Canyon of Fools Trail

Walkers heading out from Sedona, Arizona will find Yucca Trail at 0.38 miles long, in the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest. At 5-8% the climb is gentle, and the tread is dirt and rock left as it lies. It carries the number 174E and is held to class 2 standards. Storm runoff moves dirt around, so the tread may look different from one season to the next. Carry water, wear shoes with grip, and give yourself more time than the distance suggests. For closures, dog rules, or parking questions, the Red Rock Ranger District is the place to ask.

Mescal Trail is a 2.59 mile route numbered 174C on the Coconino National Forest. Day to day care falls to the Red Rock Ranger District. Native material is the surface here, which is to say plain dirt and stone. Grades of 5 to 8 percent give a sense of how steep the walking gets. The trail class is 2. Shade can be thin, so an early start makes the walk easier in hot months. Pack out everything you carry in, food scraps included. Temperatures swing a lot between morning and afternoon, so dress in layers.

Ok Trail covers 0.3 miles inside the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest, on the public land around Sedona, Arizona. The path rises at 5-8%, steady rather than steep, over dirt and rock. It carries the number 205 and is held to class 2 standards. Cool mornings are the easier time to walk it, and light fades quickly in the canyons. Sturdy shoes help, and so does an early start in summer. Ask the Red Rock Ranger District about current conditions and where you may park at the start.

The Red Rock Ranger District keeps up Mescal Connector Trail, one of many routes on the Coconino National Forest. It measures close to 0.32 miles and carries the number 174D. The tread is native material, so expect dirt and rock the whole way. Climbs and descents work out to 5 to 8 percent, and the route is logged at trail class 2. Carry your own water, because there is none to fill up along the way. Storms and snow change conditions fast, so ask the ranger district about closures before you drive out.

About 1.68 miles long, Dawa Trail runs through the Coconino National Forest and falls under the Red Rock Ranger District. The number on the sign is 188. Underfoot it is native material: dirt and rock, not pavement. Grade sits in the 5 to 8 percent range. Trail class is 3. Start back with enough daylight left to finish. Wear shoes with grip and take care on loose rock. Phone service is patchy out here, so save a map to your phone first. Step to the side and let horses pass when you meet riders.

A B Young Trail covers 2.09 miles near Sedona, in the Red Rock Ranger District of Coconino National Forest. It is trail number 100. The typical grade is 10 to 12 percent, which is steep enough that the mileage understates the effort, and the surface is native material. It is a class 2 trail. The allowed uses are not posted, so ask before you ride. This is a well known climb and it can be busy, so an early start helps with both parking and heat. Trailhead parking details are not posted, and parking rules around Sedona change, so check before you drive out.

Adobe Jack Trail is a 2.1 mile path in the Coconino National Forest near Sedona, Arizona. The Red Rock Ranger District takes care of it. The tread is native material, so you walk on packed dirt and rock rather than pavement. Grades run about 8 to 10 percent, which means steady short climbs rather than flat walking. It is listed as trail number 660 and rated trail class 2, a simple developed path with no pavement and no railings. Wear shoes with grip, carry more water than you think you need, and check the district for closures before you drive out to the trailhead.

Aerie Trail runs 2.75 miles over native dirt and rock in the Coconino National Forest outside Sedona. Grades sit between 5 and 8 percent, so the climbing is gentle and steady rather than steep. It is listed as trail number 168 and rated trail class 2, which means a developed path with a clear tread but no pavement and no railings. The Red Rock Ranger District manages it. Shade is thin on most trails in this country, so carry more water than you think you need, start early in warm months, and check for closures before you drive to the trailhead.