Cathedral Rock Trail Preview

Should you hike Cathedral Rock? What the film settles

A short trail, one hard move, and a descent you should plan for.

The approach decides nothing; the crack decides everything. The first eighteen minutes are juniper flat, marker posts and slickrock ramps with basket cairns: steep, but walking. At 18:30 the route narrows into a short Class 3 crack where you use your hands on both walls. That minute is the one to watch before you decide; the guide breaks down what the slot asks of you, move by move.

Exposure starts above the crack. From 19:30 the route climbs stacked ledges with the first real drop beside you, then eases onto a wide bench under the spires at 22:00. The last climb to the saddle starts at 29:00 and the film tops out at 36:35. If the crack looks fine but the ledges do not, stopping at the slabs is a legitimate plan.

Down is harder than up, and the film ends at the top. Most people find the descent harder than the climb, and the film does not show it. Your shoes matter more than your fitness: smooth soles and wet rock are the reasons to stay off. Shoes and wet rock decide more than fitness does.

Getting there is the other decision. When the Sedona Shuttle is running (Thursday to Sunday, and daily during spring-break and holiday periods), the Back O’ Beyond trailhead lot is closed to private vehicles; outside shuttle hours the small lot fills early. Check the current Sedona Shuttle schedule and read getting to the trailhead before you drive.

Skip it, or stop at the slabs, if heights make you freeze, you are in smooth-soled shoes, the rock is wet, or you have small children with you. Should you do this hike? The one-minute version

What the full film shows, chapter by chapter

Timestamps read from the full 36:49 film. Owners can jump straight to any chapter.

1. 0:00 Back O' Beyond trailhead The kiosk and the flat start through juniper; about 4,050 ft.
2. 3:30 Juniper flat and the first slickrock Dirt trail, then the first slickrock benches with Cathedral Rock ahead.
3. 9:30 Wilderness sign, marker posts and the first rock steps The signed boundary at about 0.3 mi; built steps between the posts.
4. 11:00 The slickrock ramps begin Basket cairns mark the line; grooves in the rock to follow.
5. 13:30 Up the tilted slabs Long sloping slabs with the valley opening behind you (about 0.35 mi).
6. 18:30 The Class 3 crack Hands on both walls for a short, steep crack at about 0.4 mi and 4,325 ft — the move most people worry about.
7. 19:30 Ledges above the crack Stacked ledges and the first real exposure; the view west opens at about 21:30 (4,390 ft).
8. 22:00 The bench below the spires Wide, easy walking with the spires directly above (0.5–0.7 mi).
9. 29:00 The last climb to the saddle Steps and ledges from about 4,520 ft to the top (0.7–0.8 mi).
10. 36:35 The saddle: end of trail 0.9 mi, 4,658 ft. The film ends at the top; the descent, which most people find harder, is not shown.

Not in the film: the climb back down the crack and the slabs, and the walk back to the trailhead.

Planning the real hike? Read the full Cathedral Rock trail guide for difficulty, parking, permits and route-finding details.