Sedona, Arizona, known for its gorgeous red rock vistas, art galleries, wellness centers, and spiritual energy vortexes, is a must-see vacation destination in the United States. It’s also a wonderful place to visit if you want to explore with your dog, as Sedona is dog-friendly.
Sedona is also within a day’s drive of many places in the West and Southwest, making it a road-trip-friendly destination.
As a traveling professional with a pup (Puka) who trekked across the United States for work, I found Sedona to rank highly on my list of dog-friendly places to visit in the U.S.
I give Sedona an 8 out of 10 for overall dog-friendliness. I rate it high because of the number of dog-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and outdoor activities. Sedona loses points because the weather can be scorching, especially during midday, which limits outdoor activities for pups.
Learn the ins and outs of traveling to Sedona with your dog here!
More Sedona Posts
- Sedona Packing List
- 2-Day Sedona Itinerary For The Adventure Lover
- 10 Best Things to Do in Sedona, Arizona
Dog-Friendly Sedona
When is the Best Time to Visit Sedona With Your Dog?
Just because Sedona is very dog-friendly doesn’t mean it’s an excellent spot for you and your dog. The weather is the biggest thing to consider before bringing your dog to Sedona. May through September, temperatures are regularly seen in the 80s and higher up to the 100s. Midday is especially a scorcher when the sun is on full blast.
Personally, I think the best time to visit Sedona is during the shoulder season (March/April and October/November) to avoid excessive heat, especially for your dog.
Beware, if you go in March or April, you will share Sedona with crowds from spring break. I visited in April and found it to be extremely crowded. If I went again, my ideal time would be to visit in October.
Dog-Friendly Hotels in Sedona
You’ll be happy to know that Sedona has plenty of dog-friendly lodging.
I stayed at The Cathedral Rock Lodge, which I booked through Airbnb. The property was exceptionally dog-friendly, with plenty of space for pups to run around and play. Airbnb and VBRO are great places to find dog-friendly accommodations, especially if you want a place with a yard.
Top dog-friendly hotel lodging options in Sedona:
- Hilton Resort at Bell Rock: Hilton properties are generally my go-to when traveling with a dog because most hotels accept large breeds with a $75 deposit.
- Sky Rock Sedona: This Marriott-branded dog-friendly property in Sedona is absolutely gorgeous. Up to 2 pets per room are allowed with a $75 deposit.
- Best Western Plus Arroyo Roble Hotel & Creekside: This Best Western property allows up to 2 pets per room with an 80lb weight limit. They charge $40 per day for a pet fee and a $75 pet deposit.
Dog-Friendly Sedona Restaurants
There are plenty of patios in Sedona that allow dogs. It’s always best to call beforehand to check Bring Fido to see if a place allows dogs. Some top restaurants in Sedona that allow dogs on their patios are:
- The Hudson
- Javelina Cantina
- Mesa Grill
- Sedona Beer Company
- Sedona Pizza Company
Are There Dog-Friendly Hikes in Sedona?
Yes! Hundreds of miles of trails in Sedona allow dogs on leash. If you want to explore outside with your dog, Sedona is an excellent choice for a vacation. There are trails of all levels of difficulty in Sedona.
To find hikes in Sedona, I recommend downloading the AllTrails app and searching for trails that interest you and match your (and your dog’s) hiking ability.
I use the Plus version of AllTrails to download my trail maps and stay on course during adventures. I found this navigation feature especially helpful in Sedona, where many of the trails are sandy and not well marked.
Here are Some Things to Keep in Mind While Hiking in Sedona with Your Dog
Having so many trails in Sedona open to dogs is a privilege. Let’s keep it that way! Here are some things to remember when hiking with your dog.
- Keep your dog on a leash.
- Pick up after your dog and carry rubbish off-trail with you.
- Carry plenty of water both for you and your dog.
- Respect wildlife.
- Be mindful of the sun. Your dog may benefit from booties to keep their paws comfortable.
- Parking lots for the popular hikes fill up quickly. I recommend getting to the hikes early (preferably by sunrise or before) to secure parking.
Sedona Hikes I Did with My Dog
Here are some hikes that I did in Sedona with Puka and my ranking on the easy to hardness of the hike.
Overall, if you’re new to hiking with your dog I recommend the Airport Vortex as it’s an easy loop trail that you can walk without any scrambles.
Devil’s Bridge has a significant scramble. Subway cave has more of what I would just call a rock climb to the top of the cave. I did end up entering the cave via a back entrance, but it was honestly quite dangerous, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
- Airport Vortex (easy)
- Birthing Cave (easy)
- Devil’s Bridge (moderate to hard as I describe below)
- Subway Cave (very challenging and dangerous to get a dog into the cave – do not recommend unless you can carry your dog in a pack)
Is Cathedral Rock in Sedona Dog-Friendly?
Cathedral Rock is one of the most popular trails in Sedona. However, I didn’t get to it on my excursion for technical reasons. Because Cathedral Rock is so popular, the parking lot is frequently closed, and the trailhead is only accessible via shuttle. The shuttle schedule is frequently changing. You can check here to review the shuttle schedule.
Pet dogs are allowed on the Sedona Shuttle only in a crate or wearing a muzzle. If you can crate your dog or put a muzzle on them, that would ease the burden of getting to Cathedral Rock.
The other significant barrier to Cathedral Rock is that the top of the trail is a steep scramble. I spoke to a ranger at length about the scramble, and she said she had never seen a dog do the scramble. That doesn’t mean a dog can’t do it, but I wasn’t about to get up there and try alone. Since my dog is a large breed, I cannot carry him up a scramble. If I had another set of hands with me, I may have attempted it, but I was solo in Sedona with my pup.
So, is Cathedral Rock dog-friendly? Even though dogs are allowed on the trail, it doesn’t seem super pup-friendly. I think the only way to take a dog on the trail would be if your dog is small enough to fit in a backpack carrier and be carried up the steep scramble on the trail.
Is Devil’s Bridge in Sedona Dog-Friendly?
Yes, you can bring your dog on the Devil’s Bridge trail. My pup and I completed this trail and got this iconic photo on the bridge. The bridge is much broader than it looks, and don’t worry, I’m stepping on his leash, so he isn’t going anywhere.
Personally, I started the Devil’s Bridge hike via Mescal Trailhead. I parked right at sunrise, and there were plenty of empty spots in the lot. It’s an out-and-back trail to Devil’s Bridge. There is a small creek crossing right at the beginning/end of the trail, which my pup enjoyed because he could hop in and get his paws wet.
From the Mescal Trailhead, it’s a 3.8-mile hike to Devil’s Bridge. There are two scrambles that you need to get up and down. The scrambles felt like significant rock steps, and my dog and I could safely get up and down them.
BE CAUTIOUS if you’re not used to hiking with your dog on these scrambles. If you have a smaller dog, you will likely need to carry them up the stairs. Come prepared with a pack to carry them in.
What if You Need a Dog Sitter in Sedona?
While you may want to, it may not be realistic to spend every minute of your vacation with your pup. Sedona has plenty to offer that, unfortunately, isn’t dog-friendly. Spas, massages, and psychic readings, to name a few.
It can be unsettling to leave a dog alone in a hotel room and that may be against hotel policy. In Sedona, it’s often too hot to take your dog outside with you and dangerous to leave them in a car.
I highly recommend Bark and Purr Sedona as a daycare/boarding facility for you to leave your pets while you sightsee.
Bark and Purr accepts dogs for daycare while you explore. I dropped my pup off at their facilities twice for a few hours, and my dog left happy (and exhausted) each day.
While they don’t let dogs play together, they exercise your dog individually. This actually gave me peace of mind that my dog wouldn’t have any rough encounters with other dogs. They are all kept seperate and individually loved.They were easy to book, and you just need to show that your dog’s vaccines are up to date to board them.
Pet Communicator in Sedona
Ever want to have a conversation with your pet? Sedona is known for its healing energies and attracts skilled psychics, mediums, and energy healers. Did you know that there are pet communicators that act as mediums that can communicate with your pets?
I booked a 15-minute call with Nataya of Sedona to communicate with my pup, Puka, while visiting Sedona. You can work with Nataya from anywhere in the world, as she does all her work over the phone. Puka had much to say in our pet communication session, and I left feeling better about our relationship.
Skeptic? Try it out yourself. During our call, Puka told me things nobody else could know (even though my life is pretty public) through the pet communicator.
Since my initial visit to Sedona, I have done a couple of more calls with Nataya, and she is always spot on. She recently helped me work through a limping problem that Puka was having with his leg.
Final Thoughts: Should You Take Your Dog to Sedona?
Sedona is full of natural wonder and beauty. It’s a destination brimming with outdoor adventures and exploration. If your dog is your adventure buddy, Sedona is the perfect spot to bring your pup on vacation. There are hundreds of miles of dog-friendly trails, plus dog-friendly lodging and restaurants to choose from.