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Devil's Bridge
Hiking Trail
Hard
3.95 mi
684 ft
Hike to arguably Sedona's most famous tourist site.
The Devil's Bridge is a beautiful elevated red rock arch—the largest natural arch in the Sedona area. Since the top of the "arch" is quite flat and easily accessible from the nearby mountainside, it's easy to walk out onto the arch and enjoy a spectacular vista.
Standing on the arch has become such a common photo op that Devil's Bridge is now quite likely the most famous and most popular destination in all of Sedona. If you're trying to get a classic standing-on-the-arch photo, it's not uncommon to wait in line for over an hour to get your chance to stand on the arch without anyone else present. The swarms of tourists flocking to the arch have created absolute mayhem in this area. If you want to visit this beautiful geological formation, you'll need to brace yourself to deal with hundreds of other tourists.
Making the hike even more popular is the fairly easy approach. While you can expect to encounter some rock ledges, rock gardens, and moderate climbs, most any hiker will be able to negotiate the hike to Devil's Bridge.
There are a few different ways to reach the arch, but the route shown here is one of the most logical, beginning from the Mescal Trailhead. The Mescal Trailhead is an easily-accessible trailhead that even two-wheel drive vehicles can reach. However, again, the popularity of this hike can pose problems. It might be impossible to find a parking spot if you don't arrive at sunrise. To avoid this difficulty, try taking the Sedona trailhead shuttle bus that departs from downtown.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
The Devil's Bridge is a beautiful elevated red rock arch—the largest natural arch in the Sedona area. Since the top of the "arch" is quite flat and easily accessible from the nearby mountainside, it's easy to walk out onto the arch and enjoy a spectacular vista.
Standing on the arch has become such a common photo op that Devil's Bridge is now quite likely the most famous and most popular destination in all of Sedona. If you're trying to get a classic standing-on-the-arch photo, it's not uncommon to wait in line for over an hour to get your chance to stand on the arch without anyone else present. The swarms of tourists flocking to the arch have created absolute mayhem in this area. If you want to visit this beautiful geological formation, you'll need to brace yourself to deal with hundreds of other tourists.
Making the hike even more popular is the fairly easy approach. While you can expect to encounter some rock ledges, rock gardens, and moderate climbs, most any hiker will be able to negotiate the hike to Devil's Bridge.
There are a few different ways to reach the arch, but the route shown here is one of the most logical, beginning from the Mescal Trailhead. The Mescal Trailhead is an easily-accessible trailhead that even two-wheel drive vehicles can reach. However, again, the popularity of this hike can pose problems. It might be impossible to find a parking spot if you don't arrive at sunrise. To avoid this difficulty, try taking the Sedona trailhead shuttle bus that departs from downtown.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devil's Bridge Ascent | 0.78 mi | 308 ft | 7.4% |
| Brins Trail Climb | 0.52 mi | 354 ft | 12.8% |
| Devil's Bridge Descent | 0.80 mi | -318 ft | -7.5% |