Airport Loop Hike
Summary: This hike circles the Sedona airport.
Challenge Level: Moderate
Hiking Distance: Approximately 3.25 miles around, but add another 1.0 mile if you hike the Tabletop Trail and another 0.8 mile if you hike from the Bandit Trail
Trailhead Directions: There are two ways to access this trail. The main trailhead is located approximately 1/2 mile up the Airport Road. Airport Road is approximately 1 mile west of the "Y" roundabout (the intersection of State Route 89A and State Route 179). There is parking for about a dozen vehicles here. The secondary trailhead is located on Shelby Drive, for the Bandit Trail. Shelby Drive is approximately 1 1/2 miles west of the "Y". Go south on Shelby Drive. Just past the Sedona Recycles building, Shelby turns left. The parking is on the right. Hike the Bandit Trail until it intersects the Airport Loop Trail. Continue in a clockwise direction on the Airport Loop Trail.
Description: As you circle the Sedona Airport there are good views all around, except for the fact that you'll be looking into the sun on the south side of this circular hike, which makes photographs a challenge. But this hike provides great views of Cathedral Rock. Be sure to hike the Tabletop Trail about 0.5 mile to its end. There seems to be a pyramid-shaped red rock formation out at the end of the Tabletop Trail. Were we visited by aliens many thousands of years ago???? The hike provides nice views of Coffeepot Rock on the north side of the hike. Here is a video of our recent Airport Loop hike (it's about 2 1/2 minutes and almost 30 MB so it may take a moment to load).
From the Airport Road trailhead, it is a short hike to the vortex located here. See the Airport Vortex Hike.
Note: The Airport Loop Trail is very rocky and there are steep drop-offs on the south side of Airport Mesa. Don't attempt this hike if a narrow trail and steep drop-offs are a problem.
Photos:
Click on the photos below for a bigger view
Here are photos from our November 2008 hike
And photos from our November 2010 hike
Guest Photos:
Here are photos by
Tom Solon
Here is a photo by Vince Resor
Here is a photo by Eric Murphy of Colorado Springs
For those of you who have a GPS unit, I have GPS data available for the hike which include "tracks," the route and waypoints.
For detailed information on this hike, consider purchasing a copy of Great Sedona Hikes by clicking HERE.
Great Sedona Hikes™
Last Updated November 29, 2010
Web Page by Bill Bohan (billbo@greatsedonahikes.com
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copyright 2010 Bill Bohan