social media before coming here. Watson Lake is located a few miles from Downtown Prescott. It is a reservoir that was formed in the early 1900s when a dam was built on Granite Creek. There are two boat launches for canoeing and kayaking. The Prescott Peavine Trail is the area's most popular trail if you want to hike around the lake. You cannot swim in Watson Lake because water quality and algae concerns. Before coming here, just know that there is a small daily fee to park your vehicle at Watson Lake. We enjoyed kayaking here. There were a lot of areas to explore at this lake. The rock formations are fun to kayak around and make for pretty photographs. If you are into bird watching, this is a great place to go because the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve is nearby.

This stunning lake is just outside of Prescott. The scenery is spectacular, with amazing rock…read moreformations around and in the lake. There are several hiking trails around it. There is some boating/kayaking allowed. Boat ramps, some playground equipment, picnic tables. It costs to get in, but you can buy an annual pass which gets you into other parks in the area. We love coming here when we're in the area.

Slide Rock is a natural water park. Families abound. The water was a tad cold but I spent most…read moreof my time lounging on the rocks. So fun. Please come and create your own adventure.

This place typically has long lines to enter on the weekends, especially in the summer time…read more We stopped by late October on a Friday morning and there surprisingly was no line. It was $25 for a car of 4 and any body else in the vehicle was an additional $5 each. There were 5 of us so we paid $30. We found parking very easy and went out towards the apple orchards to pick some apples. The apples were unfortunately all picked for the season so we opted to then just hike down towards the water area. It was a little busier here as people were actually hanging out in the water and sitting on the surrounding rocks - the water was freezing as it always is so we did not get in. We stepped into the market and the worker was not at all friendly. My cousin bought some souvenirs and we headed on out. The views are beautiful and deff worth checking out. My parents used to bring me here back in the day so it was nice to see how its changed. The bathrooms were clean.

I love this little watering hole! This was our first time but it won't be our last. It was nice and…read morepeaceful. The walk down has a lot of stairs and big boulders to get to the water. So if you're not comfortable coming down and going up stairs you might want to skip this one. There are shallow and deep parts here so it's nice for everyone, swimmers and littles who prefer shallow water. The parking area is small which is nice so it doesn't get over crowded. Parking is $5 per vehicle. America the Beautiful pass is also accepted for day use parking.

Great place to spend the day and pack a lunch, work on crossword puzzles, and take a nap . Be sure…read moreto buy your parking pass when you arrive. The ranger stops by often. Restrooms. Picnic tables. Easy walk to the creek.

Sycamore canyon is located near Cottonwood/Clarkdale, accessible via 11 miles of dirt road,…read moresignificantly less people compared other trails, great place to come to enjoy wildlife and water holes. I would recommend SUV or truck to drive this 11 miles dirt road but I did see one Sedan parked at the trailhead. No entrance fees to this area. Hike to the first water hole/ swimming hole is only 1.1 miles one way, except the initial 200 feet elevation drop off, trail is relatively flat. Trail is marked with carin, since trail is less traveled, look for carin to stay on the trail. First water hole is deep enough for cliff jump. If you arrive early in the morning, water and lights are perfect to take reflecting images. Water stays cold even in the summer. No restrooms or drinking water available, bring plenty of water and food when visiting this trail

Absolutely beautiful hike and a nice watering hold at the end. Would recommend a off road vehicle…read moreas the road gets a lil gnarly.