Airport Loop, Sedona, AZ, USA

Airport Loop Trail: Sedona, AZ This is moderate trail with one of the best collection of viewing opportunities on all of the Sedona trails. Because the trail wraps 360 degrees around the airport Mesa, you get a full panorama of Sedona monuments in all cardinal directions. Parking is a trick for the actual trailhead. This is a very popular location, the trailhead being adjacent to a well known energy vortex that tourists from all over the world come to visit. Even so, there are only about 10 total parking spots, all of which were taken. Alternatively, you can travel further up the hill (and pay $3 for parking), and hike down the “Sedona View” trail for about a 1/2 mile to get back to the trailhead. I rate the Airport Loop trail as moderate because it is VERY ROCKY. There isn’t a huge amount of elevation gain or loss across the trail, but the rockiness makes the pathway much harder to travel. If you have knee issues, definitely bring poles for additional support on the downhills. Rockiness aside, the trail is well maintained. Most of the tourists stay over by the vortex, so once you get onto the trail itself things are quite peaceful with beautiful Sedona vistas in all directions. Like it says in the name, the trail makes a full loop around the airport Mesa, returning you back to where you started about 3.5 miles later...plus the extra 1/2 mile back to parking lot to get the car ;) **I had an oops with Gaia and missed a small segment near the beginning of the proper trail.**