HIKING CATHEDRAL ROCK:

Cathedral Rock is the most recognizable spot in Sedona (if Sedona is recognizable from pictures to the average person), much like Mt. Rushmore to Keystone South Dakota. The rock formation gets "Cathedral" because the sheer walls of the rock formation almost surrounds the trail's end like the walls of a building, and the bright multi-colored rock walls remind one of a more grand (or religiously sacred) building than a normal structure.

There are two trails of interest concerning Cathedral Rock: (1) The Templeton Trail, and (2) The Summit (saddle) Trail. One trail winds around the base of the rock formation, descending into the lush riverbed at Crescent Moon Ranch. The other trail is an uphill ascent that ends in the middle of the the red rock cathedral (there is no way to the top of the rock formation itself).

One of two spots to park is the Crescent Moon Ranch picnic area, which is a bit of a tourist trap. Crescent Moon Ranch stands in the way of the Riverbed area beyond its boundary. Positively it has plenty of parking, bathrooms and a couple friendly senior citizens a the entrance booth. Negatively it is the high-priced ($7), there are very few picnic tables, it has little shade, and it isn't even on the same property as the riverbed area that everyone comes to see. To get here though, find the 89A south of Sedona, go southeast at the traffic light for Upper Red Rock Loop Road (the other direction is a different road), turn left on Chavez Ranch Road (first left), then right on Red Rock Crossing Road (after Zane Gray Lane), Crescent Moon Ranch is on the left.

The second spot to park is the Cathedral Rock trailhead (on the other side of town strangely). Here you may use your Red Rock Pass (you can purchase them at a kiosk in the parking lot, the ranger station, or the local Chevron station), which is cheaper and may be reused the whole day or year (depending on which one you buy $5 to $20 respectively) at most all the trailheads in Coconino County. To get to the trailhead, find the 179 (exit 298 off interstate 17, phx-flag) and travel about 11 miles (past bell rock) and left on Back'O'Beyond Road (first left after village of Oak Creek). After about 1/2 mile turn left into the trailhead parking lot.

Getting to the Templeton trail from the Cathedral Rock trail is easy (though there are other ways to approach this trail). The Templeton trail is marked, about 1500ft from the trailhead, where the trail ascends to the first flat rock area without trees on the Cathedral Rock trail.After following along the base of Cathedral rock, Templeton turns into a series of small switchbacks down into the riverbed area. Here you may feel you are no longer in Arizona as the trees tower above YOU (instead of vice-versa) and the soil is now brown (instead of red) and thick grass lines the quiet river.

Though the trail is harder to spot here, it does continue along the east side of the river, hugging it at first and then moving away to wrap around the bowl of Cathedral Rock. I'm sure this whole trail is beautiful, however I've only ever descended into the riverbed area.

If you wish to ascend Cathedral Rock itself, simply cross over the Templeton trail after the first 1500ft from the trailhead, and begin your ascent up the foothills. It is about half a mile to the turnaround point at the saddle from here. You'll soon encounter a bare rock climb up a rut in the red rock; you'll need to use your hands to help you steady yourself up the rock. After you reach the top of the rock, there is another rock to climb up (this one is not as steep or narrow).

From here the trail is easy to follow, turning into an ascending switchback before the saddle. At the top you can walk along the inner horseshoe, however to descend into the bowl itself is difficult (and twice as much so to get back out), without any noticeable trail.

The summit is inaccessible except to true rock and rope climbers, although such a hobby is very dangerous in Sedona given the fragile nature of the rock.