Sedona sits among red sandstone formations in Arizona’s Verde Valley. Stay in Uptown for restaurants and tour departures. West Sedona is closer to the Dry Creek trailheads, and the Village of Oak Creek is near Bell Rock.
State Route 89A runs through Uptown and West Sedona. Uptown is the simplest place to walk between galleries, cafés and tour meeting points, but a room on the main road can hear traffic. West Sedona has more everyday shops and a shorter drive toward Dry Creek Road and Devil’s Bridge.
South of the center, the Village of Oak Creek lies along scenic State Route 179 near Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. The Chapel of the Holy Cross and Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village sit between this corridor and Uptown. A hotel here is better placed for southern trailheads than for an evening walk in Uptown.
Oak Creek Canyon follows the twisting stretch of 89A north toward Flagstaff. Its creekside stops and Slide Rock State Park are a different day out from the red-rock trails. Trailhead parking fills up. On operating days the Sedona Shuttle runs to some of the busiest trailheads, so check the current schedule before you go.
Sedona is spread across several areas, and many trailheads are too far to walk to from a hotel. Spring and fall are easier for exposed hikes. Summer afternoons are hot, and the July and August monsoon brings more rain. Carry water and check the current Forest Service parking-pass rules for your trail.