Templeton Trail
Templeton is a system trail in the Coconino National Forest. Well marked with signs and easy to follow, the Templeton Trail is one of the most popular in Sedona. It is heavily used by both hikers and mountain bikes.
With one end starting near the Little Horse parking area on Hwy 179 (shown above) and the other end branching off the Baldwin Loop near Red Rock Crossing (shown below). Templeton is one of the most diverse trails in Sedona.
A connector between the Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock hiking areas, the Templeton Trail literally goes from lush riparian habitat to open slickrock in a matter of minutes. It's also possible to access the Templeton from the parking area for Cathedral Rock, located on Back O'Beyond Rd (see map below).
FINDING THE TRAILHEAD
There are two main parking areas to access Templeton. The east end of the trail is near the Little Horse parking area, is located on Hwy 179 at milepost 309..8. The west end is near the Baldwin Butte parking area, located on the left at the end of Verde Valley School Road.
The east end of Templeton begins off the Bell Rock Pathway just north of Bell Rock, goes under Route 179 through a tunnel and heads northwest. It intersects the H.T. Trail at 1 mile, then continues northwest and onto a shoulder of Cathedral Rock. It intersects the middle of the Cathedral Rock Trail at 2.4 miles.
The Templeton Trail continues ahead over level ground and curves around the north end of Cathedral Rock where there are great views. It then descends steeply and follows beside the creek for a time. The trail ends at 3.5 miles at its intersection with the Baldwin Trail which comes in from the left through a fence line and continues ahead.
HIKE DETAILS
RATED: Easy
TOTAL DISTANCE
3.9 miles one way
3.9 miles one way
ELEVATION GAIN
790 ft
790 ft
EST HIKING TIME
2-3 hours one way
2-3 hours one way
BEST TIME TO GO
All year
All year
PET FRIENDLY
Yes. Must be leashed at all times. Please pick up after your pet.
Yes. Must be leashed at all times. Please pick up after your pet.