November is two completely different Sedona months wearing the same calendar page. The first two weeks ride October’s momentum — lingering fall color in Oak Creek Canyon, daytime temperatures in the low 70s, and a crowd level that’s lighter than October but still busy enough that popular trailheads need morning planning. Then the clock falls back, the temperatures drop, and a quieter, colder, shorter-day Sedona emerges for the back half of the month.
Most travel sites treat November as a single block: “shoulder season, nice weather, fewer crowds.” That’s useless. A visitor booking the first weekend of November and a visitor booking the Tuesday after Thanksgiving are planning entirely different trips. They need different clothing, different trail strategies, and different expectations for what Sedona delivers.
This guide splits the month where it actually splits — and gives you the planning detail for whichever half you’re targeting.
November Coconino Weather Patterns
Monthly Temperature Range: Freezing Dawns and 60°F Afternoons
November’s temperature curve drops fast. The first of the month feels like a mild October extension. The thirtieth feels like December arrived early.
| Period | Avg High / Low | Feels Like on Trail | Key Gear Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1–7 | 70°F / 42°F | Comfortable all day; light layers in AM | October hiking wardrobe still works |
| Nov 8–14 | 66°F / 38°F | Cool mornings, pleasant midday, chilly by 4 PM | Fleece for mornings; sun layer for midday |
| Nov 15–21 | 62°F / 34°F | Cold starts, comfortable by 10 AM if sunny | Packable puffy or insulated layer mandatory at trailhead |
| Nov 22–30 | 58°F / 30°F | Frost common; afternoon sun still warm in sheltered spots | Full layering system; gloves + hat for dawn starts |
The temperature drop feels steeper than the numbers suggest because of two compounding factors: shorter days mean less solar warming, and Sedona’s canyon topography means shaded areas never warm up. A 62°F reading at the Sedona Airport weather station translates to maybe 52°F in a north-facing canyon where no sunlight reaches the trail floor. Conversely, a south-facing trail bench in direct midday sun can feel 10–12°F warmer than the ambient temperature because the sandstone radiates absorbed heat.
Frost and first-ice timing: The first hard frost (below 28°F) typically arrives in the second or third week of November. After a hard frost, north-facing trail sections may have ice patches that persist into mid-morning. This isn’t December-level ice danger, but it catches late-autumn visitors off guard because they’re still in “fall hiking” mode. Carry trekking poles for stability, and if the trail surface looks dark and glossy on shaded rock, assume it’s ice until proven otherwise.
The End of the Arizona Monsoon Season (Dry, Clear Skies)
November is reliably dry. The monsoon shut down weeks ago — typically by mid-to-late September. November averages under 1.5 inches of precipitation for the entire month, usually delivered in 1–2 light rain events from Pacific weather systems passing through.
The air quality and clarity that result are extraordinary. November mornings — especially the first week after the monsoon ends — produce some of the sharpest visibility of the year. Low humidity, no dust, no haze. The red rock color deepens against cobalt-blue skies. Photographers chase November light for good reason: the low sun angle + clean air + red-orange foliage remnants create images that look color-corrected straight out of the camera.
The rare November rain: When a Pacific storm does arrive, it brings 1–2 days of overcast skies, cool temperatures (highs in the low 50s), and light-to-moderate rain. Red clay trails become dangerously slick and adhesive. Slickrock surfaces, however, are fine — they drain and dry quickly. If a storm hits during your trip, shift to slickrock-dominant trails (the Submarine Rock area, Little Horse Trail’s sandstone sections, the lower Bell Rock circuit on exposed rock) and save the clay-based trails for a day after they dry.
Chasing the Last of the Fall Colors
Early November: Peak Foliage in Oak Creek Canyon
The first two weeks of November are when the deciduous trees along Oak Creek — Arizona sycamores, Fremont cottonwoods, bigtooth maples, and Gambel oaks — hit their autumn peak. The canyon’s palette shifts from green to gold, amber, orange, and occasional deep red, all framed by red rock walls that amplify the color contrast.
Where the color concentrates:
Oak Creek Canyon drive (89A from Uptown to Slide Rock and beyond): This 14-mile corridor is the fall-color showpiece. Cottonwoods line the creek at road level. Maples climb the canyon walls. The sycamores — with their white bark and golden canopy — are the most photogenic trees in the canyon. The drive is better northbound (heading toward Slide Rock from Uptown) because the viewpoints and pulloffs face upstream into the color.
The pulloff strategy: Between Midgley Bridge and the Slide Rock State Park entrance, there are roughly a dozen roadside pulloffs. The ones with the best combination of water-foreground + canyon-wall-backdrop + mature trees are:
- Encinoso Picnic Area: Creekside access with cottonwoods arching overhead. Often empty on weekday mornings.
- Banjo Bill Picnic Area: Larger parking area with a short walk to the creek. Good for families.
- The unnamed pulloff 0.3 miles south of Slide Rock: Tight parking (4–5 cars) but excellent downstream view of colored canopy with red wall backdrop. Arrive before 9 AM.
Timing the color: Peak fall color in Oak Creek Canyon depends on nighttime temperatures. Consistent nights below 40°F trigger the color change. In most years, color peaks between October 25 and November 10. By November 15, the cottonwoods have dropped most leaves, and the sycamores are thinning. By the end of November, the canyon is largely bare — atmospheric in its own winter-skeleton way, but not the fall-foliage experience people are seeking.
The leaf-peeping-vs-crowd tradeoff: Early November color is still framed by meaningful crowd presence. October’s leaf-peepers haven’t fully left. Weekend mornings on 89A through the canyon still require patience — 30–40 minutes for a drive that takes 20 in January. Weekdays are noticeably lighter. If you can target a Tuesday or Wednesday in the first November week, you get peak color with half the traffic.
Trail Conditions: Crisp Air and No Sweating
November is when Sedona’s trail system hits a sweet spot that hikers from hot climates don’t believe until they experience it: you can hike all day without overheating.
The combination of 60–70°F daytime highs, low humidity, and the absence of summer’s radiant-heat punishment means moderate and hard trails that are brutally hot in June become purely enjoyable in November. The Hangover Trail, which bakes hikers on its exposed traverse from April through September, is comfortable in a T-shirt at noon in November. The sustained climb on Bear Mountain — a sweat-soaked suffer-fest in May — feels like a completely different trail when the air temperature is 62°F and a light breeze moves through the junipers.
The November hiking advantage, quantified:
| Metric | July/August | November |
|---|---|---|
| Water needed per hour | 1–1.5 liters | 0.5 liters |
| Comfortable hiking window | 5:30–9:30 AM only | 7:00 AM–4:00 PM (all day) |
| Exposed-trail risk level | High (heat) | Low (pleasant) |
| Trail crowds | Minimal | Low to moderate (varies by week) |
November is the month to attempt the hikes you were warned away from in summer — the exposed ridgelines, the all-day loops, the strenuous summit pushes. The air cooperates. The only constraint is daylight, covered below.
The Short Days Warning: Hiking Logistics
Why You Must Start and Finish Your Hikes Earlier
The daylight savings time shift in early November (typically the first Sunday) is the single most disruptive calendar event for Sedona hikers. The clock falls back one hour, which means sunset suddenly arrives at 5:30 PM instead of 6:30 PM. Combined with the natural seasonal shortening, November daylight contracts dramatically across the month:
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Total Daylight | Canyon-Shadow Adjusted Trail Light* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1 (pre-DST shift) | 7:18 AM (DST) | 6:40 PM (DST) | ~11 hr 22 min | ~10 hr |
| Nov 3 (post-DST shift) | 6:20 AM (standard) | 5:38 PM (standard) | ~11 hr 18 min | ~9.5 hr |
| Nov 15 | 6:32 AM | 5:30 PM | ~10 hr 58 min | ~9 hr |
| Nov 30 | 6:45 AM | 5:24 PM | ~10 hr 39 min | ~8.5 hr |
*Canyon-shadow adjusted: subtract 30–45 min from each end for the canyon-wall effect on usable trail light in enclosed terrain.
The practical impact: A hike that starts at 2 PM in early November gives you 3.5 hours before sunset. By late November, that same 2 PM start gives you 3 hours and 20 minutes — but in a canyon, effective light ends 30–40 minutes before sunset. You’re scrambling in shadow by 4:30 PM.
The November hiking rule: Plan your last trailhead departure no later than 2:00 PM for any trail over 2 miles, and no later than 1:00 PM for trails entering canyons or north-facing terrain. This isn’t conservative — it’s the math that accounts for the canyon-shadow acceleration.
Packing Headlamps and Layers
Headlamp: Non-negotiable for November hiking. Carry one on every hike. Plans drift, trails take longer than expected, and November’s margins are thin. A 200-lumen rechargeable headlamp weighs 3 ounces and fits in any pocket. The cost of not having one — navigating rocky terrain in failing light — ranges from ankle sprains to emergency rescues.
The November layering checklist:
The 30-degree daily temperature swing (from low 30s at dawn to low 60s at midday) demands a system that handles both extremes without weighing you down:
- Insulating layer: Packable down or synthetic puffy jacket. Goes on at dawn, off by 10 AM, back on after 4 PM as the sun drops. The best November hikers carry their puffy in the top of their pack for instant access during rest stops on shaded trail sections.
- Base layer: Moisture-wicking merino or synthetic top. Avoid cotton — a November morning start in a cotton shirt means a clammy, cold first mile.
- Wind layer: A thin wind shell blocks the 10–15 mph breezes that hit exposed ridgelines and mesa tops. Not the same as a rain shell — lighter, more breathable, packs smaller.
- Hat and gloves: Thin liner gloves and a wool or fleece beanie for early starts. Your ears and fingertips lose heat fastest in the 30–35°F range.
- Sun protection: Still needed. November UV intensity drops from summer peaks but remains strong enough at Sedona’s elevation to produce sunburn during midday hours on exposed terrain.
For detailed sunrise and sunset planning, see our Sedona sunrise and sunset times guide.
Crowd Level and November Event Calendar
Thanksgiving in Sedona: Restaurant Reservations and Traffic
Thanksgiving week creates the one sharp crowd spike in November’s otherwise calm profile. The pattern is specific:
Wednesday before Thanksgiving: Traffic on 179 and 89A builds from late morning onward. Phoenix families driving up for the holiday arrive in waves. Hotel check-ins spike. Grocery stores in West Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek sell out of prepared foods and Thanksgiving supplies.
Thanksgiving Day: Restaurants offering Thanksgiving dinner (L’Auberge, Enchantment Resort, several Uptown spots) are fully booked weeks in advance. Walk-in options are near zero for a proper Thanksgiving meal. If you want to eat out, reserve by early November at the latest. Trails are moderately busy — families hike in the morning before the meal.
Friday–Sunday (Thanksgiving weekend): Full peak-season conditions. The 179 corridor backs up. Trailhead lots fill by 8:30 AM. Uptown shopping areas are packed. Restaurant waits return to spring-break levels. The Red Rock Scenic Byway (179) is especially congested because post-meal day-trippers from Phoenix treat it as a scenic drive.
Monday after Thanksgiving: The drop-off is instant. By Monday morning, Sedona is quiet again. The remaining days of November are among the calmest of the year.
The Thanksgiving strategy: If you’re in Sedona for the holiday, book your Thanksgiving dinner now — not next week, now. Plan Friday–Sunday outdoor activities for pre-8 AM trailhead arrivals. Buy groceries on Monday or Tuesday before the Wednesday rush. And if your schedule is flexible, arrive the week before Thanksgiving instead: same weather, 60% fewer people, walk-in dining everywhere.
The Post-Holiday Lull
The Monday-through-Wednesday stretch after Thanksgiving (roughly Nov 28–30) is one of the quietest windows in Sedona’s entire year. Holiday visitors have left. December’s holiday travelers haven’t arrived. The town belongs to locals, a few retirees in RVs, and the rare visitor who specifically sought this gap.
What you get in the post-Thanksgiving lull:
- Trailhead parking available at 10 AM at locations that required 7 AM arrivals two days earlier.
- Walk-in dinner seating at every restaurant, including the usually-reserved spots.
- The canyon is quiet — both in terms of human traffic and sound. November’s bare branches let you hear Oak Creek’s water noise from further away.
- Hotel rates drop to near-December-pre-Christmas levels. Last-minute bookings are possible.
- The early-winter light is exquisite: low angle, warm tone, sharp clarity.
This three-day window is arguably Sedona’s best-kept scheduling secret for experienced visitors who’ve been before and want the landscape without the logistics.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it too cold to hike in Sedona in November?
No — November is one of the best hiking months in Sedona if you dress for the temperature swing. Morning trailhead temperatures range from 30–42°F depending on the week, which requires a warm insulating layer and gloves for the first hour. By midday, south-facing trails warm to the 60–70°F range — comfortable in a T-shirt with steady exertion. The key is layering: start warm, shed as you heat up, add layers back during rest stops and as the sun drops. Unlike summer, you can hike all day without heat risk. Unlike December, you’re unlikely to encounter significant trail ice (though frost patches are possible on shaded trails after cold nights). November sits in the narrow window where temperature, daylight, and crowds all align in the hiker’s favor.
Are the leaves still changing in Sedona in November?
It depends on the week. In most years, fall color in Oak Creek Canyon peaks between late October and the first week of November. The first two weeks of November typically offer strong color — particularly the cottonwoods and sycamores at creek level and the maples on the canyon walls. By November 15, most cottonwoods have dropped their leaves, and the remaining color shifts to amber-and-rust tones from the oaks. By late November, the canyon is largely bare. If fall foliage is your primary motivation, book the first week of November and check the Arizona Highways or Sedona Chamber of Commerce fall-color updates before your trip to confirm timing.
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