Red Rock – Secret Mountain Trek
Sedona, AZ
5.0 (2 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Remote Wilderness
- Unique Arch
- Soaring Sandstone Cliffs
- Stunning Night Skies
- Deep Canyons
- Iconic Red Rock Landscapes
- Guides Choice Trip
Description
Available from September 1st through February 28, our Red Rock – Secret Mountain Backpacking Tour is our signature Sedona backpacking trip and justifiably so! It takes us through multiple, remote canyons and over high ridges with incredible vistas as we explore the heart of Sedona’s Red Rock Canyon Country and designated wilderness. We’ll hike in the shadows of Lost Wilson, Maroon, and Secret Mountains (all iconic Sedona peaks), and along cliffs that tower 1000+ feet above us. Amongst the serenity of this trek, a highlight is the chance to see Vultee Arch, a stunning natural arch, as an optional side hike on Day 1 before we head deeper into the canyon country.
On this trip, you’ll learn about the history of the indigenous tribes as well as some of the more mysterious history in this secret wilderness. To say this trip inspires wonder and appreciation for nature would be an understatement – it is an adventurous journey into a stunning, pristine landscape that you’ll never forget.
Wildland Trekking is a permitee of the USFS, Red Rock Ranger District.
Need to Know: Waste
The public agencies that oversee this region require that everyone pack out all solid waste, including human waste. We provide resources and training to make this manageable and efficient. However, if you’d rather embark on a trip in this region where that isn’t required, we recommending checking out our Grand Canyon backpacking trips.
$1035 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 25-35 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 6-9 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 620 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1150 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Unmaintained and rugged in places
- Additional:
- This trip follows trails that are largely unmaintained – you can expect rugged hiking with rocks, creek crossings, logs across the trail…etc.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a 25-pound backpack
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Sedona hike a solitude 2. The majority of our Solitude will be at camp both nights and during the majority of the hike on Day 2.
Learn More about our Rating SystemARIZONA SHUTTLE
Groome Transportation makes 13 dependable trips daily each direction between Phoenix and Sedona. The duration is 1 hour and 45 minutes. They pickup/drop off at Sky Harbor Airport and the Metro Center in Phoenix, and in Sedona they will drop you off and/or pick you up at your hotel for a small additional fee.
There is no shuttle service from Las Vegas to Sedona.
Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas have fantastic car rental facilities that are easily accessible and host a great variety of companies. We recommend checking Priceline.com as well for especially good deals.
The drive time from Phoenix to Sedona is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. From Las Vegas it is approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Arizona Executive Transport offers private, reliable SUV service between Phoenix and Sedona. This option is best if you’re traveling in a group of 3 or 4. As Wildland Trekking guests, your one-way cost for up to 4 passengers is discounted. Simply type “Wildland Trekking Company” in the Discount Code Box at the bottom of the online registration page. The discount varies depending on the time of year. You can go to http://www.arizonaexecutivellc.com to make your reservations online.
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to the trailhead: 30-45 minutes
- Hiking Mileage: 8 miles plus optional day hike
- Elevation Gain: 1150 feet
- Elevation Loss: 550 feet
This multi-day Sedona hiking adventure begins on a quintessential Sedona trail that provides some of the best panoramic views of the iconic Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness. After several miles of single track hiking from the trailhead, we’ll traverse a short section of a remote 4×4 road with great views of the backside of Thunder Mountain and Brins Mesa. Our route draws us to the base of Lost Wilson Mountain, behind which lies Vultee Arch and the start of Dry Creek canyon for night 1 camp. We have the option to take the 3.5 mile round trip journey to see Vultee Arch before heading towards camp. Our camp is nestled in a quiet canyon surrounded by Arizona Cypress Trees and towering rock pinnacles. Our first day ends with good food, restful evening, and the anticipation of things to come as we drift into a much-deserved sleep.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 825 feet
- Elevation Loss: 600 feet
On Day 2, we’ll enjoy a relaxing morning and big breakfast, before breaking camp and hiking up a serene and lush canyon bottom with a wonderful high desert creekbed that sometimes is flowing from the northern runoff. This section can be relatively rugged with logs, rocky trails, and seasonal creek crossings. At the head of the valley we reach a new trail and enjoy amazing views in every direction as we descend into Secret Canyon, the longest and least explored drainage of this vast area. We soon find ourselves hiking in the welcome shade of tall Ponderosa pine trees. After another two or so miles we’ll pitch our tents in this remote canyon. There lies the opportunity to explore, without our packs, further into Secret Canyon if we want and enjoy another delicious dinner before settling in for the night.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 8.5 miles
- Elevation Loss: 620 feet
- Shuttle to Sedona: 30-45 minutes
On our final day we follow beautiful Secret Canyon out of the wilderness. The sheltered trail where we spent the evening before opens up and beautiful red rock buttes and spires greet us as we start to see more and more of Sedona town in the distance. We’ll pass by the east face of Maroon Mountain and eventually return to our starting point. A short drive takes us back to Sedona to your individual accommodations and the conclusion of our amazing 3 day, backcountry adventure!
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and technical backpack
- Use of trekking poles and Microspike Crampons if necessary (in winter)
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- A professional, knowledgeable, certified Sedona hiking guide
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Sedona, Arizona to the trailhead and back
- National Forest recreation passes
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What To Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware sleeping bags
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki or Black Diamond trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
What Gear To Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are three 1-liter water bottles per person and either a headlamp or flashlight per person. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Trip Logistics
How do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
This trip originates in Sedona. Your guide will be in contact approximately 10 days before the trip start date to coordinate the pre-trip orientation, which will be at 5:00 PM at a hotel in Sedona. We’re happy to give you a ride to this meeting if you’re staying at one of our recommended hotels. Your guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Sedona Tours your guide will meet you at your hotel in Sedona at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Group Size and Age Restrictions
The standard group size on Sedona backpacking trips is 6 guests and 1 guide, with a maximum of 6 guests and 2 guides. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Age restrictions are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in Sedona
Sedona is at 4500 feet elevation, which is considered high desert. It tends to be the most comfortable in Spring and Fall, but Summer and Winter are not extreme and are still great times to hike Sedona. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). Read below for average high and low temperatures in the Sedona area:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | Low | Hi |
|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 58° |
| February | 35° | 61° |
| March | 38° | 66° |
| April | 44° | 74° |
| May | 52° | 84° |
| June | 60° | 93° |
| July | 66° | 96° |
| August | 65° | 94° |
| September | 60° | 88° |
| October | 50° | 78° |
| November | 39° | 66° |
| December | 32° | 57° |
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
Tent Camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
In the Action
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Jeff K.
Great Trip with an Awesome Guide
We had a great trip. Our guide (Dakota) was awesome, he's experienced, knowledgeable & took great care of my wifes blisters. The hikes were scenic and camping was fun. We had a great time & would do it again.
Grace M.
Amazing, Wild Trip
Michael was AMAZING! He made sure we each got out of the trip what we wanted to. He was so calm and genuine. I loved the solidarity of this trip, we were truly in the wild! I have definitely caught the hiking bug, I will be back!
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