9 Awesome Sedona Jeep Trails For Off Roading Adventure

Renting a Jeep was the best decision we made during our 8-day visit to Sedona in December 2021. We personally drove each of the 9 Sedona Jeep trails you’ll find in this guide and we had a blast. We also benefited from some unexpected advantages like accessing popular hiking trailheads via Jeep-only trails, so keep an eye out for our bonus tips within each trail description.

In this guide we walk you through each of Sedona’s fun off-roading trails, based entirely on our own experiences. Our list is ordered by difficulty from easiest to hardest, so start with the first few to build your confidence and end with Broken Arrow trail which will not only test your driving skills, but also your nerve.

Hiking and photography were our two major priorities during our first visit to Sedona AZ, but we also wanted to do something a little different, so we decided to splurge on renting a Jeep. It cost a small fortune but it was well worth paying for! Read more about us.

We’d never attempted off-roading in a Jeep Rubicon before we visited Sedona, and it turned out to be so much fun. Mark couldn’t get enough of the technical Broken Arrow Trail and Kristen enjoyed the wide open Outlaw Trail the most. Okay, let’s begin!

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1. Mystic Vista Trail

Despite being the shortest and easiest Jeep trail in Sedona, Mystic Vista is one place you can’t afford to miss on your Jeeping itinerary. Why? Because there’s a hidden viewpoint at the end of Mystic Vista (get the name now?!) that very few people know about when visiting Sedona.

Follow a short, narrow and twisting road leading to a loop. At the very back of the loop you can park your Jeep, scale a short mound and summit onto a flat topped rock formation just above the canopy with astounding views over Sedona.

Trail Details

• Distance: 1 mile roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 20 feet
• Difficulty: Very Easy
• Time: 30 minutes (longer at sunrise)
• Gears: 4H only
• Trailhead: FR 9587

Tips

• Drive the short trail before first light to watch a stunning sunrise from a secret vista point at the end.
• Nearby Doe Mountain Trail is a very popular sunrise hike because you can watch hot air balloons taking off at dawn. Well, you get the same view but without the climb from Mystic Vista.
• Do not forget your camera if you drive to Mystic Vista for sunrise or sunset.
• Nobody knows about this Sedona Jeep trail so you’ll likely have it to yourself.
• Mystic Vista is a great trail to drive right after hiring your Jeep and it is directly on the way to other Jeep trails to the west of Sedona.
• Important: The trail is within a residential area, so you must be respectful and keep noise to a minimum at all times.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Mystic Vista 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Spectacular hidden sunrise spot
✅ Easy trail perfect for beginners
✅ Takes less than 30 minutes

Cons

❌ Not an adventurous drive
❌ Inside a residential area
❌ Easy to miss as not signposted

2. Ranch Loop Trail

Are you feeling a little nervous about driving your Jeep in Sedona? Conquer those butterflies by heading over to Ranch Loop and easing your way nicely into the process.

Ranch Loop is a fantastic introductory Jeep trail easily accessed from the main highway running out of Sedona. You can glide around in 4H on mostly flat dirt track with just a few stones and rocks to navigate. You will breeze through gorgeous rural countryside and the best part is you will barely see another vehicle.

Trail Details

• Distance: 8 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 300 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time: 1 hour
• Gears: 4H only
• Trailheads: FR 525A and FR 761B

Tips

• Start the loop on the north side and drive anti-clockwise to transition from very easy to easy going.
• Always quiet so time of day won’t matter.
• Excellent trail for gaining confidence if there are multiple drivers in your Jeep.
• Combine with Diamondback Gulch for a 3 hour double

Here are our pros and cons to driving Ranch Loop 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Located close to the highway
✅ Very flat and easy Jeep trail
✅ Perfect for harder trail preparation

Cons

❌ Not very adventurous
❌ Least exciting of the longer trails
❌ Not great if you’re short on time

3. Robbers Roost Trail

How do you like the idea of driving a Jeep to within 10 minutes walk of a hidden cave in Sedona? Head far out to the northwest of Sedona on gravel roads before transitioning onto a high clearance only road and parking at Robbers Roost Trailhead.

A quick 10 minute walk later and you can step inside Hideout Cave (sometimes called Shaman’s Cave) which features 2 windows with striking views over Sedona’s desert landscape.

Robbers Roost Jeep trail is slow going and rocky, but it is easy enough. This one is suitable for beginner drivers or those looking to build confidence for the adventure trails you will find later in this guide.

Trail Details

• Distance: 2.4 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 200 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time: 1.5 hours with hiking
• Gears: 4H and 4L
• Trailhead: FR 525C

Tips

• Time of day doesn’t matter here because it is always quiet
• Hideout Cave windows face east
• Easy to combine with nearby trails and ancient ruins
• Shift into 4L when the trail turns rocky
• Avoid the bigger stones for a more comfortable drive

Here are our pros and cons to driving Robbers Roost 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Very quiet trail
✅ Nearby cave with amazing views
✅ Easy trail for beginners

Cons

❌ Out of the way
❌ Not adventurous
❌ Hard to find compared to others

4. Outlaw Trail

This is where we begin to take things up a notch. Outlaw is a very popular 4WD off roading trail in Sedona because you get a longer drive with some light adventure elements thrown in for good measure. Outlaw combines moderately challenging driving in 4L with plenty of space to maneuver. The major downside is sharing Outlaw with loads of ATV’s.

You will pass through multiple washes and navigate bigger rocks on this trail. It is important not to get overexcited on the flatter and more open stretches because pot holes and large rocks appear out of nowhere. Driving Outlaw trail allows Jeep drivers to advance into the next band of difficulty and provides the option to visit some of the most important ruins in Sedona.

Trail Details

• Distance: 4 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 220 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time: 2 hours (longer with ruins)
• Gears: Mostly 4L
• Trailhead: End of FR 525

Tips

• Stay under 10mph and err on the side of caution.
• Be confident and decisive but respectful of others.
• Always pull over to let ATV’s pass.
• Consult the trail instructions provided throughout.
• Make sure you are in 4L for a wash crossing at 5 miles.
• Drive Outlaw early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Outlaw 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Perfect middle difficulty trail
✅ Long open drive
✅ Easy to visit ancient ruins

Cons

❌ Very busy trail with lots of ATV’s
❌ Not as exciting as Diamondback Gulch
❌ Long way out from Sedona

5. Dry Creek Basin Trail

Dry Creek Basin is definitely one of the most underrated Sedona Jeep trails. Have you heard of the Devils Bridge hike? Well, getting parked to hike Devils Bridge is always a problem. But renting a Jeep means you can drive Dry Creek beyond the traditional parking lot and park right at the Devils Bridge trailhead.

So what happens is everyone in a Jeep takes advantage of this huge benefit by parking at the trailhead (we did it and hiked Devils Bridge for sunrise), but then they forget Dry Creek is a fun Jeep trail of its own accord and they leave after the hike.

You should continue beyond Devils Bridge to Van Deren Cabin and even Vultee Arch hiking trail. Using 4L for almost all of the Dry Creek Basin Jeep trail, you will navigate S bends through creeks, drive over significant rocky sections and even through shallow water at times.

Trail Details

• Distance: 10.4 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 200 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time: 2 hours (longer with hike to Devils Bridge)
• Gears: Mostly 4L
• Trailhead: Dry Creek Vista hiking trailhead

Tips

• Watch for hikers who are walking along Dry Creek Basin both ways
• Take things slowly if you drive in the dark to hike Devils Bridge for sunrise
• Parking for 4WD vehicles at Devils Bridge is limited
• Don’t miss Van Deren Cabin and Vultee Arch for a second hike on this road
• At the end once back at Dry Creek trailhead, drive through the parking lot and over more boulders to enter a secret area very few know about. This hidden area is included in our guide to the best Sedona sunset photo spots.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Dry Creek Basin 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Access to Devils Bridge trailhead
✅ The trail itself is really fun to drive
✅ Vultee Arch hiking trail at the end

Cons

❌ Busy trail with Jeep tours
❌ Lots of hikers on road
❌ Dry Creek can flood

6. Schnebly Hill Road Trail

Although Schnebly Hill Road is rated as easy in technical difficulty, we think this popular Sedona Jeep trail should be categorized as moderately difficult overall. The drive up to Schnebly Hill Vista Overlook is extremely bouncy, slow and busy with tours.

Schnebly Hill is one of those unmissable Jeep trails that you have to drive, but only drive it once! There are three places you should stop to make the most of this trail.

The first is Cow Pies for a short and flat hike out onto circular rock formations. Second is a formation called Merry Go Round which is a popular wedding photography spot with stunning views. Finally, the vista at the top of Schnebly Hill is magnificent and well worth the drive up.

At the top you can optionally drive Volcanic Rim Loop, a very rough trail with excellent views. We didn’t drive the additional loop. You will more than likely have a headache by the time you arrive back at the trailhead, even without the extra rough loop!

Trail Details

• Distance: 11.4 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1,800 feet
• Difficulty: Easy / Moderate
• Time: 3 hours
• Gears: Mostly 4H
• Trailhead: Munds Wagon hiking trailhead

Tips

• Take care near the top with drops to the side of narrow roads.
• Pull over for tour groups as they are on a time schedule.
• Look out for drivers on the wrong side of the road.
• Prepare to bounce around constantly for a long period.
• Don’t forget your camera for the high up viewpoints.
• Drive as close to sunrise as possible so views are away from the sun.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Schnebly Hill Road 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Very close to downtown Sedona
✅ Gain 1,800 ft in 5.7 miles
✅ Great hikes and photo spots

Cons

❌ Bounciest of all trails
❌ Lots of tours on the road
❌ Not the most thrilling

7. Diamondback Gulch Trail

The thoroughly enjoyable Diamondback Gulch Jeep trail is arguably the most diverse off roading route in Sedona. You will drive in 4H and 4L, navigate a gigantic V shaped ravine, glide through dirt packed turns and cross sharp rocks at a snails pace.

Diamondback Gulch was the first trail we went back for a second run at after completing each of the 9 routes in this guide. The gulch itself is a 300 ft steep drop followed immediately by a 400 ft steep climb right back out.

Despite being one of the most popular Sedona Jeep trails, we saw no other Jeeps or tours either time we drove Diamondback Gulch. This is the perfect trail to hone your off roading skills and it gives any nervous drivers in your party a great opportunity to try out a more challenging route without the crowds.

Trail Details

• Distance: 6.7 miles point to point
• Elevation Gain: 400 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate / Hard
• Time: 2 hours
• Gears: 4H and 4L
• Trailhead: FR 525

Tips

• Start in 4H but shift into 4L around 1 mile in.
• Take the gulch slowly but enjoy the challenge.
• Let others pass so you can take Diamondback Gulch at your own pace.
• Consult the instructions provided as you drive the trail.
• Drive anti-clockwise for the traditional route through Diamondback Gulch.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Diamondback Gulch 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ The gulch is a lot of fun
✅ Much quieter than other trails
✅ Exciting drive without bouncing

Cons

❌ Not as exciting as Broken Arrow
❌ Lacks views and hikes
❌ The gulch is quite intimidating

8. Soldier Pass Trail

The only Jeep trail in Sedona even remotely close to giving Broken Arrow a run for its money in terms of technical difficulty is Soldier Pass trail. The multi-faceted Soldier Pass 4WD road was one of our favorite drives in the Rubicon. Soldier Pass is a hugely popular hiking trail leading to Devils Kitchen, Seven Sacred Pools and Soldier Pass Cave.

Trailhead parking is impossible with just 14 spaces, but in your Jeep you can drive straight through the tiny parking lot and beyond the gate to access the off road trail.

The 4L Soldier Pass trail itself is fantastic and testing with narrow, twisting and technical roads leading you directly to Devils Kitchen and Seven Sacred Pools in the Jeep. Follow the road to the end, park under cover of trees and hike a short distance to enter the famous Soldier Pass cave.

Important: You must apply for a motorized use permit to drive Soldier Pass 4WD off road trail. You cannot access the road without a code to unlock the gate.

Trail Details

• Distance: 3 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 50 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate / Adventurous
• Time: 1-3 hours depending on hiking
• Gears: Mostly 4L
• Trailhead: Soldier Pass hiking trailhead

Tips

• Permit requirement means Soldier Pass trail is limited to less than 10 Jeeps per day.
• Expect envious eyes from people trying to park as you drive through the parking lot and enter.
• Don’t forget to drive the spur trails leading to Devils Kitchen and Seven Sacred Pools.
• Both spur trails are technical and narrow so don’t start with this trail, build up to it.
• Park right at the very end of the road and climb up to Soldier Pass cave.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Soldier Pass 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Short but very technical
✅ Leads to 3 natural landmarks
✅ Access to Soldier Pass hiking trail

Cons

❌ Requires permit to drive
❌ Narrow and hard
❌ Have to be aware of hikers

9. Broken Arrow Trail

Completing our list of best Jeep trails in Sedona is the legendary Broken Arrow. We tried hard not to go with the consensus but it is impossible not to love this trail. After driving it 3 times, we have to agree that Broken Arrow is the best Jeep trail in Sedona. It’s all action, thrill and adrenaline.

You will drive to stunning viewpoints and take on challenging obstacles that will blow your resting heart-rate into the stratosphere. Just be aware you are going to share Broken Arrow with a lot of other Jeep rentals and Jeep tours.

Chicken Point overlook is a fantastic viewpoint, but we think Submarine Rock is even better. Back in the Jeep, you are going to enjoy “the traffic circle”, “the slide” and “the steps” so much that you will go straight back around the loop.

Trail Details

• Distance: 4 miles roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 220 feet
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Time: 2 hours
• Gears: Almost all 4L
• Trailhead: Morgan Road

Tips

• Broken Arrow is by far the most heavily trafficked Jeep trail in Sedona.
• You will be sharing the trail with other Jeep rentals, personal 4WD vehicles and tours.
• Take things slowly and err on the side of caution.
• Be confident and decisive but respectful of others.
• Always pull over to let tour groups pass because they are on the clock.
• Consult the trail instructions provided upon hiring your Jeep.
• Plan to walk around both Submarine Rock and Chicken Point Overlook.

Here are our pros and cons to driving Broken Arrow 4WD Trail:

Pros

✅ Very close to downtown Sedona
✅ Short, sweet and packed full of adventure
✅ Excellent viewpoints along the route

Cons

❌ Very busy trail with lots of tours
❌ Certain parts may be intimidating
❌ Can be hard to follow the trail

Sedona Jeep Trails Map

Click or touch the map below to activate, zoom in and out, and scroll around. If you’d like to see a bigger version, click the “view larger map” icon in the top right, and if you’d like to see any specific trail, click the arrow and square icon in the top left.

Map key:

• Green – Trail start points
• Red – Trail end points
• Blue – The driving routes

Off-Roading Itinerary

Okay, now you know the trails, but how do you incorporate them into your Sedona itinerary?

Well, here are some of our example itinerary ideas for splitting the trails up based on how many days you rent your Jeep:

Easy to Hard – 1 Day

Split the trails into difficulty, starting with the easiest to build confidence and ending with the more technical routes. This will work better if you’ve never driven off-road or if you feel nervous.

• Morning – Start with Ranch Loop, then drive Outlaw and move onto Diamondback Gulch.
• Afternoon – Move onto Soldier Pass and end with Broken Arrow.

East vs West – 2 Days

Split the trails by geography and spend 2 full days off-roading in Sedona. This works better if you’re a confident, experienced driver and you want to spend two full days on the trails.

• East Sedona Day 1 – Drive Dry Creek Basin and hike Devils Bridge for sunrise, then drive Soldier Pass. Move onto Schnebly Hill and end with Broken Arrow.
• West Sedona Day 2 – Start with Mystic Vista for sunrise, then drive Diamondback Gulch, Ranch Loop, Outlaw and Robbers Roost.

Jeep, Hike and Sightsee – 3 Days

Take things easy and combine Sedona’s Jeep trails with hiking and heritage sites. This works better if you have a longer trip to Sedona and you want a varied itinerary.

• 1st Day – Start with Dry Creek Basin and hike Devils Bridge, then drive Soldier Pass and hike to Soldier Pass Cave, before finishing with Schnebly Hill and the Cow Pies Hangover Loop hike.
• 2nd Day – Start with Mystic Vista for sunrise, hike nearby Fay Canyon Trail or Doe Mountain Trail, drive to Palatki Ruins and Honanki Ruins, drive Outlaw and Robbers Roost to hike Hideout Cave.
• 3rd Day – Drive Ranch Loop, then drive Diamondback Gulch before heading over to Broken Arrow to drive a few loops around the technical obstacles.

Is It Worth Renting A Jeep In Sedona?

Renting a Jeep in Sedona is definitely worth it if you have a healthy travel budget, at least 3 or 4 days in your itinerary and you want to try something different. Not only can you drive the awesome off-roading trails we’ve talked about, but you can also use the Jeep to access hard to reach areas and certain hiking trailheads.

It’s important to know that renting a Jeep isn’t cheap. We paid around $500 for 3 full days, and that was a special discounted rate because we visited Sedona in December during the low season. So you need to be prepared for a splurge! But even if we paid full price, we still think it would have been worth it.

Here are our pros and cons to renting a Jeep in Sedona:

Pros:

✅ You get to drive amazing off-road trails around Sedona in a Jeep Rubicon. That alone is a pretty cool reason to do it!
✅ The Jeep will let you see several areas of Sedona you otherwise would not be able to visit. That includes ancient heritage sites, caves and countless miles of rural countryside.
✅ A Jeep will give you a huge advantage over the crowds on popular hiking trails like Devils Bridge and Soldier Pass. Plus, it gives you access to other hard to reach trailheads like Vultee Arch and Robbers Roost.

Cons:

❌ Hiring a Jeep is going to cost you a small fortune and it’ll eat into a huge chunk of your overall travel budget.
❌ You’ll use up a significant portion of time on your Sedona itinerary, so you might not want to lose an entire day or two days from your trip.

Jeep Or ATV?

You do have the option to rent an ATV instead of a Jeep. But we highly recommend choosing a Jeep and here’s why:

• Jeeps are fully enclosed so you’re protected from the elements like sun, wind or rain.
• You’ll have to wear goggles, helmets and neck buffs in an ATV but you can take it easy in a Jeep.
• Stones can kick back on busy gravel roads and off-road trails, in a Jeep you’re fully protected.
• You can use the Jeep in place of your personal vehicle for driving around Sedona all day and night.
• You’ll be provided with a cool box for the back of the Jeep, so you can carry food and drinks.
• There’s plenty of storage in the back of the Jeep for warm clothes or hiking and photography gear.
• ATV’s are limited to certain trail types in Sedona, we never saw any on the harder trails.
• Jeeps are far more comfortable to ride and they have air conditioning.
• ATV’s are similarly priced to Jeeps, so really it’s a no brainer.

Jeep Rental Companies

There are a handful of official companies operating Jeep rentals in Sedona. You can and should compare prices, and reach out to any you like the look of for more information.

Here are the companies you can check out:

• Barlow Adventures
• Red Rock Rubicon
• Sedona Rent-A-Jeep
• Cobalt Escapes

After reading reviews and window shopping around town, we decided to go with Barlow Adventures. They had extremely positive reviews and the Jeeps on display looked spotless. From start to finish we were very impressed with the entire service, from customer service to help with planning which trails to drive. And our maroon Jeep (Amy) turned out to be fantastic.

Jeep Tours

An alternative way of experiencing the most popular Jeep trails in Sedona is to take a Jeep tour. You’ll see loads of Pink Jeep Tours, Red Rock Tours and similar companies cruising around town throughout your stay.

We recommend you take a look at all Jeep tour options with Viator and Get Your Guide to see if you can find better value for money with a tour, rather than spending big on hiring a Jeep yourself. This might work better if you only want to experience Broken Arrow for instance.

Top rated Jeep tours in Sedona:

Driving Your Jeep

Sedona’s off road trails are awesome. But they are very different to driving your every day car and there are a few things you need to know:

• You’ll frequently shift into 4L and 4H. Instructions on which gears to use on specific trails will be given to you upon hiring the vehicle and it’s important to follow them.
• You must respect the Jeep, the trails and other drivers on the trails. Enjoy driving but be courteous and considerate.
• Watch out for ATV’s flying by and kicking back loose stones which might hit your Jeep windshield. There’s not much you can do, just pull over to the side and let them pass.
• You will get mud and dust on your Jeep. The key is to have a blast but at the same time be safe and respectful of the vehicle. The place you rent from will know how you treat the Jeep with one look.

Best Time To Hire

You can drive Sedona’s Jeep trails any time of day and you’re going to have a fantastic experience. But if you want to avoid crowds, we suggest staying away from Broken Arrow, Diamondback Gulch, Outlaw and Schnebly Hill between 10:00 and 3:00pm. You’ll be rewarded with quieter trails if you can get out early in the morning or much later in the day.

If you’re interested in sunrises or photography, you should consider driving Broken Arrow or Schnebly Hill at dawn or dusk. They have west facing views from elevated viewpoints which are spectacular at both sunrise and sunset.

Here’s when we would suggest driving each Sedona Jeep Trail:

• Mystic Vista – Sunrise is amazing from the viewpoint
• Ranch Loop – Any time of day the trail will be quiet
• Robbers Roost – Any time of day
• Outlaw – Any time but busiest mid morning to mid afternoon
• Dry Creek – Before sunrise to make the most of parking for Devils Bridge hike
• Schnebly Hill – Sunrise or sunset for best light and to avoid tours
• Diamondback Gulch – Any time of day
• Soldier Pass – Any time of day but the hike and cave will be busiest midday
• Broken Arrow – Early morning or early evening for best light and avoiding tours

Spring and fall are the two busiest seasons in Sedona. More people in town means more Jeeps and more tours on the trails. Plus, prices for Jeeps are going to be at peak. Summer is slightly quieter and winter is much quieter. There are very few instances during the calendar year in which Jeep prices are temporarily slashed to accommodate for low seasons, but if you can catch one you’ll save a lot of money.

We were fortunate enough to be in town in December during one of the few periods in the calendar year when Jeep rentals are slightly discounted. There were no downsides to visiting in winter either. The weather was great, the trails were quieter and we got a cheaper price.

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We hope our guide to the thrilling Sedona Jeep trails helps with planning your visit to Arizona!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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