The 6 Best Hikes Near Airport Mesa

If you only do one hike during your stay, make it this one, if only because you can start it on foot. The Airport Loop (officially Trail #211) circles the entire mesa, threading between juniper, prickly pear and dramatic red-rock cliffs, with wide-open views the whole way around — Thunder Mountain, Chimney Rock, Cathedral Rock to the south, the whole valley laid out below.

It's rocky and narrow in places, with very little shade, which is precisely why early morning and late afternoon are magic up here. Halfway round, take the short spur up to the Airport Mesa Vortex (more on that next).

Short on time or just easing into the day? The Airport Mesa Vortex is the most accessible of Sedona's famous energy vortexes — a quick climb up a knob of slickrock to a flat, tabletop summit with panoramic views over Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. Whether or not you feel the swirl of grounding energy people come here for, it's a genuinely lovely place to sit, breathe, and watch the light move.

It's also the town's most beloved sunset spot, so it's rarely empty. Come early, wear shoes with grip — that slickrock turns slippery after rain — and don't rush back.

A short drive south on the Red Rock Scenic Byway brings you to Bell Rock, that unmistakable bell-shaped butte you'll have already admired from the car. The Bell Rock Pathway is wide, mostly flat and beautifully maintained — the rare Sedona trail that suits everyone, from young kids to four-legged companions to anyone wanting big views without a big effort. Walk as much or as little of it as you like; even the first half-mile delivers.

It's one of our favorite outings for guests traveling with a dog (and we know many of you are). Bell Rock is also a vortex site, for those collecting them.

You've seen the photo: a hiker standing triumphant atop a slender stone span with the red rock falling away on both sides. That's Devil's Bridge, the largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area, and reaching it is a genuine adventure. From the paved lots it's a roughly four-mile round trip along an old jeep road, finishing with a short, steep staircase of natural rock up to the bridge itself.

Here's a local trick that doubles as a treat: the final stretch of road is a high-clearance 4×4 track. Rather than walk the dusty miles, many of our guests book a guided Jeep tour up Dry Creek Road and let someone else handle the bumps — ask our Experience Concierge and we'll set it up.

Cathedral Rock is small on paper and enormous in person. The trail is barely over a mile round trip, but it climbs hard and fast up bare slickrock, with sections where you'll use your hands as much as your feet. The reward at the saddle — twin spires of red stone framing the valley, especially as the sun drops — is one of the great views in the American Southwest, and home to another of Sedona's four major vortexes. It's a favorite for couples and a bucket-list sunset for good reason.

When you want to earn your view, Bear Mountain delivers. This is a true workout: roughly five miles round trip with about 2,000 feet of climbing across exposed slickrock, switchbacks and false summits, with almost no shade the entire way. It's strenuous and best suited to fit, experienced hikers — but those who make the top are rewarded with sweeping, uncrowded vistas over Fay Canyon and the western red rocks that most visitors never see.