Sedona's Best Hiking: Hotels With Hiking Trails
Two Sedona Hotels, the Kings Ransom Inn and the Kings Ransom Sedona Hotel feature easy access to the famous Margs Draw Trailhead, which passes by Snoopy Rock.
Margs Draw Trail can be hiked from the Kings Ransom Inn Sedona and the Kings Ransom Sedona Hotel, which are located directly adjacent to the Margs Draw Trailhead. You can walk out the door of your room in these hotels and take a morning hike without getting in your car, a great convenience. From the entrance to the trailhead, a short walk up a hill begins the trail and enters Wilderness. Shade is soon left behind and gorgeous red rock views open up as the trail winds its way north across a nearly flat expanse dotted with juniper, pinyon pine and Arizona cypress. In the Spring, there is a profusion of wildflowers along the trail. Be sure and take your camera.
Nearing one mile, a half-mile long spur trail comes in on the left. If you continue, soon Uptown Sedona, Capitol Butte, Wilson Mountain and Steamboat Rock come into view. At 1.25 miles, the trail curves around the base of Camel Head and there is a good view of that formation and of Snoopy Rock above and to the right. The trail leaves Wilderness, crosses Schnebly Hill Road, and goes east about 0.8 mile before ending at a large parking turnout. Return by the same route back to your hotel, either the Kings Ransom Sedona Hotel or the Kings Ransom Inn Sedona. The hike can be extended to the north using Huckaby Trail and to the south using Broken Arrow Trail.
Length: 2 miles; rating-easy; season - year-round; duration-1-2 hours round-trip
Location: Directly behind the Kings Ransom Sedona Hotel, 771 Hwy 179, Sedona, AZ 86336 & the Kings Ransom Inn next door. Go to kingsransomsedona.com or asedonahotel.com for more information.
The Enchantment Resort sits at the Boynton Canyon Traihead, fasmous for its bounty of wildlife and "vortex energies".
Boynton Canyon can be hiked from the Enchantment Resort and is one of the most scenic of the box canyons that make Arizona Red Rock Country so famous. Boynton Canyon always has been popular for its outstanding scenery. Additionally, it has become even more so, since it developed a reputation as a site of a New Age "vortex" - a sort of energy field emanating from inner earth. Whether or not you subscribe to this bit of modern mysticism, you'll no doubt agree that some sort of magic exists here among the towering buttes, crimson cliffs, and natural desert gardens.
The trail starts out by skirting Enchantment Resort. It quickly returns to the canyon floor where the walking is pleasant and easy. As you hike, take note of the variety of plants that live in this rather harsh environment, and keep an eye out for the area's plentiful wildlife.
Length: 2.5 miles; rating - easy; season - all year; hiking time - 2-2.5 hours Location: Directly adjacent to the Enchantment Resort, 525 Boynton Canyon Road, Sedona, AZ 86336.
General Sedona Hiking and Sightseeing Information
Some of the more popular trails in the Sedona area include those that take you to some of the incredible rock formations that surround the city. These beloved monoliths have been given such names as Snoopy Rock (from Margs Draw Trail), Coffee Pot Rock, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock in recognition of their perceived shape and the hiking trails to and around them are well used and loved. Part of the reason that some of these trails are so popular is based on the belief that Sedona, AZ is surrounded by four strong energy vortexes. These vortexes are often a point of destination for those visitors seeking to immerse themselves in the healing energies.
Overall, hiking in Sedona can't be beat. It’s a great way to walk your dog (the Kings Ransom Sedona Hotel is pet-friendly) or your kids. Hiking can be the perfect family outing filled with the exciting educational opportunities that only the great outdoors can offer.
In addition, the state parks near Sedona offer breathtaking sights and ample opportunity to commune with nature. Red Rock State Park features an environmental information center as well as wonderful locations for hiking, biking, birding and fishing. Shaded by cottonwoods and sycamores along the canyon walls, at Slide Rock State Park the adventurous can glide down a natural water slide, while the less athletic can relax at picnic tables in the meadow. Sedona's beautiful surroundings and laid-back atmosphere have drawn artists to the area in droves. Indoor types will find plenty to do touring galleries, including the Sedona Arts Center, which showcases world-class exhibits and local artists. Those interested in ancient ruins and anthropology will be awestruck by the area's natural rock formations and preserved remains of old cultures. Visitors can hike past the ruins of the Sinagua Indians on the Boynton Canyon Trail or check out the unique geological deposits at Rachel's Knoll. |
