5 Adventurous Days in Arizona
Views en route to Devil’s Bridge in Sedona
If you love the outdoors, you are going to love Arizona. The landscape is beautiful and there are so many unique cave and red rock formations to explore. It’s also the perfect destination to visit during winter and trade the cold temperatures for some warm sunshine, epic views and incredible hikes.
Arizona has a rich Native American culture and history where you can visit ruins and cliff dwellings, or sometimes spot petroglyphs drawn by ancient inhabitants.
Not to mention, Arizona is full of “energy vortexes.” These are thought to be places in the earth where energy flows upwards or downwards, which generates healing properties. Sedona in particular has tons of them, making it a popular space to recharge and meditate.
This itinerary will cover two days in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and then about two and a half days in Sedona. And if you love hiking and being outdoors, then this itinerary is definitely for you!
Itinerary Overview
Your adventure will begin in the Phoenix area, so you’ll want to fly in to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Below is an outline of the trip so that you know what you’re getting into!
Arrive in Phoenix
Lunch
Visit Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
Hike up Camelback Mountain
Dinner
Sunset stroll at Papago Park
Breakfast
Hike up Piestewa Peak
Lunch
Hike in the Superstition Mountains
Dinner
Breakfast
Drive to Sedona (2 hours)
Hike to the Subway Cave
Lunch
Walk around Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
Watch sunset from the Airport Mesa Vortex
Dinner
Breakfast
Sunrise hike to the Devil's Bridge
Lunch
Hike to Birthing Cave
Watch sunset at Courthouse Butte
Dinner
Breakfast
Hike to Fay Canyon
Lunch
Drive back to Phoenix
Depart
Where to Eat in Phoenix and Sedona
We had some of the most incredible food in the Phoenix area and then mostly ate various groceries or packed lunches in Sedona to maximize our hiking time. Depending on your mood and how you adjust your itinerary, below are some spots that are highly recommended during your stay in Arizona.
Phoenix
JOJO Coffeehouse — large, open space with really great coffee and brunch
Diego Pops — tacos and prickly pear margs were incredible
Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila in Old Town Scottsdale — this place had such good tacos and guac, we ate here like 3x
La Santisima — known for their incredible gourmet tacos, this place was featured in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives!
Sedona
Oak Creek Espresso — coffee was delicious and they had incredible sweet and savory puff pastries
Pisa Lisa — we didn't eat here, but it’s been said to be some of the best pizza in Sedona
Hideaway House — gorgeous views if you can sit outside
Hilltop Deli — such yummy sandwiches especially after lots of hiking
A tip for you: don’t underestimate the power of a simple, one-time grocery trip to both save money and maximize your time on the trails. During our visit to Sedona, we stopped by a Whole Foods to grab a few pre-packed sandwiches, drinks, snacks, and simple breakfast ingredients like yogurt, fruit and granola. We stayed at an Airbnb with a kitchen to make sure we could store everything during our stay.
Day 1 — Museum and Hiking
Today is your arrival day! I recommend getting to Phoenix in the morning so that you have time for these activities, but you can feel free to adjust.
Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
First up is Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Tickets are $25 for an adult and $12 for children ages 6-17. There were so many interesting exhibits here, like the works of Edward S. Curtis who was a photographer in the late 1890s. He captured incredible photos of the American West including rare portraits of Native Americans performing everyday activities and cultural practices.
Camelback Mountain
After grabbing lunch, head over to hike the Camelback Mountain via Cholla Trail (3 miles, 1,279 ft elevation gain). Depending on the time of year, you may want to do this one earlier in the morning since the summers can be unbearably hot here. This hike is definitely a challenge and requires a bit of scrambling so make sure you’re wearing comfortable, grippy shoes and check trail conditions before you go.
Papago Park
Finally, finish your day with a sunset stroll at Papago Park. I recommend the Double Butte Trail (2.2 miles, 114 ft elevation gain) but you will quickly realize that you can choose your own adventure and wander through the park’s numerous trails to see some amazing views. When the sun starts to go down, distant mountains glow orange while silhouettes of cacti dot the landscape, and you also get a cool view of airplanes taking off from the Phoenix airport.
Day 2 — Piestewa Peak and Superstition Mountains
Today you’ll be doing two very distinct, beautiful hikes, and I would highly recommend getting some amazing food in between!
Piestewa Peak
The first hike is the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail (2.1 miles, 1,148 ft elevation gain) or a longer version, the Piestewa Peak and Freedom Loop Trail (4.5 miles, 1,735 ft elevation gain). Located in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, this trail is short but steep, so definitely be prepared to work for it! At the summit, you'll see some incredible views of downtown Phoenix as well as Camelback Mountain.
Superstition Mountains
After a break for lunch, head out to the Superstition Mountains aka Lost Dutchman State Park which is only an hour outside of Phoenix. The Superstition Mountains are a rugged mountain range dotted with saguaro cacti just above the Sonoran Desert.
There are so many incredible hikes that you can do here, with a few of them listed below:
Hieroglyphic Trail
Wave Cave (this is the one we did!)
Fremont Saddle via Peralta Canyon
Monument Canyon and Broadway Cave
Boulder Canyon to Viewpoint
If you have the opportunity to camp here, I would highly recommend it! We saw a few camper vans scattered throughout the area and it looked like one of the most epic places to stargaze or watch the sunrise and sunset.
Day 3 — Subway Cave, Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, and Airport Mesa Vortex
Wake up early to make the 2-hour drive from Phoenix to Sedona to do some hiking, visit an artsy outdoor market, and finish the day by viewing a gorgeous sunset from the Airport Mesa Vortex.
Subway Cave
If you only had time for one hike in Sedona, I would very confidently recommend that it be this one. The Subway Cave is on a side trail to the right about 2 miles into the Boynton Canyon Trail. To be honest, the actual end of the Boynton Canyon isn’t the most impressive, so if you’re short on time, just turn around after hitting up the Subway Cave to explore the other nearby trails.
Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
Next, head to the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. The architecture here is that of a beautiful Mexican village and it’s full of little courtyards, fountains, galleries, and shops. I think in terms of shopping, it felt a bit too touristy to me but I did really enjoy stopping by here to check out the architecture. I also think it’s likely prettier in the spring and summer when everything is blooming.
Airport Mesa Vortex
Finish your day by watching the sunset at the Airport Mesa Vortex, one of the most accessible vortex sites and the closest vortex to downtown Sedona, which makes it perfect for visiting right before dinner. You can park right by the vortex or at the Sedona Scenic Lookout lot and hike about 1.2 miles roundtrip. Parking gets crowded so get here early for sunset!
Day 4 — Devil’s Bridge, Birthing Cave and Courthouse Butte Sunset
Today will start off with a sunrise hike to one of Sedona’s most iconic viewpoints, a leisurely hike to a cave with historic significance and then watching an incredible sunset from Courthouse Butte.
Devil’s Bridge
You may seen this hike on social media already, and wow does it live up to its expectations. While it can get crowded, we started our hike early in the morning, making it to the bridge by ~7:45am on a Saturday and there were only about 2-3 people there. If you don’t come early and run into crowds, expect a bit of a line to take a photo on the bridge.
Note that there are several different routes: via Deadman's Pass, via Chuck Wagon, and via Mescal. The latter is the shortest at just 4 miles. If you’re just visiting and want to make time for other hikes, opt for the shorter because the views are pretty similar the whole way. The trailhead itself starts at Dry Creek Road (FR 152) but unless you have a high clearance vehicle, I recommend parking at the Dry Creek Vista parking lot and hiking from there.
Birthing Cave
The Birthing Cave is one of the most sacred places in Sedona and was once a place where Hopi Native American women came to give birth. The trail itself is not too long or difficult (2 miles, 291 ft elevation gain) but we did somehow get lost trying to find it so make sure you keep an eye on your map! Climbing inside the cave feels like reconnecting with Mother Earth, with the innermost part resembling a womb that looks out onto this stunning landscape.
Courthouse Butte
One of the best places to watch sunset in Sedona is at Courthouse Butte from Bell Rock. Park at the Courthouse Vista and make your way along this short, 1-mile trail for some incredible Sedona sunset views!
Day 5 — Fay Canyon and Departure
On your last day in Arizona, try to make the most of it by planning an evening flight home. That way, you have time for one more leisurely hike in Sedona as well as a scenic drive back to Phoenix.
Fay Canyon
This is one of those trails that seems really easy and casual, but has some of the most gorgeous views in Sedona. Since it’s fairly short (~3.3 miles) it’s perfect for your last day. Starting from the trailhead, hike about 0.5 miles until you get to a turnoff point on your right. This will lead you to a beautiful arch! Be prepared for a bit of rock scrambling.
Afterwards, continue on the main trail. You’ll get to a dead end with a sign that says the trail has ended. But, keep going straight until you can climb up the rock slabs to enjoy beautiful scenery and views of Fay Canyon.
Scenic Drive
Although it may be bittersweet, the last part of our itinerary is departure from Sedona as you head back to the Phoenix airport. However, consider stopping along the way to take in the beautiful scenery and saguaro cacti!
General Tips for Arizona Hiking
In conclusion…you’re going to LOVE Arizona. But, please adventure safely and in a way that shows respect towards this beautiful state by keeping in mind the following tips:
Arizona gets hot hot hot in the summer and you MUST keep in mind that dehydration and heat exhaustion can be deadly. You’ll see this written on almost every trail sign so it shouldn’t be taken lightly! Wear sunscreen, bring a hat and sunglasses, pack plenty of water and consider early morning hikes if visiting in the summer.
Practice Leave No Trace during your visit! LNT is a set of ethics that encourages us to leave the outdoors better than we found it. So be sure to pack out your trash, don’t blast loud music on the trails, pick up after your pets, and don’t carve into trees or caves.
Be aware of your surroundings and let your fellow photographers enjoy taking photos of some of these iconic locations. During our visit, there were people lining up to get a solo shot of themselves inside Subway Cave. Some hikes may offer more solitude, but we all know the ones where the etiquette is to let others have a turn at a photo once you get your shot.
Consider downloading an offline map using AllTrails or another app given that plenty of these parks and hikes may be zones with no cell reception.
Being that it’s in the desert, Arizona is riddled with snakes, spiders and scorpions (although, we luckily didn’t run into any!) Pay attention to the trails and bring a first aid kit if you’re hiking longer or further away from help.
I hope you found this itinerary helpful! Leave a comment and share your thoughts or join me on Instagram @dashaslens for more adventures and tips!
