Do I Need a 4x4 in Sedona?

No, you do not need a 4x4 in Sedona . There are only a few trails in Sedona that are 4x4 roads. You do not need a 4x4 vehicle to explore most of Sedona. If you want to go on a 4x4 trail, you can rent a jeep for a day or take a tour.

Broken Arrow Trail: Hiking and Driving this Beautiful Trail in Sedona

Are you looking for information about hiking, biking, or driving the Broken Arrow Trail?

You have come to the right place. We love Sedona and spend time there every year. We have hiked many of the trails multiple times and sometimes take our off-highway vehicle as well. Here, we will give you all the information you will want and more about the Broken Arrow Trail.

Sedona’s Broken Arrow Trail is one of the most popular off-road trails in the area and the Coconino National Forest. It is a unique destination offering hiking, mountain biking, and an off-road driving experience.

Nestled in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, this trail provides breathtaking scenery, challenging terrains, and an unforgettable off-road adventure.

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Hiking the Broken Arrow Trail

Length: 3.4 miles round trip
Broken Arrow Trail Difficulty:
Hiking: Moderate
Driving: Moderate to Challenging (5.5 out of 10)
Elevation Gain: Approximately 500 feet
Route Type: Out and back
Dog-Friendly: Yes
Hiking Time: 1 to 3 hours

Fee/Permit: Yes, a Red Rock Pass is required for Broken Arrow Trail parking. However, the America the Beautiful Pass works also. We absolutely love the America the Beautiful pass and make sure we have it during our travels every year.

Broken Arrow Trail Directions to the Trailhead

The trailhead is located at the end of Morgan Road, with designated parking areas requiring a Red Rock Pass. From Sedona, you will head south on the 179 until you reach the Morgan Road roundabout. You Follow Morgan Road until it dead ends into the trail. Google Maps shows the Sedona Broken Arrow Trail as Morgan Road.

Parking lot for the Broken Arrow trailhead in Northern Arizona

If you are taking an off-road vehicle down the Broken Arrow trail in Sedona or if you are going to hike the trail, your experiences are vastly different. The trail has beautiful views like many of the other fantastic trails, with some great areas where our kids love to climb around.

This is a nice Sedona hike, but this trail provides so much fun as an off-road trail. This is by far the best off-road trail in Sedona.

What to Expect Hiking This Trail

My daughter hiking the Broken Arrow Trail with our dog

When hiking the Broken Arrow Trail, it seems like a combination of some of the other popular hiking trails, like the Devil’s Bridge and Cathedral Rock. The reason why the trail is similar to the Devil’s Bridge hike is that if you hike the full Devil’s Bridge trail, there is a section where side-by-side vehicles and other off-highway vehicles share the same trail with you.

The trail that is shared with the Devil’s Bridge is wider than the Broken Arrow trail. About half of the Broken Arrow Trail does not have two-way traffic; the other half does have two-way traffic. Parts of the trail are a loop trail, so you can see two-way traffic and one-way traffic depending on where you are on the trail.

The trail is similar to the Cathedral Rock Trail because you will have to scramble over rocks similar to Cathedral Rock, but we found the Broken Arrow trail to be a little less scrambling.

You will be hiking the trail, or part of the trail, with off-highway vehicles like side-by-sides, pink jeep tours, or other four-wheel drive vehicles. The jeeps drive slowly because of some of the rocks they have to travel over, so you should not worry about them being a problem.

You should be aware that the hike may be a little bit noisy, and you may need to step aside to let the jeeps pass.

🏆 Pro Tip:

If you want to hike the trail when there are fewer vehicles, the morning is the best time because many of the jeeps do not start the trail super early.

If you want to watch the vehicles traverse the trail, go a little later in the day and hang out by some of the larger obstacles on the main trail. The first obstacle is a nice place for hikers and kids to spread out and play while watching the 4×4 vehicles pass.

Driving the Broken Arrow Trail

Our rzr and a pink jeep driving the 4x4 trail in Sedona

Recommended Vehicle Information for the Broken Arrow Trail

✔ High ground clearance and 4WD vehicles are necessary.

✔ Off-road tires and skid plates are recommended.

If you have something similar to a Jeep Rubicon, you will be able to take this trail easily. You do not need to have a vehicle that is custom-made by any means to make this trail.

Where to Start the Trail

Begin your drive at the trailhead off Morgan Road, following the well-marked path. The Morgan Road essentially dead ends at the start of the trail, or for those who are hiking and mountain biking, the road ends at the parking lot at the start of the off-road trail.

The trail is not overly challenging to drive in our opinion. We drove this trail in Sedona with our kids and had a great time.

The start of the 4x4 section of the Broken Arrow Trail

If we were to give the trail a difficulty rating out of 10, we would put the trail at about a 6 out of 10, maybe a little less. We have encountered much more challenging 4×4 trails in Moab.

Some people recommend trying a few of the other trails first, but the other off-road trails in the area are just very bumpy and, in our opinion, not overly enjoyable. If you want a great off-road experience, this is a great trail.

Notable Obstacles

For those who are hiking the trail, these obstacles are nothing to worry about. You can bypass them or slowly walk up them. We would not note any notable obstacles for those looking to hike the trail. For those looking to drive the trail, the first obstacle is going to be at the very start.

As you start the trail, you will drive over a small rock ledge. If you have unsure about going over this little bump you may want to not continue, however, if you do continue you will arrive at the first notable obstacle.

Last Chance Climb

This is a good point to turn around before you get into the trail. The obstacle is less than half a mile into the trail and is a steep ascent. This is a good gauge of what the rest of the trail offers. However, Your vehicle should not struggle much to climb this.

Devil’s Dining Room Sinkhole

The Devil’s Sinkhole is not an obstacle as much as it is a fun side trip to a fun geological feature offering a unique viewpoint. Some people take this detour others bypass it.

Submarine Rock

Submarine Rock is another one of the detour stopping points, but it is a super fun detour that we enjoy. The views are fun, and so is the road getting there. You have nice ascents and descents that make it a fun detour. It is called submarine Rock because, from above, it can look like a submarine.

Chicken Point Overlook

Chicken Point Overlook is at the end of the trail and is an awesome lookout. We enjoyed this overlook, but so did everyone else. The lookout can get busy with people taking pictures and shuffling around with vehicles because you do run into oncoming traffic at this point.

Don’t be in a rush and take your time and this will be a fun stop. After you leave Chicken Point Overlook, the road has two-way traffic but splits again into one-way traffic as you head to Mushroom Rock, The Slide, and The Stairs.

Mushroom Rock

This is one of the uniquely shaped red rock formations along the trail. It is fun to drive around. It reminded me of a roundabout, so we decided to circle around it a couple of times. This is not really a difficult obstacle since you just need to drive around it.

The Slide

The Slide is a steep ascent really close to Mushroom Rock. You can bypass it if you want to. We didn’t bypass it in our Razor, and most people who have made it this far would not have issues with the obstacle, but you can pass it if you would like.

We played around this area for a bit. There is a sweet optional gap section that is a little off to the side we straddled, but it was a little slick.

Be careful when driving outside of the typical trail. People can get a little overconfident and add some extra dents to their vehicles.

The Stairs

The Stairs are a series of rock steps that are fairly long and a steep drop. The steps are of decent size and one of the more exciting parts of the trail. Make sure you have your vehicle in 4 low and go slow.

Overall Thoughts

This trail is awesome, and we would highly recommend taking a pink jeep tour, renting a jeep, or taking your own 4×4 vehicle down this trail. It is the best 4×4 trail in the area, and the pink jeeps run this trail on a regular basis. When we were on the trail, we saw a lot of them.

If you want to watch the jeeps on the trail or if you are looking for a hike that is a little different then this would be a fun trail to hike, however, this trail is best taken in a 4×4 vehicle.

FAQ: Broken Arrow Trail

Where Do You Park for the Broken Arrow Trail in Sedona?

The parking for the Broken Arrow Trail in Sedona is at the start of the Broken Arrow Trail. Morgan Road in Sedona dead ends into the trail and parking area.

Do You Need a Pass for Broken Arrow Trail?

You do not need a pass for the trail, but you do need a Red Rock pass to park at the Broken Arrow Trailhead. However, if you have the America the Beautiful pass, this pass is accepted for the parking area at the Broken Arrow Trail and throughout Sedona.

How Hard is the Broken Arrow Trail?

If you are hiking the trail, it’s moderately challenging. If you are driving the trail, it is also moderately challenging, and it requires a suitable vehicle. We personally give this trail a 5 out of 10 or maybe a 6 out of 10.

Keep in mind if you rent a jeep in Moab that, the pink jeeps in Sedona make this trail on a regular basis. Other than their specialized seating arrangements, they are basically your stock Jeep.

Can You Drive on the Schnebly Hill Road?

Yes, you can drive on Schnebly Hill Road. This dirt road is an easy jeep road or 4×4 trail. The pink jeeps drive this road, and the road is wide, but this is not our favorite road. This jeep trail is basically a road with lots of small rocks that make your ride super bumpy.

You could probably make it up this trail in good weather without four-wheel drive, but you would want some clearance because of all the rocks that litter this jeep track.

How Long Does Broken Arrow Trail Take?

Hiking takes about 2-3 hours, while driving can take about 1 to 2.5 hours depending if you take the detours and get out to look around. Most people like to get out and see the great views but if things are busy, we would not spend too much time in any one place.

Do I Need a 4×4 in Sedona?

No, you do not need a 4×4 in Sedona. There are only a few trails in Sedona that are 4×4 roads. You do not need a 4×4 vehicle to explore most of Sedona. If you want to go on a 4×4 trail, you can rent a jeep for a day or take a tour.

Is It Hard to Drive in Sedona?

Some trails, like Broken Arrow, require a suitable 4×4 vehicle, but everywhere else is easy to drive around.

Is Broken Arrow Worth a Visit?

Absolutely, for its unique hiking and off-roading experiences and stunning scenery.

The driving section of the Broken Arrow trail in Sedona.

Conclusion: Broken Arrow Trail

The Broken Arrow Trail offers an exceptional blend of hiking and driving adventures in the heart of Sedona’s red rock country. Whether on foot or on wheels, this trail presents a memorable journey through one of Arizona’s most iconic landscapes. We love this trail and drive it whenever we go to Sedona with our 4×4 vehicle.

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: