Wilson Mountain
The biggest climb in Sedona, captured in first-person POV. Forty-plus switchbacks haul you 2,300 feet from Midgley Bridge to a 7,122-foot summit — the highest point in the red rock country, where the desert gives way to ponderosa pine and you finally look down on the formations instead of up at them.
What the Trail Feels Like
Wilson Mountain Trail from Midgley Bridge — the longest, highest, and most committing hike in Sedona, and the one the rangers try to talk you out of.
It starts brutal. The first 1.5 miles throw forty-plus switchbacks and roughly 1,200 feet at you on a south-facing cliff face — 15–20% grade, loose rock, no shade. This is where most people turn back. Push through it and the trail opens onto the First Bench, a broad ponderosa-dotted shoulder that already sits above the formation layer, looking down on buttes you’re used to craning your neck at.
From the First Bench, a gentler grade climbs through thickening forest to the 7,122-foot summit — 2,300 feet above the trailhead, the highest point in the Sedona area. The ecosystem flips completely: piñon-juniper desert at the bottom, cool mixed-conifer forest at the top, 10–15°F cooler with a summit register and views north toward Flagstaff and the Mogollon Rim.
The difficulty here is stamina and heat, not scrambling — there’s no Class 3, but the exposed switchbacks demand real fitness, 3–5 liters of water, and a strict turnaround time. The First Bench alone delivers 80% of the view for half the effort, and it’s a completely legitimate destination.
Trail at a Glance
Ready to walk the whole trail?
Watch the full first-person film, or read the complete trail guide before you go.
Watch the full film → Read the trail guide →