Cathedral Rock Trailhead

Sunrise at Cathedral Rock: ​We hit the trail just as the sun began to peek over the red rocks, and it was easily the highlight of our trip. Sharing that view at the summit with my wife and kid made the early wake-up call completely worth it. The hike is short (1.2 miles round trip), but don’t let the distance fool you—there’s a fair amount of rock scrambling that requires some real effort. My biggest tips: ​Arrive Early: Sunrise is the "sweet spot" to snag a parking space and beat the heavy crowds. ​Gear Up: Wear shoes with excellent grip; you’ll need them for the slick rock. ​Family Note: While we had a blast, I wouldn’t recommend this for little ones under 7 due to the steepness. ​Seeing the desert light up with my favorite people was an experience we won't forget! this hike just around sunrise.

Best hike we did while in Sedona! It is hard. Not going to lie. We weren’t sure about the bouldering/rock scrambling at first but it ended up being fun! And of course totally worth it. The view is incredible!! It is a technical hike and you need to look out for the markings but if you are an avid hiker with proper foot gear you won’t have a problem. There was even a bride and groom taking photos at the top!! I

Fairly steep and more technical hike to reach the top. The views along the trail are great, especially when I went just after the sun went behind the rocks. There are 2 large flat sections before and after the main scramble where people spread out. Some people had more casual clothes and shoes for the climb, and while it's doable I would suggest at least shoes with proper grip. There are a couple sections requiring a scramble up, and one section in particular along a ridge of two rock faces which requires conscious and deliberate movements to climb over. It narrows for only about 1 person at a time. Combine that with the softness of the rock and it can be pretty difficult to climb and descend at that point. The descent was a bit trickier, so I had to resort to basically sitting and sliding my legs then body to not lose my balance going down. I believe there is a further climb beyond the end of the trail, but I stopped at the trail sign just so I was able to make it back down before sundown. There is a ledge on the right that some brave souls did walk to which does provide some very nice views. For me, the ascent and descent were about 1 hour each direction including pausing and photos. So about 3 hours total with an hour at the top. As mentioned, views were very nice once the sun was behind the rocks. I even got some photos of a halo around the rocks. Apparently this rock is a Sedona Vortex location, so maybe its a sign that it is 😎