Best Time to Visit Sedona: Spring Wildflowers, October Canyon Foliage, Summer Creek & Mild Winters

Because Sedona sits at 1,326 metres (4,350 feet) elevation, nearly a vertical mile higher than Phoenix yet 800 metres lower than the snowy Grand Canyon South Rim, it enjoys a true four-season high-desert climate that is 8°C to 11°C (15°F to 20°F) cooler than Phoenix in summer and mild and sunny in winter.

1. The Two Peak Hiking Seasons: Spring (March to May) & Autumn (October to Mid-November)

• Spring (March, April & May, 20°C to 27°C / 68°F to 80°F): crisp, cloudless blue skies, blooming desert wildflowers and magenta hedgehog cactus flowers in late April and May, and comfortable all-day hiking temperatures. The two weeks around Easter and Arizona spring break in late March and early April are the busiest weeks of the year, so book hotels early and use the daily free Sedona Shuttle.
• Autumn (October & Early November, Top Overall for Photography & Hiking): in October, daytime highs sit at a comfortable 22°C to 26°C (72°F to 79°F) after the summer monsoon storms end. Even better, from the third week of October through the second week of November, the shaded microclimate inside Oak Creek Canyon (especially on the West Fork Trail) bursts into one of the most vivid displays of red, orange and golden bigtooth maple and sycamore autumn foliage in the American West.

2. Summer (June, July & August) & Peaceful Winter (December to February)

• Summer Strategy: while Phoenix bakes at 44°C (112°F), Sedona highs sit around 33°C to 36°C (92°F to 97°F). Start red-rock hikes around dawn, and spend midday and early afternoon swimming in the cold 18°C spring waters of Slide Rock State Park, Grasshopper Point or Red Rock Crossing (or drive 45 mins up to 2,100m Flagstaff where it is 26°C). In July and August, late-afternoon monsoon clouds create dramatic rainbows over Cathedral Rock.
• Winter (December, January & February, Best Value & Quiet Trails): outside Christmas week, hotel rates drop substantially. Afternoon highs sit at a sunny, brisk 13°C to 16°C (56°F to 62°F), ideal for hiking in a light fleece without breaking a sweat, and occasional brief winter dustings of white snow on the red rocks melt within a day. Check what to wear in Sedona.