Fay Canyon Trail Sedona: The Best Easy Hike for Families

Sedona trail guides tend to push Devil’s Bridge and Cathedral Rock to everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Both are great, but neither is genuinely easy. Fay Canyon is. It’s the trail you pick when you’re hiking with a 6-year-old or a grandparent who wants the canyon experience without a strenuous climb.

The trail runs flat through a narrow sandstone canyon with high walls on both sides, good natural shade, and a small arch accessible via a short spur. Two miles round trip on easy terrain. It’s one of the only Sedona hikes I’d call genuinely low-effort, not just “easy by Sedona standards,” which usually still means 500 feet of gain.

Trail Overview

The main Fay Canyon trail covers 2.2 miles round trip with roughly 200 feet of gain spread across the whole distance, most of it so gradual you barely notice it. The trail follows the canyon floor on a sandy, well-maintained path. At mile 1.1, the trail ends at a talus field at the canyon’s head. From there, you turn around.

The Fay Canyon Arch spur branches off at mile 0.6 via a signed junction on the left. The spur adds 0.5 miles to the round trip and gains a bit more elevation on a rockier path. This section is less flat and more of a real hike for about 10 minutes. The arch sits in a small alcove off the main canyon wall and is visible once you’re within about 50 yards.

Total distance with the arch spur is 2.7 miles. Budget about 90 minutes to do both at a relaxed pace, 2 hours if you’re stopping for photos or bringing young kids.

The canyon walls are tightest in the middle section between mile 0.4 and mile 0.8. Dense juniper and manzanita cover the canyon floor. The towering red sandstone walls rise several hundred feet above you. This section is the visual payoff of the hike.

Getting There

From the Sedona Y (the main intersection of SR-89A and SR-179 in town), head west on SR-89A toward Cottonwood for about 3 miles. Turn right onto Dry Creek Road. Follow Dry Creek Road north for about 2 miles to a T-intersection, then turn left onto Boynton Pass Road. The Fay Canyon Trailhead parking area is about 1.5 miles ahead on the right.

The parking lot is small, roughly 15-20 spaces. It fills on busy weekends in spring and fall, though not as quickly as the Bell Rock or Cathedral Rock lots. The road is paved the entire way and accessible to standard passenger cars, no high-clearance vehicle needed.

Red Rock Pass required: $5/day, $15/week, $20/year. Pay at the trailhead kiosk, online at recreation.gov, or at the Red Rock Visitor Center on SR-179. America the Beautiful annual pass covers the fee.

If the lot is full, there’s limited roadside parking on Boynton Pass Road. Walk back to the trailhead from there.

Trail Description

Miles 0-0.4: Canyon entrance

The trail starts at the kiosk at the north end of the parking area and heads straight into the canyon mouth. The walls begin gradually and build to their full height within the first quarter mile. The surface is sandy and flat.

Juniper trees line the trail closely on both sides. Manzanita fills the gaps underneath. In spring, the manzanita blooms with small pink flowers. The red rock walls appear in sections between the tree cover, getting taller as you move deeper in.

This opening section is perfectly walkable for kids of any age. The surface has no rocks to trip on, no drops, no exposure. A toddler could handle it.

Mile 0.6: Arch spur junction

A signed trail junction on the left marks the Fay Canyon Arch spur. A small sign points toward the arch. If you’re skipping the arch, continue straight on the main trail.

The arch spur climbs immediately from the junction. The terrain turns rocky and the grade increases. It’s nothing serious, maybe 150 feet of gain over a quarter mile, but it’s a genuine step up from the flat canyon floor. Kids who’ve been comfortable on the main trail will handle it. Toddlers will need help on the rockier sections.

The arch comes into view once you round the last bend on the spur. It’s a natural opening in the red sandstone, roughly 15-20 feet across. Not as wide as Devil’s Bridge but much quieter. On a busy spring weekend, you might have the arch entirely to yourself here, something that’s not possible at Devil’s Bridge with its shuttle queues.

After the arch, backtrack to the main junction and continue up the canyon.

Miles 0.6-1.1: Upper canyon to talus

Back on the main trail, the canyon walls reach their maximum height in this section. The path stays flat and sandy. You’re walking through what feels like a corridor, rock walls on both sides and a strip of blue sky above.

The canyon floor gets quieter here. Fewer people make it past the arch junction. The talus field that ends the trail appears at mile 1.1, a jumble of large boulders that fell from the canyon walls. The official trail ends here.

Some hikers scramble into the talus and up toward the canyon’s back wall. There’s no maintained trail and no clear destination up there. It’s loose rock with some exposure. It’s not worth it for most people, and definitely not worth it with kids.

Turn around at the talus field and head back.

What to Bring

This is a short, easy hike, but you still need water. Carry at least 1 liter per person. In summer, bump that to 1.5 liters even for the short 2-hour version. There’s no water on the trail.

Footwear matters less here than on most Sedona trails. Trail runners and good walking shoes are both fine. The sandy canyon floor is comfortable and stable. That said, the arch spur is rockier and benefits from shoes with actual grip. Flip-flops are a bad idea on the spur section.

You don’t need trekking poles. The terrain doesn’t require them.

Sunscreen is still needed. The canyon walls shade the trail during certain hours, but you’ll be in direct sun during the canyon entrance and at the talus field turnaround. Late morning sun comes over the east wall and hits the trail directly.

Photo Spots

The canyon entrance looking inward is the best shot from the trail itself. Stand just inside the canyon mouth and look north into the narrowing corridor of red walls. Morning light catches the west wall best, which illuminates from the left side in the early hours. This works from about 8-10am.

The arch from below is a classic shot. Get underneath the arch and look up. The interior of the arch frames a slice of sky with red rock framing it on all sides. This shot works well at any time of day since you’re shooting mostly upward and not into direct sunlight.

For the classic tight-canyon composition, look for spots where both walls frame the trail in the mile 0.6-0.8 section. Shooting at midday here works fine since you want the sky to go bright blue as a contrast with the orange rock.

If you come at golden hour, the canyon entrance catches warm light on the east wall from the setting sun. Walk in about 200 yards and look back toward the parking area, the light on the outer canyon walls from this angle can be excellent.

Safety Notes

The arch spur is the one section that requires attention. The rockier, steeper terrain has a few spots where the path is less obvious. Follow cairns and stay on the trail. Don’t attempt to scramble above the arch itself. The rock above it is loose.

Summer visits need an early start. The canyon shade helps, but it doesn’t eliminate the heat in July and August. The parking lot faces south and radiates heat back onto the trail entrance by 10am. In summer, start no later than 7:30am and plan to be back at the car by 10.

Flash flooding is possible in the canyon during Sedona’s monsoon season, July through mid-September. The canyon is a natural drainage. Check the forecast before any summer visit and leave the canyon immediately if a storm builds to the north. A storm you can’t see from inside the canyon can still send water down it.

The parking lot can get crowded on spring and fall weekends. Arrive before 8am to guarantee a spot.

Related Trails

Cockscomb Trail shares the Boynton Pass Road area and pairs well with Fay Canyon as a half-day. Cockscomb adds 2-4 miles of more varied terrain with good views of the Dry Creek Mesa. The combination makes a solid morning without resorting to the crowded SR-179 corridor trails.

Boynton Canyon is about 1 mile east on Boynton Pass Road and is more demanding at 6.2 miles round trip with 1,600 feet of gain. If your group has a mix of hikers and some want a bigger day after Fay Canyon, Boynton is the next step up in difficulty while staying in this part of Sedona.

For other easy family options, West Fork of Oak Creek in Oak Creek Canyon is comparable in difficulty and length, with the added feature of actual creek crossings and riparian forest. It’s 6 miles north of Sedona on SR-89A.