There are many fun things to do in Sedona with kids, but without question the kid-friendly hikes in Sedona are the best. Not only are the dramatic, towering red rocks around Sedona, Arizona incredibly beautiful, but they are very fun and exciting for kids of all ages to explore.
Sedona, Arizona is one of the best places in America to take your kids hiking and share your love of nature with them. The world-class red rock scenery is the reason USA Today named Sedona, AZ America’s Most Beautiful Place.
There is so much easy hiking in Sedona that parents will have no issues finding a trail to match their kids’ hiking abilities. If you are visiting red rock country with a baby or toddler, you will be happy to discover that there are many easy stroller-friendly hikes in Sedona.
We spent a week in Sedona with a baby and a 2-year old toddler and we enjoyed these easy family hikes in Sedona every single day. We were so encouraged by the positive reaction we got from our fellow hikers. “Wow! He’s only 2 months old?!? Good for you!! Get them started early!”
We wholeheartedly agree with our fellow hikers; we believe hiking with our kids is the best way to instill a lifelong love of nature in them. If you feel the same way, we encourage you to visit Sedona with kids and enjoy these very enjoyable easy hikes through the stunning red rock scenery.
The 6 Best Sedona Hikes with Kids
You’re going to love these toddler-friendly hikes in Sedona! We’ve shared all the details on each hike and recommend you get AllTrails before you go. It’s so handy to be able to download maps!
1. Bell Rock Pathway Trail
One of the best stroller-friendly hikes Sedona has to offer is the Bell Rock Trail, making it one of the best things to do in Sedona with a baby.
The Bell Rock Trail is a kid-friendly Sedona hike which leads you around Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, which are widely considered as two of the most beautiful red rocks in Sedona, AZ.
From the southern Bell Rock Pathway trailhead, there are several hikes to choose from, but the most popular is the Bell Rock Pathway Trail due to its amazing views of Bell Rock.
The Bell Rock Pathway trail is actually a really long Sedona hiking trail, but one of the most popular sections is roughly 1 mile long (there-and-back). This kid-friendly version of the Bell Rock Pathway hike one of the best short hikes in Sedona. The hiking trail is very flat with virtually no elevation gain, allowing for amazing views of Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte the whole way.
If you plan on hiking Bell Rock trail with a stroller, we recommend you use a stroller with larger wheels which can handle a gravel pathway with a few rocks here and there.
If you are hiking with a toddler, expect them to get dirty due to the red shale gravel on the pathway. And despite having a few trees around, this hike is mostly open to the sun, so take steps to protect your children from the strong Arizona sun.
The easy Bell Rock hike is reason enough to come here with you family, but as a bonus the drive to this hike along the Red Rock Scenic Byway. This beautiful drive through the Coconino National Forest National was awarded the All-American Road designation by the Scenic Byways Program – the highest possible designation.
Bell Rock Pathway Stats and Resources
Bell Rock Pathway Trailhead: There are two trailheads for the Bell Rock trail. We hiked to Bell Rock with our kids from the south trailhead, but you can also enjoy hiking from the north trailhead as well.
Distance: From the southern trailhead, it’s approximately 1.2 miles (2km) to the base of Bell Rock and back
Elevation Gain: Although there is a gradual incline as you walk towards Bell Rock, you will barely notice any elevation gain along the southern section of the hiking trail.
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2. West Fork Trail
The West Fork Trail is one of the best family hikes in Sedona, and for good reason. This fun family hike runs through an evergreen forest, following Oak Creek with dramatic canyon walls looming overhead. Bigger kids love this hike as they’ll get to cross Oak Creek several times using a series of stepping stones.
The fun Oak Creek crossings make this one of the best Sedona family hikes, but it also means the West Fork Trail is not a stroller-friendly hike. You will need a baby carrier, if hiking with a baby, and a good sense of balance to cross Oak Creek. There’s little to worry about though – the water isn’t very deep.
Being in a canyon means that you will be afforded reasonably good (but not complete) protection from the sun, making this one of the best things to do with kids in Sedona on a hot day.
The one-way distance of the West Fork hike is 3.4 miles, but it’s worth doing even if you don’t make it the whole way. We didn’t hike the full distance of the West Fork Trail with our kids, but we still had a great time!
Tip: The West Fork Trail is easily one of the most popular hikes in Sedona, but it has a very small parking lot, so get there as early in the day as you can.
West Fork Trail Stats and Resources
Distance: The full length of this beautiful Sedona hike is 3.4 miles (5.2km). From the southern trailhead, it’s approximately 1.2 miles (2km) to the base of Bell Rock and back.
Elevation Gain: As with all hikes that follow a river upstream, there will be an incline on the way out. If you hike the full distance of the West Fork Trail, you’ll have 560 feet (172 m) of total elevation gain, consisting mostly of little ups and downs along this fun Sedona hiking trail.
3. Baldwin Trail
Located just outside the Village of Oak Creek, the Baldwin Trail is a hiking loop around a red rock hill, which reward hikers with beautiful views of Cathedral Rock, especially at sunset.
At only 2 miles long with very little elevation gain, the Baldwin hike is another of our favorite Sedona kid friendly hikes. Despite its short length, the Baldwin Trail is a real hiking trail with lots of rock steps, etc., so we recommend you bring baby carrier for your little ones instead of a stroller.
The Baldwin hike is well treed and will provide some relief from the sun in the morning and afternoon, but the trees are not tall enough to protect you from the hot Arizona midday sun.
Portions of the Baldwin Trail pass by the shores of Oak Creek, so if you have enough time and energy you can take one of the side-trails the riverbed and enjoy some relaxing family time by the water.
Baldwin Trail Stats and Resources
Distance: The full length of this short Sedona hiking loop is 2.5 miles (4 km).
Elevation Gain: There is a bit of a hill along the eastern side of the Baldwin Trail loop (where you can enjoy views of the red rocks of Cathedral Rock). Overall, this kid-friendly Sedona hike only has 235 feet (72 m) of total elevation gain. That’s less than 100 feet per mile.
4. Fay Canyon Trail
If you’d like to avoid the crowds at very popular West Fork Trail, we recommend the Fay Canyon Trail – an easy family-friendly hike through a beautiful red rock canyon near Sedona.
We enjoyed the Fay Canyon hike so much, it was one of our favorite kid-friendly hikes in Sedona. Located just 10 minutes northwest of Sedona, in the Coconino National Forest, the Fay Canyon Trail leads hikers into a beautiful red rock canyon which features a natural stone arch.
The path to the Fay Canyon archway is an offshoot from the main hiking trail, but it is not marked and not easy to find. There are several side trails to choose from; the correct trail is marked by rock steps, while the incorrect ones have been blocked off by tree limbs etc. (You can also find the trail to the Fay Canyon Arch using AllTrails – link below).
The path to the natural stone arch is short, quite steep and hard work, but the views of Fay Canyon are worth it. To be honest, the arch itself is pretty underwhelming, so feel free to skip this section of the hike if your family is not up to a steep climb – Fay Canyon itself is the real star of this show.
The Fay Canyon Trail is one of the most beautiful, yet easy hiking trails in Sedona. It’s one-way distance is only 1.2 miles and has hardly any elevation gain (if you skip the side trail to the arch).
Due to the many rock steps along the trail, we do not classify the Fay Canyon Trail as a stroller-friendly trail in Sedona. Due to the high red rock canyon walls and tree cover, this hike offers good protection from the sun, making it another good thing to do with kids in Sedona to avoid the sun.
Fay Canyon Trail Stats and Resources
Distance: The full there-and-back distance of this fun and easy Sedona hiking trail is 2.3 miles (3.7 km).
Elevation Gain: You’ll encounter a gradual incline all the way into the Fay Canyon. Over the course of this kid-friendly hike you’ll gain only 190 feet (59 m) of elevation. Again, that’s another easy Sedona hike with less than 100 feet of elevation gain per mile.
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5. Huckaby Trail
Conveniently located just minutes outside of town, this easy hike offers great views of Sedona and it’s trademark towering red rocks in the distance. The Huckaby Trail is too rocky & uneven for any kind of hiking stroller, making a baby carrier or wrap a must.
There are trees along this Sedona hiking trail which will afford some shelter from the hot sun, but the protection will be limited at mid-day.
Huckaby Trail Stats and Resources
Distance: The full there-and-back distance of this rewarding Sedona hiking trail with great views is 5.7 miles (9.2 km). You don’t need to hike the full distance to enjoy the incredible views of Sedona’s red rocks. We hiked just over a mile with our kids and had a great time.
Elevation Gain: The Huckaby Trail begins with a descent into a river valley, then back up the other side. This makes the Huckaby Trail harder than the rest of these kid-friendly hikes, but it should still be very do-able for most kids and their parents. This pattern repeats itself over the course of the entire hike, resulting in a total elevation gain of 900 feet (250m). Spread out over nearly 6 miles, that’s still a very manageable amount of elevation gain per mile.
6. Sedona View Trail
As the name of the hike suggests, this family-friendly Sedona hike is also very close to town, beginning in the airport parking lot. This short Sedona hike offers sweeping views looking north over the town and the towering red rocks behind the town.
The tree cover on this easy Sedona hike will not offer much protection from the hot sun. You could use a stroller with big wheels, but due to the narrow path and lots of rocks in the path, a baby carrier is probably better.
Sedona View Trail Stats and Resources
Distance: The full there-and-back distance of this scenic Sedona hiking trail with great views is just 1.3 miles (2.2 km). This short hike packs in a ton of red rocks scenery in very little distance.
Elevation Gain: The Sedona View begins along the top of the Sedona Airport mountain and gradually descends towards the Airport Mesa Viewpoint. You’ll, of course, need to climb this hill back to the airport parking lot on the way back. All told, it’s a very manageable hike with a total elevation gain of 240 feet (75m).
Bonus Sedona Hike with Kids – Devil’s Bridge Trail
The Devil’s Bridge Trail is widely considered one of the best hikes in Sedona. The Devil’s Bridge hike is much more difficult than the others on our list of the 6 best kid-friendly hikes in Sedona, but it’s very possible to do if you are a regular hiker with older kids, or the ability to carry your little one for longer periods and up steep trails.
If you can manage the Devil’s Bridge with kids, the family pictures you will on the arch will be one of your favorite keepsakes from your family trip to Sedona. It’s a very popular Sedona hike, so there should always other hikers at the top to take your family picture on the Devil’s Bridge.
Due to the uneven, rocky and steep nature of the Devil’s Bridge Trail, do not attempt to bring a stroller. Bring a carrier which gives you good balance and hiking boots with good grips.
Devil’s Bridge Trail Stats and Resources
Devil’s Bridge Trail hiking map
Distance: The full there-and-back distance of this iconic Sedona hiking trail is just under 4 miles (6.3 km).
Elevation Gain: The first .1 miles of this popular Sedona hike is along an old, flat road. Once you arrive at the end of the road and start the ascent to the Devil’s Bridge, it starts to get steeper. The climb to Devil’s Bridge involves elevation gain of 345 feet (105 m) over the course of 0.8 miles (1.3 km). This leg of the Devil’s Bridge hike is noticeable steeper than the kid-friendly hikes above, but it’s still very manageable for most hikers.
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Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she’s helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.
