Sedona, Arizona · Cathedral Rock · Part 5 of a Sedona Series
Cathedral Rock is probably the most photographed formation in Sedona, and after seeing it in person it’s not hard to understand why. The twin spires rise sharply from the surrounding landscape and you can spot them from almost anywhere in town. The hike to the top ended up giving us one of the best sunsets of the entire trip.
We started from the Back O’ Beyond Road Trailhead, right at the base of the formation. From the parking area the rock towers above the desert scrub, and you get a pretty good sense of the scale before you even start the hike.
The Scramble and Summit
The trail begins fairly easy, but the final section turns into a real scramble. It’s hands on rock, watching your footing, and taking your time as you climb. At one point the route squeezes through a narrow crack where you have to use both your hands and feet to pull yourself up.
My wife paused for a moment when we reached that section, which was completely understandable. Looking up from below, it’s not immediately obvious that the route goes through there. But she pushed through it, and once you start moving it’s more about balance and confidence than anything technical.
When you reach the top, Cathedral Rock feels even more impressive up close. It’s one of Sedona’s four main energy vortex sites and is known as an inflow location, which people say has a calming, grounding effect. Whether you go there believing that or not, the place does have a certain quiet to it.
As the sun started dropping, the rock around us began glowing a warm amber color while the valley opened up far below. For a few minutes even the people around us seemed to go quiet, just watching the light change. It’s the kind of moment that’s hard to fully describe.
From the saddle, the landscape spreads out in every direction—layers of red rock, distant ridges, and long canyon shadows as the day winds down. I captured a short video from up there to share the view, since the wind moving across the valley and the changing light tell the story better than a single photo.
Sunset from the Top
Looking back toward Sedona and across the Verde Valley, the view from the saddle was worth every bit of the climb. The rock deepened to a darker red as the last light hit it from the west, while the sky shifted slowly through soft yellows and fading blue as sunset settled in.
Next in the series: Lover’s Knoll, Sedona — Sunrise, Sunset, and Coyotes
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