How to hike Bell Rock in Sedona: the Courthouse Butte Loop and the climb

Planning to hike Bell Rock in Sedona? From the Courthouse Butte Loop, my favourite hike in Sedona, to the scramble up Bell Rock itself, this trail guide covers the routes, parking and what to expect.

Driving into Sedona from the south, you can’t miss Bell Rock towering beside the road. This bell-shaped butte is one of Sedona’s most famous landmarks and one of its best-known vortexes, and next to it stands the even bigger Courthouse Butte.

The trails around their base are some of the best in Sedona. The Courthouse Butte Loop was pretty much my favourite hike in Sedona when I visited in February: it takes you all the way around both buttes, with big views of the red rocks the whole way. If you want more of a challenge, you can also scramble part of the way up Bell Rock.

Bell Rock at a glance

• Where: beside SR 179, just north of the Village of Oak Creek and about 15 minutes south of Uptown Sedona
• Height: Bell Rock’s summit is 4,919 feet, about 480 feet above its surroundings
• Trailheads: Courthouse Vista and Bell Rock Vista, both on SR 179
• Parking: Red Rock Pass ($5 a day) or America the Beautiful pass needed
• Trails: Courthouse Butte Loop (3.8 miles), Bell Rock Pathway (3.5 miles one way), Bell Rock climb (about 1.5 miles round trip)
• Best for: the Courthouse Butte Loop for an easy, varied half-day hike; the Bell Rock climb for a short, steep scramble with views
• Dogs: allowed; keep them on a lead

Where to park: the two trailheads

There are two main car parks, both on the east side of SR 179. Courthouse Vista, at the northern end, is about 5 miles south of the roundabout where SR 179 meets SR 89A in Sedona, and Bell Rock Vista is about a mile further south, on the edge of the Village of Oak Creek. Both have toilets (but no drinking water) and connect to the same network of trails, so use whichever has space. The Sedona Shuttle doesn’t serve them.

You’ll need a Red Rock Pass to park at either, which you can buy from the card-only machines at the trailhead, or display an America the Beautiful pass. Both car parks fill up by mid-morning in spring and autumn, so arrive early.

Top tip: use the toilets at the trailhead before you set off, and take plenty of water: there’s none on the trails and very little shade.

Hike the Courthouse Butte Loop, my favourite trail in Sedona

The Courthouse Butte Loop doesn’t have the thrills of some of the other trails, like Devil’s Bridge, Cathedral Rock and the Bell Rock climb, but it’s a reasonable length and takes you around both buttes, with lots of expansive views of the red rocks. There’s some elevation change, but nothing serious: it’s an easy hike, and it was pretty much my favourite in Sedona.

The loop is 3.8 miles with only about 300 feet of climbing, and takes two to two and a half hours. From the trailhead, follow the Bell Rock Pathway north, then pick up the Courthouse Butte Loop, which circles the far side of Courthouse Butte through quiet juniper and pinyon woodland before rejoining the pathway. The east side of the loop is much quieter than the busy area at the foot of the rock, and you get views of the buttes from every angle.

Top tip: parts of the loop cross bare slickrock and can be muddy after rain or snow, so wear shoes with good grip.

Walk the Bell Rock Pathway

The Bell Rock Pathway is a wide, mostly flat trail that runs for 3.5 miles along the west side of the rock, from the Village of Oak Creek north towards Sedona, climbing only about 185 feet. It’s the easiest walk in the area and a good way to see both buttes up close without much effort, with three access points along SR 179.

You can walk as much or as little of it as you like, and it links to the Courthouse Butte Loop, the Bell Rock Loop around the base of the rock, and the climbing route.

Circle the base on the loop trail

If you’re short on time, the short Bell Rock Loop trail circles close to the base of the rock itself, with little climbing. Combine it with the Bell Rock Pathway for a walk of an hour or so around the whole rock, and several other trails branch off it, so you can easily extend your hike.

Climb Bell Rock

The most exciting option is to climb it. It’s a short route, about 1.5 miles round trip from the trailhead with around 350 feet of climbing, but it’s steep and you’ll be scrambling up bare sandstone. The official route is marked first by caged cairns and then by white painted arrows on the rock; keep three points of contact on the steeper sections.

Most people climb to the broad ledges about two-thirds of the way up, at around 4,700 feet, which have sweeping views over the red rocks and the Village of Oak Creek. Above that, the rock becomes exposed and technical, and the true summit involves climbing a third spire and a near-vertical wall: it’s a rock climb for experienced climbers only. Go only as high as you feel comfortable, as the descent is harder than the climb.

Tips for your hike

• When to go: early morning or late afternoon, especially in summer, when the heat is intense and there’s little shade. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons. I visited in February, when it was cold but much quieter.
• What to wear: comfortable hiking trainers or hiking boots with good grip, sun protection and a refillable water bottle.
• Navigation: the trails here criss-cross, so download a map or use the map at the end of this guide.
• Camping: you can’t camp at Bell Rock, but there are campgrounds in Oak Creek Canyon; see my guide to where to stay in Sedona.

Map

Read next

• The best hikes in Sedona
• The best things to do in Sedona
• Where to stay in Sedona
• The best things to do in Arizona

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