Long Canyon Trail

Long Canyon is a system trail in the Coconino National Forest, designated as trail #122. It is well marked with signs and easy to follow. For the first mile or so, the route follows an old jeep trail (shown below). 
 
 
For hikers acquainted with the Grand Canyon or the Pacific Crest Trail, the hike into Long Canyon will not seem terribly long. It'll probably seem more like a warm up. The system trail climbs at a steady but gentle rate over the 3.6 mile journey to it's end.
 
Once you enter the wilderness the scenery quickly becomes more dramatic. The sheer cliffs at the base of Maroon Mountain will be on the right and beautifully fluted sandstone will draw your gaze into inviting off-trail pockets.
 
The system trail makes an elbow bend 3.4 miles from the parking area (see map below) and enters a beautiful narrows just before it ends at a red sandstone cliff where there are a few small Indian ruins and some primitive rock pictographs.
If you continue straight at the elbow bend social trails fan out into multiple streambeds in the upper part of the drainage.
 
There are at least ten cliff dwellings in Long Canyon. Some of these ruins were significantly reconstructed over the past 120 years by pioneers and archaeologists, making them appear to be much better preserved than they actually were when first discovered.
 

 
FINDING THE TRAILHEAD

Long Canyon is a system trail in the Coconino National Forest, designated as Trail #122. From the Highway 89A in West Sedona take Dry Creek Road 2.79 miles to the first stop sign and turn right on Long Canyon Road.

The designated parking area (lower right on the map below) is 0.64 miles on the left. No pass is required to park here. The dirt lot is very small, but as of 2020 overflow parking along the road is still allowed. There are NO restrooms at this trailhead.
The Boynton Canyon parking area and the Deadman's Pass Trail are also shown, since you could hike in that way. Like Boynton Canyon, the system trail into Long Canyon has a resort (Seven Canyons) that you have to go around first.
The funny thing is that you could park at Boynton Canyon and hike into Long Canyon using Deadman's Pass, and taking this route would largely bypass BOTH resorts. That would add about 1.25 miles (one way) to any hike in Long Canyon, but the whole route would have a more natural feel to it.
 
Just beyond the golf course at Seven Canyons the system trail comes to a junction with the Deadman’s Pass Trail, then immediately enters the Red Rock- Secret Mountain Wilderness Area. Do not trespass on private property. 
 

HIKE DETAILS

RATED: Moderate due to length
 
TRAILHEAD GPS
34.906383 -111.823617
 
TOTAL DISTANCE
7.2 miles out and back

ELEVATION GAIN
970 ft
 
EST. HIKING TIME
3-4 hours round trip
 
BEST TIME TO GO
All year. Early in the morning during the summer to avoid the heat.

PET FRIENDLY
Yes for the system trail, no for archaeological sites. Pets must be leashed at all times. Be advised there are large predators in this area. Please pick up after your pet.