Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock is a natural sandstone butte near Sedona, Arizona, United States, and one of the most-photographed sights in the state.
A mountain, 3 mi south of Sedona
Summers are hot
July highs run 97–97°, and about 100 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Sedona is the nearest base
Sedona is 3 miles north, with 84 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Phoenix
Phoenix is about 88 miles south and Mesa is about 98 miles south (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May and Oct
April, May and October are the mild months, with highs of 75–84°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Sedona. Green months are the mild ones.
Cathedral Rock
Cathedral Rock is a natural sandstone butte near Sedona, Arizona, United States, and one of the most-photographed sights in the state. The rock formation is located in Coconino National Forest in Yavapai County, about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of State Route 179 (SR 179), and about 2.5 mi (4.0 km) south of the "Y" intersection of SR 179 and SR 89A in uptown Sedona. The summit elevation of Cathedral Rock is 4,967 ft (1,514 m).
The Cathedral Rock trail (USFS Trail #170) is a popular short, steep ascent from the Back O' Beyond trailhead to the saddle points or "gaps" in Cathedral Rock.
- Type
- Mountain
- Elevation
- 4,967 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 21K a year
Where to stay near Cathedral Rock
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Sedona (84) and Village of Oak Creek (Big Park) (19).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Cathedral Rock | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedona | 3 mi north | 5 min | 84 56 hotels · 4 motels · 17 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 9,619 | $787K | — |
| Village of Oak Creek (Big Park) | 3 mi southeast | 5 min | 19 7 hotels · 1 motel · 8 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins | 6,356 | $741K | — |
| Cottonwood | 12 mi southwest | 20 min | 23 11 hotels · 4 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground · 4 RV parks | 12,709 | $324K | B− |
| Oak Creek Canyon 54% vacation homes | 9 mi north | 15 min | 12 1 inn or B&B · 8 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 356 | $411K | — |
| Cornville | 9 mi southwest | 15 min | 10 2 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 4 lodges & cabins · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 3,618 | $367K | — |
| Flagstaff | 27 mi north | 40 min | 100 64 hotels · 18 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 77,260 | $553K | C− |
| Camp Verde | 18 mi south | 25 min | 20 8 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 9 RV parks | 12,581 | $318K | B− |
| Munds Park 85% vacation homes | 12 mi northeast | 20 min | 8 2 hotels · 1 motel · 4 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 608 | $780K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Cathedral Rock
Other well-known places within 64 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
115 mi National MonumentMontezuma Castle National Monument320K visitors a year
25 mi National forestCoconino National Forest
37 mi MountainHumphreys Peak
37 mi Canyon & gorgeOak Creek Canyon
64 mi GardenStandin' on the Corner Park
52 mi MountainRoden Crater
41 mi National MonumentSunset Crater Volcano National Monument108K visitors a year
36 mi Ski areaArizona Snowbowl53 runs · 2,368 ft verticalPhoto credits
Montezuma Castle National Monument: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Coconino National Forest: Adam Baker from Houston / Moscow / Toulouse (travel a lot), CC BY 2.0 · Humphreys Peak: Bob Blasi; Coconino National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Oak Creek Canyon: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Standin' on the Corner Park: Tpaairman, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roden Crater: Unknown, Public domain · Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · Arizona Snowbowl: Frederick Dennstedt from los angeles, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Visiting Cathedral Rock
What town is Cathedral Rock near?
Sedona, AZ, about 3 miles north.
When is the best time to visit Cathedral Rock?
April, May and October, with highs of 75–84°.
How far is Cathedral Rock from Phoenix and Mesa?
About 88 miles south of Phoenix and about 98 miles south of Mesa, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Cathedral Rock?
Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG), about 23 miles away. The nearest big hub is Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), about 96 miles.
Where should I stay near Cathedral Rock?
Sedona (3 mi, 84 places to stay), Village of Oak Creek (Big Park) (3 mi, 19 places to stay) and Cottonwood (12 mi, 23 places to stay).
Tips from people in Sedona
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Sedona’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.