Best Sedona Mountain Bike Trails

Sedona is one of the most famous mountain bike destinations on earth. This sacred and powerful place is home to an extensive trail system with unparalleled options for mountain biking.  Sedona’s unique location between the Colorado Plateau and Upper Sonoran Desert yields astounding red rock vistas above desert scenery.  Sedona is a perfect biking destination for the off-season months when the rest of the country’s trails are covered in snow.

TripOutside has done your trail research for you – read on for our recommendations of the top 6 intermediate Sedona mountain bike trails!

If you need to rent a bike for your adventure, compare bike rental prices and book a bike online.

Sedona Mountain Bike Trail Systems

Sedona mountain bike trails are broken up into 5 main riding areas:

Village of Oak Creek Bike Trails

• 42 trails with mix of beginner/intermediate/advanced/expert
• 42 miles of trails around the Village of Oak Creek south of Sedona
• Trails wind around iconic Sedona scenery like Courthouse Butte and Cathedral Rock

Dry Creek Bike Trails

• 66 trails with mix of beginner/intermediate/advanced
• An astounding 111 miles of trails encompassing Adobe Jack area and some newer trails at the Girdner Cultural Park trailhead
• Range of trail types from technical slickrock to flowy desert singletrack

Broken Arrow Bike Trails

• 22 trails with intermediate/advanced/expert
• 16 miles of trails just south of town
• Stunning Twin Buttes red rock vistas and vortexes

Adobe Jack Bike Trails

• 37 trails with mix of beginner/intermediate/advanced
• 30 miles of trails on the north side of Sedona
• Classic Sedona red rock views, popular trails like Chuckwagon & Mescal

Carroll Canyon Bike Trails

• 25 trails with primarily intermediate/advanced
• 29 miles of trails southwest of Sedona
• Fun flowing intermediate trails with views to Red Rock State Park

Top Sedona Intermediate Bike Trails

• The West Sedona Tour is a 13.1-mile singletrack loop in the Dry Creek area of Northwest Sedona.  Link 8 classic West Sedona trails with lots of turns, some climbing and descending and scenic Sedona vistas.  It can also be added to other trails like the Chuckwagon-Mescal-Long Canyon Loop (see #2) for a longer ride.  These trails are some of the best riding in West Sedona, featuring the red rock terrain that Sedona is famous for.
  • Rating: 4.7 (130)
  • Ascent: 921’ Descent: -934’ High: 4,721’ Low: 4,482’

• The Chuckwagon-Mescal-Long Canyon trail is a 9.1-mile singletrack loop also in the Dry Creek area.  Riders who are in Sedona for their first time will find this trail a good introduction to Sedona without the strenuous climbs of other trails in the area. This figure eight loop has smooth singletrack and is moderately challenging, with gorgeous red rock scenery.
  • Rating: 4.5 (61)
  • Ascent: 805’ Descent: -791’ High: 4,710’ Low: 4,366’

• Twin Buttes Loop is an 8.5-mile singletrack loop that is rated intermediate/advanced and is in the Broken Arrow area south of town.  It links some of Sedona’s best trails into a loop featuring mind-blowing scenery. These trails feature slickrock riding, flowing singletrack and occasional technical sections.  Be prepared to hike a bike at time, like for the rock steps on Broken Arrow trail.  The views on this trail make it all worth it.
  • Rating: 4.5 (40)
  • Ascent: 751’ Descent: -749’ High: 4,613’ Low: 4,225’

• Cathedral Big Rock Loop is a 12.4-mile mostly loop ride with some climbing and descents, and several technical rock sections. This intermediate/advanced trail crosses the popular Cathedral Rock hiking trail (hikers only) so be courteous to hikers.  This ride features all the best of the popular Village of Oak Creek trails, and intermediate/advanced riders will love the trail’s flow and incredible scenery, plus the opportunity to visit a vortex!
  • Rating: 4.4 (62)
  • Ascent: 1,054’ Descent: -1,054’ High: 4,458’ Low: 3,963’

• Aerie Loop is a 5.4-mile singletrack loop that is a short, quick ride around Doe Mountain in Dry Creek, and is good for beginners or riders with limited time. It features a few trails with nice flow, slickrock riding, and a few technical sections.  The views of the Sedona red rock and Sedona desert are outstanding.
  • Rating: 4.3 (26)
  • Ascent: 541’ Descent: -541’ High: 4,730’ Low: 4,510’

• Courthouse Vista Loop a 6.2-mile singletrack loop around some of the most incredible scenery just south of Sedona in the Village of Oak Creek. It combines Llama trail and Courthouse Vista Loop, neither of which have too much elevation but lots of fast flowing singletrack and some fun technical sections that intermediate riders will love.
  • Rating: 4.3 (16)
  • Ascent: 386’ Descent: -387’ High: 4,446’ Low: 4,163

If you need to rent a bike for your adventure on the Sedona mountain bike trails, compare bike rental prices and book a bike online.

No matter which trails you decide on in Sedona, make sure you follow Leave No Trace principles, and recreate responsibly outdoors to ensure our wilderness areas stay pristine for generations to come.