Telephone Trail

CAVE SPRING is a campground run by the United States Forest Service at 11345 N. HIGHWAY 89A, SEDONA, AZ, 86336, in Oak Creek Canyon. It has 84 sites and is reservable through recreation.gov, so book ahead in the warm months. The phone number is (928) 282-1629. There is no wifi, and it is not recorded as having ADA access, so ask before you book if that matters. From Phoenix, take I-17 to Highway 179 north toward Sedona, then north on Highway 89A for 11 miles into Oak Creek Canyon. From Flagstaff, take I-17 to Highway 89A south and follow it 18 miles.

About 0.36 miles long, Cave Springs Trail runs through the Coconino National Forest and falls under the Red Rock Ranger District. The number on the sign is 107. The tread is native material, so expect dirt and rock the whole way. Grade sits in the 5 to 8 percent range. Trail class is 3. 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. Sun is strong most of the year, so a hat and sunscreen help.

Trail class 2, grade 12 to 20 percent, and a length near 0.91 miles: that is the shape of Harding Springs Trail. It lies on the Coconino National Forest, in the Red Rock Ranger District, and shows up on maps as trail 51. Nothing is paved. The surface is native material, dirt and rock as found. Step to the side and let horses pass when you meet riders. Sun is strong most of the year, so a hat and sunscreen help. Start back with enough daylight left to finish. Wear shoes with grip and take care on loose rock.

Thomas Point Trail is 1.0 miles near Sedona, in the Red Rock Ranger District of Coconino National Forest, as trail number 142. It climbs at a typical 5 to 8 percent, over native material. The trail class is 1, the least developed class, so expect rough tread and light marking rather than a graded path. The allowed uses are not posted for this one, so ask before you ride. A mile on a class 1 trail asks more of you than a mile on a built one. Carry a map.

The Red Rock Ranger District keeps up Cookstove Trail, one of many routes on the Coconino National Forest. It measures close to 2 miles and carries the number 143. 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. Stay on the worn tread to keep the soil and plants around it intact. Footing gets slick for a while after rain. Carry your own water, because there is none to fill up along the way.

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.