Sedona is a city that boasts more than 1.7 million acres of national forests, which command two state parks, four wilderness areas, and dozens of Red Rock formations that attract visitors from all around the world. For instance, the Red Rock Crossing trail map is referred to extensively even when other Sedona trails maps are available. This vast land area is famous for the iconic red rock formations that reflect an orange hue when seen against the rising or setting sun. These structures are backdrops to a countless number of activities, photographs, videos, hikes, spiritual retreats, etc.

So, how did a city of just over 10,000 people become such a popular hiking and trekking destination? Let’s find out.

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History

The Sedona Verde Valley first had Paleo-Indians over 9000 years ago. They were hunter-gatherers who foraged for food and hunted game for survival. Traces of these settlements prove that the valley has enjoyed rich wildlife and natural surroundings for millennia. There are traces of the Sinagua people and Zuni clans who came later and settled in the mesas and cliff dwellings in the region.

In the late 1800s, European settlers first came to Oak Creek Canyon (famous for its orchards) and began the farming and ranching culture in this area. With the establishment of its first post office in 1902, Sedona started its journey to modernization.

By the mid-1900s, Sedona was slowly developing as a tourist center because of the gorgeous terrain and rich biodiversity it possessed. The majority of the roads and visitor complexes we see today were built during the 1980s-90s. The ancient rock sites which have become tourist destinations are all shown in the Sedona hiking trail maps we’ve provided below. For example, the iconic Cathedral Rock was formed from coastal dunes and formations in the shores of the ancient Pedregosa Sea. This is why you’ll see ripple patterns in the lower portion of the rock when you visit. The Cathedral Rock trail map is included in our collection of Sedona trail maps, which you can download for free above.

Location

Sedona is lodged between the great Coconino County and the Yavapai County, both within the Verde Valley in Arizona. About 119 miles towards the south of Sedona is the city of Phoenix and the nearest major airport. Sedona has a mini airport within its capital, but it does not accommodate major commercial airliners. However, the small airport is also a quaint little aviation destination to visit if you’re flying in.

The city is connected to Phoenix via the I-17 route. If you’re driving up from Phoenix, take the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon exit and turn west via the State Road – 179. About 14 miles down this route, you’ll find the city of Sedona. If you’re coming from the north, you can head to Sedona from Flagstaff, which is also a city (bigger than Sedona) in the northern region of the state of Arizona. If you can take the Highway 89A, you’ll be able to see more sights and scenic surroundings as you drive through Oak Creek Canyon.

Annual Visitors

Sedona attracts more than 3 million visitors each year, according to the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. These visitors and tourists generate more than a billion dollars worth of tourism revenue annually. Thousands of Sedona residents who are employed in the tourism industry thus have good reason to keep visitors engaged and interested. Many popular sights, like Devil’s Bridge, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors on their own. If you’re interested in seeing Devil’s Bridge yourself, you can check out our list of The Best Hikes in Sedona. You can also download our custom Devils Bridge Hiking Map below.

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The huge number of tourists and visitors each year is because of the fantastic geographic formations that attract people from different parts of the country. Our Sedona hiking trail maps will display all of these locations in a way that is easy to understand.

Weather and Climate

Sedona is constantly rated as one of the most pleasant climates in the whole of the US. This city gets about 23 inches of rain, compared to the national average of 38 inches. With less than 60 days of rainfall in a year, Sedona’s precipitation is much lower than other states nearby. This means it’s not as wet and muddy as some of the different regions during spring and summer.

During winter, Sedona usually experiences just under 12 inches of snow. This means that while it does snow, it doesn’t reach the level where transportation and free movement are affected. The US national average is about 28 inches annually.

Sedona enjoys almost 280 days of sunny weather in a year. This is way more than the US national average of 204 days a year. This agreeable and pleasant weather makes it a great choice for popular hikes that follow the Soldier’s Pass trail map or the Birthing Cave trail map. Both of these trails are favorite destinations for people using the Sedona trails map.

Sedona currently enjoys a score of 8 (Out of 10) in the Best Places Comfort Index. The pleasant climate is partly because of the ideal natural balance of geography, fauna, and water systems present here. Most of these locations are great places for trailing and hiking. All the important locations and descriptions can be found in our Sedona trail maps and Sedona hiking trails map.

Why use Sedona Maps?

With such a vast area of land and terrain available, it gets hard to keep track of all the features and destinations if you’re a visitor. To get a fair understanding of all that this city and region offer, we need a good knowledge of the geographical features and directions. Maps can come in a variety of types. 

The most common choices for hiking maps are the ones that show roads, highways, and hiking trails. We prefer a minimalist style for our maps. However, we also include topographical maps in our map download. Topographical maps can be a little hard to read for first-timers. They have a lot of lines, contours, and symbols that can confuse people who aren’t used to reading maps. Our minimalist maps, on the other hand, will provide direct information and can be understood by anyone. Most hiking trail maps contain a combination of both physical information and topographic data.

Pro Tip: Sedona Hiking Trail Map .jpg files can be converted into Sedona hiking trail map .pdf files and vice-versa. Depending on whether you wish to print your Sedona hiking trail maps or store them on your personal device, both formats can be very useful.

Sedona maps are helpful in getting an overview of the city and surrounding areas. You can use these maps if your itinerary involves casual sightseeing, city walks and visiting city monuments.

If, however, you want to check out the outdoor activities, hikes, and treks across this region, you’ll need a Sedona hiking trails map. Sedona trail maps will give you directions and descriptions of trails and hikes in greater detail so that you know exactly which Sedona site you’re going towards.

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Sedona Hiking Trail Map

The Sedona hiking trail map produced here has been used by travelers and hikers from different parts of the country. We had our graphic designers make this map as easy to understand as possible, with a minimalist style. All of the hiking trails are marked in blue, roads are clearly marked, and the major sites are marked with green. The indicators and information on the map are based on the kind of data that hikers most frequently use.

Best Times to Visit Sedona

Although Sedona is hospitable throughout the year, most visitors generally enjoy the earlier months of the year, especially during spring. We usually recommend making a trip between early March and Mid May. This is the season when Sedona’s sunny weather is perfect for both outdoor activities as well as indoor relaxing.

If you go later than this, you might have to face some scorching days because Sedona is known for its low rainfall activity. Also, during the height winter, the weather may be drier than average, making it uncomfortable for visitors with health problems.

However, regardless of season, if you have the right Sedona hiking trails map, you can make the most of your time there. The map helps you to choose where to go and what sites to visit. It saves you a great deal of time in making travel arrangements and inquiries into sightseeing itineraries.

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Places to Check Out in Sedona

Sedona offers a wide range of leisure and entertainment avenues, in spite of the relatively small population. The Chapel of Holy Cross and Oakcreek Country Club are some places that first-time visitors like to see and visit. The Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village remains a center of food, lifestyle, culture, and artsy inns and restaurants.

 Tourists also have options in eateries and food outlets. You can wine and dine at the fancy Shugrues, a higher-end restaurant that serves exquisite food. You can also opt for fast food joints like Picazzo Pizza, where you’ll find more pizza names than you can count.

However, no other experience in Sedona matches the exhilarating hikes and trails that the precious backcountry offers. The Cathedral Rock trail takes you through one of the most prominent Red Rock formations in the entire county. Also, the view from this location gives you amazing visuals of Sedona’s natural skyline. Other trails include the Devil’s bridge and Soldier’s Pass, which give hikers a moderately challenging trail with great scenic views. The Birthing Cave is a favorite location for both amateurs as well as professional photographers.

The Red Rock Crossing is a must-see if you visit this part of the country. The reddish-orange sand dunes and natural structures will leave you awe-inspired. Visitors are known to leave with a renewed sense of appreciation for nature and the world around us.

Whatever your destination in Sedona, make sure you get a Sedona map for your travels. If you’re planning on outdoor adventures, our Sedona hiking trail map will give you all the information you need for select locations in the backcountry.