Cow Pies

GET THE GPS TRACK FOR EVERY TRAIL IN SEDONA INCLUDED WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE WANDERER'S GUIDE!

Cow Pies is a system trail in the Coconino National Forest. It has its own  designated parking area, is well marked with signs, and easy to follow. This is a half-mile hike through through the shade of pinion and cypress tree onto some massive red-rock platforms that resemble, well, cow pies (shown below). Painted white dots guide hikers across open slickrock, but you are free to wander up here. The parking area, the road, and the town of Sedona are always within sight, so getting lost isn't really a problem.

View of the Cow Pies slickrock area.

The Cow Pies area is great at any time of year, but it can be especially good after a heavy rain due to water pockets (shown below) that form reflecting pools for the red cliffs surrounding it.
 
Reflecting pools form on the Cow Pies slickrock area whenever there has been enough rain or snow.
 
The beauty of this location did not go unnoticed by Hollywood during the heyday of Western movies. The Cow Pies was used as a location in a number of these old movies, including The Last of the Duanes (1930), Leave Her to Heaven (1945), Angel and and the Badman (1947), The Strawberry Roan (1948), Broken Arrow (1950 shown below), The Last Wagon (1956) and Stay Away, Joe (1968).
 
The Cow Pies was used for this famous scene in the 1950 movie Broken Arrow, starring James Stewart and Jeff Chandler
 

FINDING THE TRAILHEAD

 From the junction of Hwy 89A and 179 (the double roundabout), take Hwy 179 south, cross the bridge over Oak Creek, and exit left onto Schnebly Hill Rd at the next roundabout. Take the paved portion of Schnebly Hill Rd approximately .5 miles to the paved parking area on the left just before the road turns to dirt.

GET THE GPS TRACK FOR EVERY TRAIL IN SEDONA INCLUDED WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE WANDERER"S GUIDE!

A Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass is required. If you have a high clearance 4x4, you can park free of charge 2.6 miles higher up, on the right side of Schnebly Hill (see map below).

HIKE DETAILS

RATED: Easy
  
TOTAL DISTANCE
 2.2 miles out and back
 
ELEVATION GAIN
66 ft
 
EST. HIKING TIME
1 hour round trip
 
BEST TIME TO GO
Any. Hike early or late in the day to avoid summer heat.
 
PET FRIENDLY
Yes. Must be leashed at all times. Please pick up after your pet and pack it out.