Biking in Sedona: Trails, Rentals and E-Bikes
Sedona has 400 miles of Forest Service trail, a bike park in town, a free trailhead shuttle, and a mountain bike festival that fills the calendar in November. It also has one rule that catches visitors off guard. Start here.
The Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest manages the trails around Sedona, and it is one of the best mountain biking destinations in the Southwest for a reason: red dirt singletrack that drains fast, slickrock ledges with the whole valley in view, and beginner loops that sit a few hundred yards from expert lines. Everything below comes from the Forest Service, the shops, the outfitters and the festival as published in September 2026. Prices change; confirm when you book.
Sedona’s Best Quick Answer
Beginners start on the Bell Rock Pathway and Big Park Loop in the Village of Oak Creek, or Aerie and Chuckwagon in West Sedona. Intermediates ride Slim Shady, Templeton, Llama and Mescal. Experts come for Hiline and Hangover. Full-suspension rentals run about $59 to $130 a day at Thunder Mountain Bikes, Sedona Bike and Bean and Absolute Bikes. E-bikes are not allowed on any non-motorized Forest Service trail in the Sedona area, so e-bike rentals stick to roads, bike paths and motorized dirt roads such as Schnebly Hill. Parking at most trailheads needs a $5 Red Rock Pass. The Sedona Mountain Bike Festival runs November 6 to 8, 2026.
Know Before You Ride
- E-bikes stay off the singletrack. Forest Service policy allows Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes on motorized roads and trails, and treats them as motor vehicles everywhere else unless a district has formally designated a trail for them. No Sedona trail has that designation. Every permitted local outfitter says the same thing: the Sedona Mountain Bike Academy states that the Forest Service prohibits e-bikes on all non-motorized singletrack in the Red Rock District, and Thunder Mountain Bikes and Hermosa Tours repeat it. Where e-bikes can go is covered below.
- Wilderness is closed to bikes. Federal law bans bicycles in the Munds Mountain and Red Rock-Secret Mountain wilderness areas, which is why the Courthouse Butte Loop, Boynton Canyon, Fay Canyon, Brins Mesa, Soldier Pass and West Fork are hiking only. Watch for the wilderness boundary signs on connectors like Jim Bryant.
- Cyclists yield to everyone. The Forest Service puts it plainly in its Hiline guide: it is the cyclist’s responsibility to yield to all other trail users. Hikers and horses have the right of way, downhill riders yield to uphill, and dogs must be leashed. Ride over features, not around them, since braided lines are what get areas closed.
- Red Rock Pass. $5 a day, $15 a week or $20 a year, required to park at Bell Rock Pathway, Courthouse Vista, Cathedral Rock, Baldwin, Little Horse and most other trailheads. An America the Beautiful pass also works. Buy it at the trailhead kiosk, the Red Rock Visitor Center, or online at Recreation.gov. Stopping for a photo of 15 minutes or less does not need one.
- Water. Visit Sedona’s rule of thumb is one liter per person per hour of activity, and there is no potable water at Courthouse Vista or most trailheads. Templeton, Baldwin, Little Horse, Broken Arrow and Mescal are all described by the Forest Service as mostly unshaded and very hot in summer.
- The free Sedona Shuttle takes bikes. It runs Thursday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., from three free park and rides to the Cathedral Rock, Little Horse, Soldier Pass, Dry Creek Vista and Mescal trailheads. Racks hold three bikes under 55 pounds; e-bikes must be powered down. When the shuttle runs, the Cathedral Rock and Soldier Pass lots are closed to private cars, so the shuttle is the way in.
Easy Trails and Beginner Loops
| Trail | Length and climb | Trailhead | Why ride it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell Rock Pathway (No. 96) | 3.5 miles one way, 185 ft | North, Midway or South lots on SR 179, restrooms at both ends | Wide, hard-surfaced and family-friendly, with a few steep hills and Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte filling the view. Horses are not allowed. |
| Big Park Loop (No. 135A) | 2.5 miles round trip, 165 ft | Bell Rock Vista, SR 179 milepost 307.1 | The Forest Service’s easy rating and popular with cyclists; the classic first singletrack in the Village. |
| Baldwin (No. 191) | 1.6 miles, 150 ft (2.7 mile loop) | Verde Valley School Road, 4.8 miles west of SR 179 | An easy family loop beneath Cathedral Rock that the Forest Service calls a great mountain biking trail; also the exit for Hiline. |
| Little Horse (No. 61) | 1.5 miles, 330 ft | Paved turnout on SR 179 at milepost 309.8 | Moderately easy and good for beginners; links to the Chapel, Broken Arrow and Chicken Point. |
| Adobe Jack | 2.1 miles, 179 ft | Adobe Jack parking, north of Uptown | Fast, flowy and close to town; the hub of a 5 mile beginner to intermediate loop. |
| Aerie Loop (Aerie, Cockscomb, Dawa) | 5.5 miles, 456 ft | Aerie trailhead, Western Gateway, West Sedona | A quick loop around Doe Mountain, all singletrack, gentle enough for a confident beginner. |
| Cockscomb system (Arizona Cypress, Dawa, Rupp, Anaconda) | 2.5 to 16 miles depending on route | Dawa (Dry Creek Rd), Cockscomb (Boynton Pass Rd), Cultural Park | Easy to moderately strenuous, with enough connectors to build any length of ride. |
Two beginner loops worth naming: the 9 mile Sedona Beginner Loop from the Bell Rock parking (about 770 feet of climbing) and the 4.5 mile Easy Girdner Loop from the Cultural Park trailhead.
Intermediate Trails
| Trail | Length and climb | Trailhead | Why ride it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slim Shady | 2.6 miles, 265 ft | Across SR 179 from Bell Rock Vista | Red dirt with short, punchy climbs; the connector to Templeton and Hiline that most Village rides pass through. |
| Templeton (No. 156) | 3.9 miles, 250 ft | Courthouse Vista, SR 179, 5 miles south of the Y | Wraps beneath Cathedral Rock toward Oak Creek. The Forest Service rates it easy; riders call it intermediate for the rocky sections. |
| Llama (No. 650) | 2.8 miles, 200 ft | Bell Rock Vista or Little Horse | Built as the mountain bikers’ connector between Little Horse and Templeton, and a favorite intro trail. |
| Chuckwagon | 5.4 miles, 559 ft | Dry Creek Vista on Vultee Arch Road (FR 152), or from Long Canyon Road | The West Sedona introduction, with views across Dry Creek to the Secret Mountain cliffs. |
| Mescal (No. 174C) | 2.6 miles one way, 200 ft | Long Canyon Road, 0.2 miles from Dry Creek Road; small lot, shuttle stop | Slickrock benches along Mescal Mountain; combines with Chuckwagon, Aerie and the Devil’s Bridge approach. |
| Girdner (No. 162) | 4.6 miles, 360 ft | Cultural Park trailhead or Dry Creek Road at FR 152 | Numerous Dry Creek crossings; skip it after heavy rain. |
| Broken Arrow (No. 125) | 1.5 miles, 344 ft (3.5 mile round trip with Submarine Rock) | End of Morgan Road off SR 179 | Ledgy slickrock from the first pedal stroke and heavy use by riders, hikers and Jeep tours. The Forest Service says moderately easy; riders rate it difficult. |
| West Sedona Tour | 13.1 miles, 935 ft | Long Canyon trailhead | Mescal, Deadmans Pass, Aerie, Cockscomb, Western Civilization, Rupp, Dawa and Girdner in one 95 percent singletrack day. |
Expert Trails
Hiline. 3.5 miles from Yavapai Vista to the Baldwin Trail, with 480 feet of cumulative climbing and grades up to 35 percent. The Forest Service calls it a technical biking trail and requires it be ridden east to west, from Yavapai Vista toward Baldwin, to avoid head-on meetings on the narrow bench. Horses are prohibited. Riders rate it double black: steep, narrow and severely exposed, with spots where a fall could mean a long freefall. Walk what you are not sure of. Yavapai Vista is reachable from the southbound lanes of SR 179 only; Transept exits to Verde Valley School Road. The full Slim Shady, Hiline and Templeton loop from Bell Rock Vista is about 10 miles.
Hangover. 3.2 miles reached by Cow Pies from Schnebly Hill Road, with a knife-edge section 200 feet above the canyon floor and three to four foot roll-offs. The 8.4 mile Hangover Loop uses Munds Wagon Trail (No. 78, 4 miles, 1,100 feet, rated moderate by the Forest Service) as the climb and return. Do not drive up Schnebly Hill Road without high clearance and four-wheel drive; the trailhead is just past the Oak Creek bridge, 0.8 miles from the Y.
Paved Paths, Family Rides and the Bike Park
- Bell Rock Pathway is the family ride: 3.5 miles of wide, hard surface between the Village of Oak Creek and the Bell Rock area, with three trailheads on SR 179. It is a non-motorized Forest Service trail, so bring a regular bike, not an e-bike.
- SR 179 multi-use pathway. The shared-use path along the Red Rock Scenic Byway links the Village and Sedona past Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, the Chapel of the Holy Cross turnoff and Tlaquepaque, and the city built a shared-use crossing under the SR 179 Oak Creek bridge. This is the route the e-bike outfitters use for their self-guided tours.
- City pathways. Sedona has about 10.5 miles of its Trails and Pathways System built out of a planned 36, mostly 8 to 10 foot concrete or decomposed granite paths such as the Andante, Chapel Road and Dry Creek pathways.
- Sedona Bike Skills Park, 525 Posse Grounds Road: a free city park open daylight hours, seven days a week, with a tot loop, pump track, flow trail, tech flow, jump line and dual slalom. E-bikes are welcome here, and the Mountain Bike Academy runs its E-Bike 101 clinic on site.
- Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood has more than 20 miles of shared-use singletrack and doubletrack plus the 2 mile Verde River Greenway; $5 per bicycle, $10 to $20 per car. The 15.3 mile Lime Kiln Trail links it to Red Rock State Park, with six motorized miles where e-bikes are legal.
- Red Rock State Park keeps its own trails closed to bikes but opens onto Forest Service trails, including the 6.2 mile Cathedral Bike Loop that crosses Oak Creek without a bridge.
E-Bikes in Sedona: Where They Can Go and Who Rents Them
An e-bike is the easiest way for a mixed-ability group to see the red rocks under their own power, as long as everyone understands the map: paved roads and bike lanes, the SR 179 pathway, city pathways, the bike park, and motorized Forest Service roads such as Schnebly Hill and the Jeep routes. Not Bell Rock Pathway, and not any singletrack. The outfitters below build their routes around that.
Sedona EZ Rider
Steps from Tlaquepaque and Uptown. Rentals are $50 for two hours and $80 for four; the self-guided tour, with a route along the Red Rock Scenic Byway and the bike paths past Cathedral Rock, the Chapel, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, is $65 for two hours and $95 for four. Departures hourly from 9 to 3. Riders 14 and up, with a parent present under 18. Our partner: Sedona EZ Rider.
45 Brewer Road. (928) 496-0677. Open Wednesday to Monday 9 to 5, Tuesday 10 to 5.
eBike Sedona Tours and Rental
Rad Power step-through and mini bikes at $45 for two hours, $65 for three, $85 for four and $155 for a full day; fat-tire Rovers $10 to $25 more. Guided three to four hour tours to the Village of Oak Creek and Red Rock Loop Road, and self-guided routes to the Chapel and Crescent Moon. Ages 14 and up, two-hour minimum, last bike out at 3.
325 Wilson Road. (928) 877-8180. 9 to 5, closed Tuesdays.
Sedona E-Bike Rentals (delivered)
RadRunner bikes delivered to your door, free within the 86336 zip code and $20 outside it: $159 for one day, $135 a day for two or three days, $119 a day for four or more, with five self-guided routes included. The company states outright that e-bikes are not legal on Sedona’s trail system.
(928) 295-2887. Seven days, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cathedral Rock E-Bikes
Guided e-bike tours and rentals in West Sedona, with helmet, water bottle and lock included and a minimum age of 14. Its own rules page limits riding to designated Jeep roads and paved routes. Prices are not published; call.
1195 W. State Route 89A. (928) 202-1018.
Want a real electric mountain bike for the motorized roads? Thunder Mountain Bikes rents Ibis and Santa Cruz eMTBs at $119.99 to $139.99 a day, and Sedona Bike and Bean rents road-style cruiser e-bikes by the two hour, four hour and full day block along with a light eMTB. Same rule applies: dirt roads on the Motor Vehicle Use Map, not singletrack.
Bike Shops and Mountain Bike Rentals
| Shop | Where and when | Rental prices per day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder Mountain Bikes (formerly Over the Edge Sedona) | 1695 W. SR 89A, West Sedona. (928) 282-1106. 9 to 6, seven days. | Hardtail $59.99, Performance $79.99, Premium $99.99, Dream (Santa Cruz, Ibis, Transition, Evil, Trek, Revel, Forbidden) $129.99, eMTB $119.99 to $139.99, kids $39.99 to $49.99. 10 percent off for 2 to 4 days, 20 percent off for 5 or more. | Same owners and staff as the Over the Edge shop, renamed in 2020. The meeting point for Hermosa Tours and the Mountain Bike Academy. E-bikes cannot go on trunk-mount racks. |
| Sedona Bike and Bean | 30 Bell Rock Plaza, Village of Oak Creek. (928) 284-0210. 8 to 5 daily. | Giant Trance and Liv Intrigue $59, Kona Process $65 to $75, Orbea Occam $75, Intense Primer $89, Scott Genius and Mondraker Raze $115; kids’ full suspension in 20 and 24 inch. $10 a day off from the fourth day. Overnight $20, free mid June to mid September. | Open since 1995 with an espresso bar, in the Village of Oak Creek close to Bell Rock Pathway, Slim Shady and Big Park Loop. Bikes due back by 5, or 4 in summer. |
| Absolute Bikes | 6101 SR 179, Suite B, Village of Oak Creek. (928) 284-1242. | Not published online; rentals include helmet, pump, repair kit, spare tube and choice of pedals. Evening-before pickup for $30. | Reservations recommended. Also supplies rental bikes for Trail Lovers Excursions. |
Guided Rides and Lessons
- Hermosa Tours has guided Sedona for about 13 years and meets at Thunder Mountain Bikes, with hotel pickup available. Half day (2 to 2.5 hours) or full day (3 hours plus): $200 or $295 solo, $130 or $185 each for two, $110 or $145 for three to five, $95 or $110 for six or more, with guide, transport, helmet and hydration pack included. Rental bikes through the tour run $53 to $99. (877) 765-5682.
- Sedona Mountain Bike Academy operates under a Red Rock Ranger District permit and teaches rather than tours: private lessons on trail, in the bike park or both, women’s programs, youth programs, and clinics on cornering, technical climbing, steep descents and drops. The three hour E-Bike 101 clinic at the bike park is $175. Discounted rentals through Thunder Mountain. (888) 288-0603.
- Trail Lovers Excursions is a permitted outfitter running classic, custom, family, night and solo rides of 2, 3 or 5 hours, with groups of up to four in 4x4s or up to twelve in vans. Rental bikes from $50 for kids to $130 for top models. (928) 239-3638, 9 to 5 daily.
- Enchantment Resort guests can book sunset rides, half-day excursions, night rides, family rides and a three hour kids’ camp through the resort’s Trail House, on Pivot bikes. (928) 203-8407.
Sedona Mountain Bike Festival: November 6 to 8, 2026
After a March edition in 2025, the festival runs November 6 to 8, 2026, at Posse Grounds Park, 525 Posse Grounds Road. Expect an expo of more than 90 vendors, demo fleets from Ibis, Evil, Rocky Mountain, Revel and Transition, shuttles to the trailheads, skills clinics, group rides, food trucks, a beer garden and live music, plus a raffle that funds youth riding programs. Passes: three days $174 early bird, $199 in advance through September 30 and $224 after; one day $89, $99 and $110; shuttle-only day $49 to $70. Details at sedonamtbfestival.com.
When To Ride
Sedona sits at about 4,350 feet, which keeps it rideable most of the year. March through May and September through November are the prime months, with daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Summer highs top 90 on most days and can pass 100, so ride at first light, carry a liter of water per hour, and be off the exposed trails by late morning. The monsoon, from mid June into September, brings afternoon storms, lightning and flash flooding in the washes; Girdner’s creek crossings in particular should be skipped after heavy rain. Winter riding is excellent between storms, since snow is rare in town and usually gone by afternoon. Our Sedona weather by month has the numbers.
Sedona Biking FAQ
Are e-bikes allowed on Sedona trails?
No. The Forest Service treats e-bikes as motor vehicles and allows them only on motorized roads and trails; no singletrack in the Red Rock Ranger District has been designated for them. E-bikes can ride paved roads and bike lanes, the SR 179 pathway, city pathways, the Sedona Bike Skills Park, and motorized dirt roads such as Schnebly Hill Road and the Jeep routes.
What are the best beginner mountain bike trails in Sedona?
Bell Rock Pathway (3.5 miles one way) and Big Park Loop (2.5 miles) in the Village of Oak Creek, Baldwin beneath Cathedral Rock, Little Horse off SR 179, and Adobe Jack, Aerie and the Cockscomb system in West Sedona. A 9 mile beginner loop starts from the Bell Rock parking area.
How much does it cost to rent a mountain bike in Sedona?
Full-suspension rentals run from $59 a day for a Giant Trance or Trek Roscoe hardtail to $115 to $130 a day for top-tier Santa Cruz, Ibis, Scott and Mondraker bikes at Thunder Mountain Bikes and Sedona Bike and Bean, with multi-day discounts. Electric mountain bikes are $119.99 to $139.99 a day. Prices as published in September 2026.
Do I need a pass to park at Sedona trailheads?
Most Forest Service trailheads, including Bell Rock Pathway, Courthouse Vista, Cathedral Rock, Baldwin and Little Horse, require a Red Rock Pass: $5 a day, $15 a week or $20 a year, sold at trailhead kiosks, the Red Rock Visitor Center and Recreation.gov. An America the Beautiful pass also works. Vehicles without a pass can be cited.
Which Sedona trails are for expert riders?
Hiline, a 3.5 mile technical trail with severe exposure that the Forest Service requires be ridden east to west from Yavapai Vista to Baldwin, and Hangover, a 3.2 mile knife-edge trail 200 feet above the canyon floor reached from Schnebly Hill Road via Cow Pies and Munds Wagon. Both are rated double black by riders.
Can I take my bike on the Sedona Shuttle?
Yes. The free Sedona Shuttle runs Thursday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to the Cathedral Rock, Little Horse, Soldier Pass, Dry Creek Vista and Mescal trailheads. Each bus rack holds three bikes under 55 pounds; e-bikes must be powered down and gas-motorized bikes are not allowed.
When is the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival?
November 6 to 8, 2026, at Posse Grounds Park, 525 Posse Grounds Road. Three-day passes are $174 early bird, $199 in advance through September 30 and $224 after; one-day passes are $89 to $110.
What is the best time of year to mountain bike in Sedona?
March through May and September through November, when daytime temperatures sit in the 60s and 70s. Summer highs top 90 most days and afternoon monsoon storms run from mid June into September, so ride early. Winter is rideable between storms; snow in town is rare and usually melts the same day.
Keep exploring