Top Things to do in Verde Valley
Top Hotels in Verde Valley
- 1. Sedona Real Inn and Suites
- 2. A Sunset Chateau
- 3. Sky Rock Sedona
- 4. Arabella Hotel Sedona
- 5. Best Western Plus Arroyo Roble Hotel & Creekside Villas
- 6. The Inn Above Oak Creek
- 7. Desert Quail Inn Sedona at Bell Rock
- 8. GreenTree Inn Sedona
- 9. Amara Resort And Spa
- 10. Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock
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Things to do in Verde Valley, Verde Valley: The Best Nature & Parks
Discover the best top things to do in Verde Valley, United States including Cathedral Rock, Bear Mountain Trail, Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park, Broken Arrow Trail, Brin's Mesa Trail, Mingus Mountain Area, Douglas Mansion, Slide Rock State Park, Oak Creek Canyon, Devil's Bridge Trail.
Restaurants in Verde Valley
1. Cathedral Rock
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5,917 reviews
Towering red rock formation, part of the Cathedral Rock Trail.
Reviewed By Cristine4412 - Pittsburgh, United States
It's a relatively easy hike to the base of Cathedral Rock, and from there you can choose the more challenging hike up the rock, or take the flat Templeton trail around the base.
2. Bear Mountain Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 249 reviews
Reviewed By rachelwY6652YZ
Love this hike. It's definitely difficult, with steep sections that require trail runners or hiking boots to do safely. Hiked in spring and recommend carrying 3.5L water because most of the trail is exposed. Views are stunning and worth the effort!
3. Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 748 reviews
Sedona's Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park is a must-visit destination for spiritual seekers the world over. The Buddhist Amitabha Stupa is an outdoor venue for prayer, meditation, and spiritual renewal for people of all faiths. In the park you will find two Buddhist stupas, a Native American medicine wheel, an exquisite wooden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and numerous quiet spots for meditation and quiet contemplation. You will experience peace in a quiet, sacred setting. The Amitabha Stupa is open every day and your visit is free of charge. The stupa is supported totally by visitor donations. The Amitabha Stupa is on private property and is owned by Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Vajryanna Buddhist Temple in Poolesville MD. Use of the property by tour guides and other business or commercial entities requires permission.
Reviewed By wreckthismess - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
I believe one should experience adventure, struggle & exertion when visiting sacred spots, allowing the self to interact with its surroundings, & give up ego in exchange for peace. If you’re bussed in, conveniently dropped off at the site it’s like passing thru a fast food drive-thru & you’ll have to overcome the convenience of your entitlement to catch up to the rest of us on a natural high who arrived via the hiking trails. The Amitabha Stupa is nestled in the shadow of Thunder Mountain in the Red Rocks, amongst a network of hiking trails just above Sedona. Once at this dry parcel you’ll see a magnificent wooden Buddha perched on a ledge among the junipers, the large Stupa, a sacred structure that’s said to contain millions of wishes, sacred relics, mandalas, & prayers. Even if you don’t believe that, merely imagining it gets you halfway there. Meditate, add silence, slow down, regenerate. Many do just that, finding a welcome respite from perpetual chattering & daily data overload. Visitors offer acknowledging glances broad smiles & that’s a start. Spin colorful prayer wheels clockwise & pray for a better future, a world free of perpetual war. Even if you don’t go in for this, the mere spinning of the wheels will link you to something outside yourself. I was told by a local, self-described “old hippie” who assisted on the site’s construction in 2004 that the site is deemed holy by local native peoples & the Hopi who’ve constructed a medicine wheel of stones here.
4. Broken Arrow Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,400 reviews
Reviewed By geridicola - Chicago, United States
We took the Broken Arrow trail to the High on the Hog, Hog Heaven to Hog Wash back to Broken Arrow it was about a four mile Hike that was absolutely amazing. bring water and a snack so you can stop and soak it all in.
5. Brin's Mesa Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By chickabeegrrl - Elk Grove, United States
This is a great hike if you start at Brins Mesa and walk clockwise towards Soldiers Pass then loop north and back onto Brins Mesa. You’ll have some amazing views and a stop at a sink hole and the seven sacred pools. I’d suggest that you arrive early since parking can be tough and drive to the end of the road but beware of deep holes in the ground that you’ll have to navigate around.
6. Mingus Mountain Area
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By MikeB1952 - Colorado Springs, United States
Great of both sides of the mountain! We drove the road going from Prescott to Jerome. In fewer than 35 miles, Arizona State Route 89A goes from scrubby prairies up to mountains topped by pines and aspens. It’s quite the drive. Beginning from Prescott, it’s mostly rolling scrub oak hills. From there it winds and climbs steeply up the mountain. Wow! What a climb. At the top, there’s an amazing view of valley below. The road winds down into a canyon with a big mining operation off to one side. Lots of copper pulled from the mountains here. And finally, the road travels to and through Jerome and down to Clarkdale. It is such an amazing drive. We loved it.
7. Douglas Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 233 reviews
This former home of a mining baron became a state park and a museum in 1965.
Reviewed By AZJoeW - Sun City, United States
The Douglas Mansion is the main feature of the Jerome State Historic Park. This is well worth the stop. It is a self-guided tour of the mansion and there is a 30-minute film about the history of Jerome, AZ. The views are also spectacular looking north towards Sedona. Unlike the rest of Jerome, parking here is easy.
8. Slide Rock State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,337 reviews
Slide Rock State Park, originally the Pendley Homestead, is a 43-acre historic apple farm located in Oak Creek Canyon. Frank L. Pendley, having arrived in the canyon in 1907, formally acquired the land under the Homestead Act in 1910. Due to his pioneering innovation, he succeeded where others failed by establishing a unique irrigation system still in use by the park today. This allowed Pendley to plant his first apple orchard in 1912, beginning the pattern of agricultural development that has dominated the site since that time. Pendley also grew garden produce and kept some livestock. As one of the few homesteads left intact in the canyon today, Slide Rock State Park is a fine example of early agricultural development in Central Arizona. The site was also instrumental to the development of the tourism industry in Oak Creek Canyon. The completion of the canyon road in 1914 and the paving of the roadway in 1938 were strong influences in encouraging recreational use of the canyon. Hence, Pendley followed suit and in 1933, built rustic cabins to cater to vacationers and sightseers. Todays visitors can still enjoy the fruits of Pendley's labor. Historic cabins are available for viewing, and the creek offers the park's namesake slide for adventures seekers and those looking for a place to cool off.
Reviewed By SinAguayo - San Bernardino, United States
$20 for parking and that is the only fee you are going to have to pay. About 15 minutes from Sedona, the scenic view to slide rock it's a treat of it's own. Pay attention though because it is a one way highway with plenty of hikers. Depending on what time you get there, you may have to wait due to the parking lot being full. We had to wait approximately 45 minutes. And there is no phone service. So... get to talking with your family or friends. The park has a small shop with all the necessities, for example: you can buy water shoes ($15), snacks, food, umbrellas, souvenirs, shirts, ice cream, and much more. They have lockers which you can rent in order to safeguard items you don't want to take with you. All we took was two backpacks with snacks and towels. The actual walk to the creek is about 15 minutes. Enjoy the walk because it has great view. The massive red rock in the distance is breathtaking. You will go down some steps that will lead you to the creek. Once at the bottom you can pick a spot to settle. BE AWARE. The rocks in the water are very very slippery. The water is cold..but once you acclimate, you will be fine. Peaceful, and enjoyable. Not very packed. Plenty of room of everyone. I highly recommend it. Follow me and my adventures fb: Sin Aguayo ig:@SinAguayo
9. Oak Creek Canyon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,381 reviews
Breathtaking in its red rock beauty, the Canyon is a spectacular 16-mile gorge with streams and waterfalls between sheer rock walls.
Reviewed By 51gloriab - Advance, United States
We hiked the West Fork trail and enjoyed the lush area with a well-defined trail for several miles. Our necks were stretched upward as we noted what we saw in the sandstone rock structures formed by wind over the centuries. At the start of the hike, it was a treat to learn about Mayhew Lodge that once was a retreat for politicians and movie stars. We saw squirrels, salamanders, butterflies, and hawks as they thrive in the riparian community.
10. Devil's Bridge Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,524 reviews
Reviewed By DistrictBrit - Washington DC, United States
The hike to Devil’s Bridge isn’t too strenuous, it’s roughly five-miles round-trip along a dirt road that leads into a more robust trail, with parts that require a bit of rock climbing up steep sections of the mountain. The higher you get the more narrow and rocky the hike becomes, it’s a 400 ft or so elevation climb in all but there are plenty of places to stop and take a break, or viewing areas to soak in the view should you not make it to the top. But if you make it to the top it’s awe-inspiring, and the opportunity to risk your life walking across the bridge for a photo is right there. Devil’s Bridge itself is a bridge to nowhere, it’s about a 50 feet drop should you fall, so don’t do that. At it’s narrowest it’s about five feet but if you’re good with heights then you’ll be fine.
