A good Sedona hike with a dog is one where the return feels as manageable as the start. The rocks may be gorgeous, but shade, warm footing, creek crossings and room to pass other hikers matter more to your dog than the famous photograph at the end.
For a first outing, start with Fay Canyon’s maintained trail or a short walk on Bell Rock Pathway in cool weather. Crescent Moon offers a shorter creekside visit, while Boynton Canyon suits dogs already comfortable with longer walks. Keep your dog leashed, carry its drinking water and waste bags, and choose one satisfying outing rather than stacking several exposed trails into the day.
West Fork update, checked September 26, 2026: the Forest Service has extended its closure through October 31, unless rescinded sooner, because of post-fire flood and rockfall hazards. Do not plan West Fork as your shaded dog hike while the order is in effect. Read the official closure and mapped area before making future plans.
Fay Canyon: a manageable first canyon walk
Fay Canyon is a strong starting point for a dog that enjoys ordinary trail walking but does not need a summit. The Forest Service currently lists the maintained route as 2.1 miles round trip with 144 feet of gain. Park at the Fay Canyon lot on Boynton Pass Road and cross the road to the trailhead.
The interest is above you: sandstone walls, vegetation and the changing shape of the canyon as you walk farther in. Stay on the maintained route and turn back at its end. The arch detour and scrambling beyond the main trail add a different kind of effort and do not belong in the easy dog outing described here.
There is more shelter than on an open mesa, but it is not continuous shade or a guaranteed summer escape. The Forest Service warns that Fay can be hot and dry. Plan the walk for cool conditions, take drinking water and let your dog’s pace decide whether you finish the full distance.
Official Fay Canyon route and access details →
Bell Rock Pathway: views without climbing Bell Rock
Bell Rock Pathway is useful because you can make a short walk out of a much longer route. Start at Courthouse Vista on SR 179 and follow the signed pathway toward Bell Rock. For a simple introduction, turn around after about half a mile for roughly a one-mile return outing; that is a suggested turnaround, not the length of the whole trail.
The full Pathway is approximately 3.6 miles one way. Courthouse Butte Loop is another, longer circuit. Neither needs to be completed for your dog to enjoy the scenery, and climbing the slickrock on Bell Rock is not part of this recommendation.
The path has wide sections but also hills and rough rock, with little dependable shade. This is a cool-morning choice, not a place to extend a hot afternoon because the first stretch looks easy. Give other dogs room to pass, keep the leash close around bicycles and read the pass instructions at the lot.
Margs Draw: a short outing below the formations
Margs Draw gives you another way to enjoy the SR 179 side of Sedona without a narrow photo ledge. The Forest Service lists it as easy, with access from Broken Arrow, Sombart Lane or Schnebly Hill. Those are different starting points, so keep the name of the trailhead in your navigation rather than searching only for the trail.
From the Broken Arrow trailhead at the end of Morgan Road, take the signed Margs Draw route north, not the Broken Arrow route toward Chicken Point. A half-mile outward followed by the same return is a useful shorter plan. The official description puts a dry-waterfall crossing farther along; you do not need to reach it or complete the whole trail.
This is an open landscape with limited shade. It can fit a dog that prefers a straightforward walk over scrambling, but it is not a substitute for a cool place to rest on a hot day. Stay on the designated trail and carry an offline map for the junctions.
Boynton Canyon: choose the distance your dog can repeat
Boynton Canyon starts at the signed trailhead near the Boynton Canyon Road and Boynton Pass Road junction. The main trail first skirts Enchantment Resort, then continues into the canyon. Stay on the public trail; the resort paths are not a shortcut.
For an introduction, walk about a mile outward and return for roughly two miles total. This suggested shorter outing does not reach the full canyon endpoint, and its early section is not the same shaded experience you see in photographs taken farther in. Choose it for the canyon setting, with water and enough energy for the return.
Boynton Vista is a separate spur with a climb. The popular cave detours are also different outings, not extras a dog automatically needs to tackle. A longer main-trail walk may suit a trail-conditioned dog in cool weather, but the short plan is easier to adjust if paws, heat or crowds become an issue.
Crescent Moon: a shorter creekside visit with Cathedral Rock scenery
Crescent Moon Picnic Site is a good alternative when you want time beside Oak Creek rather than a long hike. Approach from Upper Red Rock Loop Road and follow signs to Red Rock Crossing. Do not navigate to Verde Valley School Road expecting to drive across the creek to this entrance.
Follow established creekside paths and make the visit as short as your dog needs. A gentle stroll can become harder at the water’s edge, where rocks are uneven and may be slippery. Your dog does not need to wade, and a creek visit is not a guarantee that water conditions are suitable for it.
Pets must remain leashed. Carry clean drinking water and a towel, and keep your dog away from fast or rising water. The site has its own entry rules: the ordinary Red Rock Pass and America the Beautiful Pass are not accepted here.
Use the posted gate hours rather than assuming sunrise access. The official schedule opens at 7am April–September, 8am October–November and 9am December–March. See the Crescent Moon page for current hours, fees and pet rules.
Devil’s Bridge: dog access does not make it a good dog hike
Devil’s Bridge is an understandable wish-list stop, but it is a weaker choice for a dog’s first Sedona outing. The final approach includes a steep natural rock staircase, with exposed areas and other hikers gathered near the arch. A dog that pulls, worries around crowds or needs lifting over rocks can make the return awkward.
The short distance quoted for the Devil’s Bridge trail itself omits the approach from passenger-car parking. The Forest Service describes about 4 miles round trip via Mescal and Chuckwagon, or 5.8 miles via Chuckwagon from Dry Creek Vista. The rough, unpaved Dry Creek Road requires a high-clearance vehicle and is not the recommended pedestrian approach.
There is no need to cross the top of the arch for a successful day out. If you want a relaxed walk with your dog, choose Fay Canyon, a short Bell Rock Pathway outing or Margs Draw instead of making an exposed photo stop the goal.
West Fork: save it for after the closure is lifted
West Fork normally offers a forested canyon walk from Call of the Canyon on SR 89A, about 9.5 miles north of Sedona. The maintained trail runs about three miles one way, with repeated creek crossings; a full return outing is around six miles before small access variations.
Leashed dogs are permitted under its normal rules, but crossings can involve stepping stones and shallow water. That makes it a different proposition from a dry, short trail, particularly for a dog that hesitates at water or a person who needs both hands for balance. For now, the dated closure above takes precedence over the usual trail description. A reopening date should be confirmed, not assumed.
Leashes, shuttles and places that have different rules
Keep your dog on a leash throughout these walks and pack out every waste bag as you go. Leaving a bag beside the trail to collect later is not the West Fork rule and is poor practice elsewhere. A shorter leash also gives you more control at crossings, trail junctions and passing points.
If you are using the Sedona Shuttle, a leash alone is not enough for a pet dog. Its published policy allows dogs in an appropriate carrier, or muzzled and leashed. Service animals have separate provisions. Read the official pet policy and current route schedule before relying on a bus for your return.
Red Rock State Park is not the same place as Crescent Moon or the National Forest’s red-rock trails. The state park does not permit pets. Check each destination’s own rules rather than treating “Sedona is dog-friendly” as permission everywhere.
Let the weather decide how much hiking you do
Plan for cooler hours, frequent breaks and drinking water for both of you. Warm rock and parking-lot pavement can be uncomfortable for paws even when a walk sounds short. Shade along one section does not protect the rest of the route, and booties do not solve overheating.
The American Veterinary Medical Association’s warm-weather guidance advises avoiding exercise during the hottest parts of the day and on particularly warm days. It also identifies short-nosed and overweight dogs as more vulnerable during warm-weather exercise. Ask your veterinarian about your own dog’s limits rather than choosing a universal temperature cutoff.
Never leave your dog in the car while you hike, shop or eat. In stormy weather, skip creek crossings and exposed rock; in winter, watch for ice in shaded stretches. A short sniffing walk followed by a comfortable rest can be a better Sedona day than finishing a route after the conditions have changed.
After the hike: a dog park, a scheduled social or a town stop
Sedona Dog Park is at 950 Soldiers Pass Road, at the corner of Carruth Drive. It is the city’s designated off-leash option, with seasonal hours and a Thursday-morning sanitizing closure. Read the city’s current dog-park information before making a special trip.
Yappy Hour now takes place at 221 Brewer Road in a fenced grass area during programmed times. It is not an all-day dog park and is not the Posse Grounds address. The city currently lists weekend morning sessions and a Friday evening session; use the Yappy Hour schedule and participation rules to check the time for your visit.
If your plans bring you along Brewer Road, Mi Amore Sedona is nearby at 100 Brewer Road in the historic Hart Store. It is a pleasant stop for curated gifts once your dog’s comfort and care are arranged. Confirm pet access before entering any shop; do not build the day around an assumed welcome or leave your dog in a parked car.
For a first visit, keep it simple: Fay Canyon in cool conditions, a rest, then one town stop. For a shorter scenic day, choose Crescent Moon during gate hours. If you want to compare the walking itself, our easy-hike guide separates short routes from their longer extensions.
