Sedona Airport Loop Trail Hiking Guide
The Airport Loop circles Airport Mesa, also called Table Top Mountain, right in the middle of Sedona, and it delivers a slow-turning panorama: Oak Creek's lower valley, then the formations to the west, then Capitol Butte and Wilson Mountain over West Sedona. It's more rugged than its in-town address suggests, with rocky spots and a climb over basalt boulders.
The Loop
AllTrails maps the circuit at 3.3 miles with 439 feet of gain and puts the time at 1.5 to 2 hours. The Forest Service lists 3.5 miles and 535 feet and budgets two to three hours, describing it as moderately challenging with some rocky spots. Described clockwise, you climb about 100 yards from the turnout to a small saddle, turn right, and follow the southeast slope. The first mile is mostly level; then the trail climbs, gradually and then moderately, over basalt boulders to the mesa's south corner at 1.4 miles and runs along the airport fence for a while.
Table Top Spur and the Way Back
At 1.7 miles the Table Top Trail branches off on a finger of land to the southeast. It's a half-mile each way and ends at a point with views over the Red Rock Loop Road area and many of Sedona's best-known formations, and it's worth the extra mile if your legs are fresh. Back on the loop, the trail descends to the northeast, passes the top of the Bandit Trail (which drops into West Sedona) just past the two-mile mark, and finishes with a gentle eastward climb to Airport Road across from where you started.
Parking
From the 89A/179 roundabout, drive 1.0 mile west on 89A and turn left onto Airport Road; the trailhead turnout is 0.5 mile up on the left. The Forest Service lists no fee for it, and it isn't on the Red Rock Pass site list. The catch is size: trail guides put the turnout at roughly a dozen cars, and the paid scenic-overlook lot nearby is a separate operation. If you can't park, Sedona Shuttle Connect, the city's on-demand service, covers most of town for $2 a ride.
Shade, Bikes and Dogs
There is no shade until the last mile, and only patchy shade there, depending on season and time of day. In summer that makes this a dawn hike, and the forest's guidance is to stay off exposed trails from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on hot days. Mountain bikers use the loop, so expect to step aside on narrow sections. Leashed dogs are allowed; bring water for them, because rock and gravel here heat up fast.
Hiking tips for Sedona Airport Loop Trail
- Get to the Airport Road turnout early; it's small and there's no fee, so it fills first.
- Add the Table Top spur for the best single viewpoint on the loop.
- Watch your footing on the basalt-boulder climb toward the mesa's south end.
- Yield to bikes on the narrow sections rather than squeezing past on the downhill side.
- Carry water and sun protection; there's almost no shade for the first two miles.
Nearby trails to explore
- Soldier Pass Trail
- Cathedral Rock Trail (Sedona)
- Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte Loop
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The Airport Loop is Sedona's easiest trail to meet up for, right in town and over in a couple of hours. Use TrailMates to find Sedona hikers heading around Airport Mesa. Download the TrailMates app to connect.