One look at the car park and you can immediately tell what is the most popular hike in the area - the Devils Bridge Sedona. Even in low season, the car park overflows onto the road, and not just on a weekend.

The Devils Bridge has become very popular on social media and for good reason. The bridge is high up, has a huge arch, looks precarious and offers one of the prettiest sweeping views in Sedona.

Despite how busy it can get it’s definitely worth the visit. Here’s what to expect on your visit.

Devils Bridge Sedona

You can skip to the section you want by clicking on the links below:

The trail to the Devils Bridge
- What to expect on the trail
The best viewpoints
Best time to visit
Is it dangerous?
How wide is the Devils Bridge
Where to park

The Devils Bridge Trail

Devil’s Bridge hike stats

Type of Hike: Return (out and back)
Distance: 3.6 miles (5.8km) in total
Elevation: 104 metres
Time: Around two hours total but factor in a bit more time if you take lots of photos
Starting & End Point: Devils Bridge Car Park (off Vultee Arch Road)

There are three routes to the Devils Bridge which vary in terms of difficulty. The easiest (and shortest) follows a 4x4 dirt road most of the way, the other two are more scenic, but a lot longer and harder going. If you have a 4x4 or ATV you can actually get to within 0.7 miles of the bridge.

Due to time constraints, we had to take the shortest and easiest track (this is by far the most popular). Contrary to what a lot of other people have said, the trail to the Devils Bridge isn’t one of the best in Sedona. There are many others that are more scenic in the area, but the end destination more than makes up for it.

It’s not a bad walk, it’s just that Sedona has so many spectacular hikes and the Devils Bridge trail has nearly two thirds which are along a dirt track road where you’ll have cars and ATVs passing you. The final stretch is a lot more picturesque, where it is primarily an uphill climb to the bridge.

*Devils Bridge Sedona: The start of the trail*

What to expect on the trail

The road is a dirt track which goes downhill gradually all the way to the 4x4 car park. Along the way you’ll see the red rock cliffs and green forest for miles in each direction - something that never grows old in Sedona.

From the 4x4 car park it is uphill all the way to the bridge. Each step takes you up a little higher and there are nice wide steps for the majority of the way. There are a few places with lovely views to stop and take a breather as you go. We were lucky enough to see the waterfall frozen over!

There’s also a really cool natural rock platform near the top. We recommend having a stop to take in the view of the valley around you.

From here it isn’t far, but you’ll have the steepest/trickiest steps to navigate. We saw a couple of people give up at this point, even though it was literally metres from the bridge! It is a very short section, but the steps are a little steeper than on the rest of the track.

For most people this won’t be a problem. Overall the trail is pretty easy and we saw many families enjoying the trail.

Once at the top of the large steps you turn the corner and will see this view! It is probably as famous as Upper Antelope Canyon with Instagrammer’s these days.

*Devils Bridge Sedona: The first view you’ll see*

Devils Bridge viewpoints

There are two great viewpoints to get that classic shot. To really get the height and scale of the Devils Bridge, the photographer will have to go towards the edge of the cliffside which is down a little way to the left from the main trail.

The perfect spot to shoot is the other side of the small waterfall. You can get there by crossing through it, or there’s a path at the top which skips over it and leads you down (this is the same path you take to get on the bridge itself).

This view offers more of the valley and is definitely our favourite of the Devils Bridge.

The other good vantage point is looking at the other end of the bridge. Simply look for a small turning on the left of the main trail that you came in on for a ledge (it is the opposite end to the waterfall).

From here you can get a less often photographed perspective.

The trail back

The trail back is a lot easier going. The path to the 4x4 car park is entirely downhill and not as hard work. From the car park it is just walking along the dirt road back to the main car park. The dirt road has a very gradual incline uphill, but isn’t anywhere near as steep as the climb you had up to the Devil’s Bridge!

Frequently Asked Questions about Devil’s Bridge

When is the best time to visit Devils Bridge?

This was a nasty surprise to us. We’d read that around two hours before sunset is the perfect time. Clearly they all visited during the summer as we arrived three hours before sunset in February to find the bridge in complete shadow! Time of year clearly makes a big difference.

The Devils Bridge faces east and has several tall mountains behind it. The best time to have the bridge illuminated will be a few hours after sunrise and a few before sunset in the summer. In the winter it’s a trickier prospect, if you arrive at about 1-2pm it won’t be in shadow but you may have struggles with the sun being overhead.

If seeing this place without the crowds is your goal, then early morning is the best time. The busiest time in all places in Sedona is the middle of the day, but you normally see very few people on any of the trails in the early morning.

Is Devils Bridge Dangerous?

The Devils Bridge isn’t dangerous if you are careful with your footing and take your time. The trail to the bridge is well formed and of a very good standard. The bridge itself is solid a lot wider than you think and photos make it seem narrow and scary but the reality is very different.

Having said this, if you don’t have a head for heights or are unsure about the bridge, just admire it from the viewpoint. This is the best place to take it in the whole view and it is worth going to the Devil’s Bridge just for this view.

We hiked the trail to the Devils Bridge in February when one of the rare snow storms occurred. There was a lot of snow around and the waterfalls had frozen over. This didn’t affect the trail at all apart from the waterfall by the viewpoint (this had frozen over and there was a bit of ice around it. We don’t recommend climbing over it). Despite the weather you could walk all the way to the bridge on a clear path.

If you are concerned, then you can buy Yak Tracks which can slip over your boots and help with any icey parts. We regularly use them in winter and they are brilliant (although we didn’t have to use it for the Devil’s Bridge).

How wide is Devil’s Bridge?

Surprisingly wide! The beginning of the bridge felt like it was several metres wide and, although it narrowed in the middle (to about one metre), it never felt scary at any point. If the narrowest section unnerves you, you can still get great photos standing on the wider section.

If you want to see what it’s like on the bridge, watch the video below, sorry for the quality it was only shot as an Insta-story!

Devils Bridge Trailhead Parking

The car park and trailhead for Devils Bridge is about seven miles away from the centre of town and can be found along Vultee Arch Road. You won’t have a problem spotting it, it will be the only place where cars are parked along the road leading up to it.

Parking can be a struggle here - especially in the middle of the day.

If you are parking in the 4x4 car park it was tiny but very few people seem to use it so it had space both times we passed by.

Packing suggestions for Devil’s Bridge

Having the right gear can make a huge difference, whether it’s hiking during the hot summers, or the potential snow in the winter. Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:

Sunscreen: The walk to the Devil’s Bridge has very little shade and the sun is brutal most of the year! Check for sunscreen on Amazon or REI
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon, REI or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on REI or Amazon
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check then out on REI or Amazon

For winter

Yak Trax: A game changer for hiking in the snow. Check them out on REI or Amazon
Icebreaker Base Layer: What we always wear in the winter and makes a huge difference for keeping warm. Check out on REI or Amazon

Where to stay in Sedona

Sedona Summit Diamond Resorts

We’re not sure why but every time we came to Sedona the Diamond Resorts were offering the best deals! There are a few Diamond Resorts to choose from in Sedona (we also stayed in The Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort which was good but not quite as good as the Summit), all of which offer large rooms, a brilliant kitchenette (with cooking tops, fully stocked pots & pans etc and amenities like a coffee maker).

However, our favourite was the Sedona Summit due to its location (its pretty close to the main town) and the stunning hot tub views it offers. After a long day’s hiking, it was heaven.

The rooms were really good value and spacious which made them perfect to retreat to. We’ve visited Sedona three times and always booked a Diamond Resort. One bugbear though is that the properties are time share and therefore expect to receive a sales pitch!

Check the latest prices on:

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. :-)