The City of Sedona and it’s partner Friends of the Forest Sedona urge you to follow these important guidelines to keep you, your fellow hikers and four legged friends safe.
Avoid Heat Stress
- Summer temperatures are often in the 90s by late morning, and can reach well over 100
- Even on a cool day, the sun can be intense
- One quart of water per person per hour is recommended
- Head back BEFORE half of your water is gone
- Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat or protective clothings
Keep Your Canine Friends Safe
- It is not recommended to take your dog hiking when the temperature reaches 100 degrees or more.
- Ground temperatures can reach 140 degrees or more
- Use booties to protect dog’s paws
- Light colored dogs are susceptible to sunburn
- Take water and shade breaks every 30 minutes
- Red silt roads convect heat up which increases the impact on dogs
- PLEASE NOTE: You can bring your dog on the Sedona Shuttle, but they must in in a carrier or wearing a muzzle and on a leash. Service animals, of course, are exempt.
Don’t Forget…
- Plenty of water
- Salty snacks and eat twice as much as usual
- Sunscreen and First Aid Kit
- Hat and/or protective clothing
- Trail map and compass
- Cell phone – but don’t count on it working everywhere
- Always tell someone your hiking plan and when you will return
If You’re Hiking to Devil’s Bridge, You Need to Know…
Devil’s Bridge generates among the most emergency calls of Sedona hiking trails. If you aren’t familiar with this iconic hike, please use caution:
- Plan for a few hours on the trail
- The hike from the Mescal Parking lot is approximatley 4 miles and two hours
- The hike from the Dry Creek Vista parking lot is approximatley 6 miles and three hours
- Hike early in the day
- Bring lots of water
- Carry a map (or take a photo of the map at the trailhead) because cell service/GPS is not reliable due to terrain
- During periods of heavy rain or snow in the mountains, consider starting your hike to Devil’s Bridge from Dry Creek Vista Trailhead instead of Mescal. Flowing water in Dry Creek may make crossing the creek difficult or impossible.