Top 10 Secret Hikes In Sedona You've Probably Never Heard of

 

 

 
A lot of hikers who found the Subway after we initially revealed it's location  probably did not maximize the experience during their hike, and that's because we deliberately held something back knowing full well bigger websites would sweep in quickly. What we failed to mention is that the Subway can easily be combined with a visit to the DreamSpeaker Cave nearby -- provided you know the right route to take. If the Subway is a home run by itself, then combining it with the Dream Speaker is a grand slam, and only those who have taken the time to fully explore the canyon would know this.

 

 

    

 

 

Among the best kept secrets in Sedona, the social route to the Sunrise Ledge is rated as moderate, requiring nothing more than a detour of approximately a mile off one of the main system trails. Like many of the top 10 secret hikes, this one provides the adventurous visitor with multiple rewards -- solitude, big views, an ancient cliff dwelling, and the remains of a Prohibition Era moonshine still. The trail skirts a ledge 400 feet above the canyon below, bringing hikers to a spectacular overlook. Here the ledge widens a bit, then juts out into a sharp point known as the Stiletto.

 

Not that many people have ever seen the Stiletto, but everyone who does immediately wants to walk out to the point. All by itself this one view would warrant inclusion in this list, but the photo opportunities are just beginning. The Sunrise Ledge isn't visible from this overlook, but it's only about 50 feet away, directly below, and the route down is easy to find once you know to look for it.

   

 

 

One of the most picturesque cliff dwellings in Sedona is the destination for our next secret hike: the Ice Cream Cone Ruins. The funny sounding name comes from a nearby landmark that looks just like -- you guessed it -- a soft serve ice cream cone! Located in a hidden valley hanging high in the canyon wall, the three room ruin is tucked behind another rock formation called "the Three Sisters." It's hard to imagine a more idyllic setting for ancient Sinagua farmers.

The structure is well preserved beneath a cathedral-like alcove, and even has a small rock art panel as well. The hike to the Ice Cream Cone is rated as moderate to difficult, but the 600 ft elevation gain on this trail means you'll enjoy plenty of solitude, and the passage behind the Three Sisters offers unforgettable views of the popular canyon below.
 

    

 

 
Like the Ice Cream Cone cliff dwellings, this spectacular route leads to a well preserved archaeological site, but in this case there are three separate cliff dwellings. The first ruin is in a rare north facing alcove and has an amazing pictograph panel featuring the headless man of Hopi prophecy; the second has a kiva-like structure and appears to have been constructed to observe the winter solstice at sunrise; the last ruin is tucked deep at the bottom of Lost Canyon near a narrow passage to the ledge above. The arrangement of these three ruins and the north facing rock art panel indicate the ceremonial significance of this area.

The Lost Canyon Loop is rated as moderate and offers fantastic views of the entire Dry Creek Basin. There are actually three different versions of the Lost Canyon Loop, giving hikers the opportunity to adjust the length of the hike to suit their ability and time. A high clearance vehicle is required to hike this one.
 

         

    

 
Imagine looking down on Bell Rock and up at the highest point in Arizona, at the same time! For photographers who want a more challenging hike with red rocks in the foreground and a snow covered peak in the back, the route we call Stairway to Heaven is the best place to find it. Few locals have ever done this route, so once you get past the crowds that cluster around Bell Rock, you're almost guaranteed to have it all to yourself. It's rated a strenuous, but the steep climb is actually fairly short.

The 360 degree view at the top is nothing short of magnificent! You'll be looking across Oak Creek Canyon all the way to the top of the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, which are often covered with snow. From there you can explore the top of the ridge all the way to the summit of Gibraltar Butte.
 

   

 

 
Technically this is a designated system trail within the Coconino National Forest, so despite the name it's not really a secret anymore. We decided to include it in out list secret hikes because most people still don't know where it is. Of the trails listed here, Secret Slickrock is actually the easiest. It's a short walk from the parking area out to a broad area of open sandstone with an incredible view of Cathedral Rock. If it has rained recently there are two large pockets in the rock that hold water, creating perfect reflection pools. This is definitely one of the best places to capture a great sunset photo of Cathedral Rock.

 

 
Sandwiched between two of the most popular trails in town, the route we call Trail of the Year is a narrow ridge of rock with yet another 360 degree view. We don't know if this route has a commonly used name, but when our little hiking group of Sedona veterans (all of whom have decades of experience hiking in the area) first stumbled out onto this ridge early one Saturday morning, we all agreed that it was one of our favorites. That's how we came to call it "Trail of the Year." 

This route is rated as difficult, but only because there is a short, steep section to reach the top of the ridge. After reaching the top hiking along the knife-edge out to the end is relatively easy. Since very few people leave the popular trails below to come up here, you're almost guaranteed to have the view all to yourself. At sunrise and sunset the light on the surrounding cliffs is spectacular.