A Complete Guide to Hiking Bell Rock in Sedona

PLANNING A VISIT TO BELL ROCK IN SEDONA?

We’ve got all the info you need! We’ve been visiting Sedona since 2016 and have hiked Bell Rock ourselves. Our family loved the Bell Rock Trail and would highly recommend it as one of the best things to do in Sedona.

Bell Rock in Sedona is one of the most iconic rock formations in Sedona and is one of the first things you will see as you are coming into Sedona on Highway 179. It is just off the side of the road and is a great place to hike in Sedona.

Bell Rock in Sedona Directions

Bell Rock in Sedona is south of the downtown area off Highway 179. From the Route 89A and 179 intersection, you will travel south about 3.6 miles to the trailhead parking. This is at about Milepost 309.

If you are coming from the Village of Oak Creek, you will drive north on Highway 179. You will turn right on Bell Rock Boulevard to access the main trailhead. It is about 2 hours from Phoenix.

Bell Rock Hike Map

Bell Rock in Sedona Trailhead Parking

The Bell Rock in Sedona is a popular hike, so parking can sometimes be a challenge. If you visit earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon, it will be easier to find a parking spot. Turnover in this parking lot is pretty quick, which makes it easier to find a place to park if you are patient.

Despite having a full parking lot, we did not find the trails overly busy or crowded. We passed people here and there, but overall, we had the trail to ourselves.

There are three different places where you can park to reach the Bell Rock Trail.

Bell Rock Trailhead North

There are two different trailhead parking lots with the name Bell Rock Trailhead. The Bell Rock Trailhead North, the Courthouse Vista Parking Lot, is the closest parking lot to Bell Rock and where you should try to park first. It is a pretty big parking lot, but it is a popular spot.

We did this hike around 10:00 a.m., and we had to make a couple of circles around the parking lot before we were able to find a spot.

You will need a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park here. You can purchase the Red Rock Pass on-site with a credit card. There are vault toilets at this trailhead.

Yavapai Vista Point

There is overflow parking for the Bell Rock Trailhead North at the Yavapai Point Parking Lot. This parking lot is about a half-mile north of the Bell Rock formation on the left side of the road and is the next closest parking lot to Bell Rock in Sedona.

This is a pretty large parking area, so you have a better chance of finding a parking spot here. However, this is also a parking area for Cathedral Rock which is one of the most popular hikes in Sedona, so it does fill up as well.

You will need a parking pass here, and there are vaulted toilets here.

To get to Yavapai Vista Point, you will drive north along Highway 179 and take the roundabout for Back O Beyond Road to drive back along Highway 179 to the Yavapai Vista Point parking lot. The walk from here to the Bell Rock Trail in Sedona is about 10 minutes. You will have to cross Highway 179 to get to the trailhead.

Bell Rock Trailhead South

The third place you can try for a parking spot is the Bell Rock Trailhead South. This parking lot is on the south side of Bell Rock, just north of Oak Creek. This parking area has a 1-mile hike along the Bell Rock Pathway to get to Bell Rock. This is the farthest parking lot from Bell Rock.

You will need a parking pass here, and there are vaulted toilets here.

Trail Stats

Fees: America the Beautiful Pass or Red Rock Pass

Bell Rock Climb and Courthouse Butte Loop Trail

Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 750 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Time: 2 to 3.5 hours

Bell Rock Climb

Distance: 1 mile
Elevation Gain: 625 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Time: 1 to 2 hours

How Long Does it Take to Hike Bell Rock in Sedona?

If you are only doing the climb to Bell Rock, it takes about an hour to two hours, depending on your hiking speed and the time you spend at the top. We were there for about two hours and walked some of the Courthouse Butte Loop and then climbed most of the way to the top of Bell Rock in Sedona.

If you are wanting to hike up Bell Rock in Arizona and walk the Courthouse Butte Loop trail, you will want to plan for three to four hours.

How Difficult is the Bell Rock in Sedona Hike?

This was an easy hike for our family. The hardest part is finding a place to scramble up the red rocks because there isn’t a clearly defined Bell Rock Trail. Some of the rock scrambling is like climbing Cathedral Rock.

However, my kids thought the adventure of exploring and not having a defined trail was awesome. This hike is one of the best things to do in Sedona with kids if they have some hiking experience.

It is fun to get to explore the different levels of Bell Rock in Sedona. My six-year-olds had a great time climbing up and had no difficulties with the trail. This is one of their favorite hikes in Sedona because they get to do so much exploring and climbing.

View of Courthouse Butte from Bell Rock in Sedona

If you are having a hard time getting down Bell Rock in Sedona, you can slide down some of the rocks rather than trying to walk down. My kids thought this was awesome.

Trails Near Bell Rock

You can easily combine a climb up Bell Rock in Sedona with some of the other trails in the area. The most popular are the Bell Rock Pathway and the Courthouse Butte Loop.

Bell Rock Climb

The Bell Rock hiking trail is a lot of fun and one of my kids’ favorites. If you are parking at the Bell Rock Trailhead North, you will walk towards Bell Rock in Arizona and keep an eye out for the “Bell Rock Climb” sign.

At the beginning of the climb, there are some baskets filled with rocks that serve as trail markers. These markers will take you for about a quarter-mile up Bell Rock before you reach the higher levels. The last basket is on the other side of a large rock that you have to climb over. This last basket brings you to a large plateau area.

Then it is up to you how far you want to go up Bell Rock. There isn’t a clearly defined trail once the markers stop, but it isn’t hard to find your own path up Bell Rock in Sedona. You can follow other hikers to the top and use the worn-away sandstone for hand and footholds.

A popular way up Bell Rock is the central Slide area. There is a second trail that goes to the top on the east side of the slide. This trail leads to the top of one of the spires. This is a steep hike, so some experience is recommended, as this can be dangerous. Parts of this hike past where the marker’s end are considered a Class 3 hike.

Our Experience with This Hike

My six-year-olds were able to climb pretty high up on the Bell Rock hike without much assistance. There is some elevation gain, but it is manageable.

There are beautiful views of Courthouse Butte as you make your way up Bell Rock as well as the surrounding Sedona Valley. If you look off into the distance, you can see the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Don’t feel like you have to go all the way to the top of Bell Rock in Sedona to have a great hike. There are lots of different levels in the rock, making it easy to go up as far as you would like. Even visiting the first and second levels is awesome. The views are gorgeous, starting at the first level.

I stayed on the second level with my two-year-old while my husband took our older kids up climbing, and it worked out great for both of us. Sitting and admiring the beautiful Sedona landscape is well worth the visit.

Bell Rock Trail/Bell Rock Pathway

The Red Rock Trail or Bell Rock Pathway is a trail that runs between the North and South parking areas for the Bell Rock. It runs along Highway 179 and is a great trail for walking or biking.

The Bell Rock Pathway is 3.6 miles long, and most of the trail is a wide and hard surface. There are a few areas by Bell Rock where the trail is rougher.

If you have to park at the southern trailhead, you will take the Bell Rock Trail to the Bell Rock climb.

Courthouse Butte Loop

The Courthouse Butte Loop, also known as the Bell Rock Loop Trail, is the trail that circles the base of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, two large rock formations in Sedona. There are lots of trails that branch off these, but you can use Bell Rock as a marker to make sure you are headed the right way. Bell Rock should always be on your right if you are hiking clockwise.

The Courthouse Butte Trail is a wide gravel trail that my kids loved exploring. They found lots of rocks to stack and had fun exploring. The trail has lots of great views of the Sedona Valley and up-close views of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.

Stacking rocks on the Courthouse Butte Trail

You can reference the above map to make sure you take the correct trails on the Courthouse Butte Loop. Just keep an eye out for the trail signs at the crossroads, and you will be fine. Some of the park signs have the trail labeled as Big Park Loop. Because the large rock formations are so easy to see, it is not hard to stay on the right trail.

Bell Rock in Sedona Vortex

Bell Rock is one of the most well-known Sedona vortex sites. The area known as the Upflow or Electric area is known for its ability to inspire serenity and spiritual energy. It is a popular place for yoga and spiritual activities. The Bell Rock Vortex is classified as a very powerful and full-energy vortex.

Where is the Vortex at Bell Rock?

On your climb up the Bell Rock trail in Sedona, you will turn to the right between the 10^th and 11^th rock baskets. This will take you across a large flat rock, and then you will see a place to climb up to what is known as the Meditation Perch. There is a bit of a scramble to get there. This is where the Bell Rock Vortex is.

The Bell Rock Trail in Sedona, AZ is Pet-Friendly

The Bell Rock Loop is pet-friendly. Pets do need to be on a leash during the hike.

Cathedral Butte near Bell Rock in Sedona

When to Visit

The Bell Rock hiking trail is open year-round and is a great hike any time of the year. However, due to the weather, the best time to hike is during the spring and fall. It will be busier during this time, though.

If you are hiking during the summer, there will be fewer people but warmer temperatures. There is not any shade on the trail, so be prepared with sun protection and lots of water.

We visited in late January and had a great time hiking. We took light jackets, and we were fine weather-wise. The crowds were manageable, and we enjoyed the trail.

Where to Stay

We have stayed in hotels in Sedona as well as camped in our RV. There are lots of great dispersed camping spots in Sedona as well as great campgrounds.

The Bell Rock Inn is a great place to stay near Devil's Bridge

If you are wanting to stay in a hotel, we recommend Bell Rock Inn by Diamond Resorts. It is just minutes from the Bell Rock hike, making it close to all of the fun things to do in Sedona. We have stayed there before, and it is a great place to stay. In our studio, we had a full-size fridge and hot plate, which made it really easy to cook meals and save some money on eating out.

The hotel has two awesome outdoor pools and a hot tub. They heat the pools in the winter to around 80F so you can enjoy them year-round. My kids loved getting to swim every night after our hiking. They also have a gym on-site and a BBQ area.

➡ Check Rates & Availability at the Bell Rock Inn

Hiking the Bell Rock Trail in Sedona Arizona

Bell Rock in Sedona: Conclusion

We hope you have found this guide helpful in planning your trip to Sedona and the Bell Rock Trail. We always love when we get to explore this beautiful part of the American Southwest. There are so many great hiking trails that we enjoy, and love the vibe of the city.

The Bell Rock Trail in Sedona is one of our favorite hikes because you don’t have to walk forever to start enjoying the beautiful views, and my kids love getting to climb all over the rocks.

If you have any questions about the trail or Sedona in general, let us know in the comments below or you can reach out to us on Instagram.

Additional Sedona Travel Blogs

Sedona is such a magical place to visit. Every time we find ourselves in Arizona, we stop by, even if it is just for a couple of days. The beautiful scenery and amazing hiking trails make it a great place to visit. It is also a great place to drive through if you are heading out on a road trip through the American Southwest.

If you’re looking for more info on traveling to Sedona, Arizona, check out these additional Sedona travel guides: