CairnThe Sedona Index

Cathedral Rock Trail No. 170

Unverified trail record: compiled from official agency pages, checked September 26, 2026, not yet field-checked. About this record

Cathedral Rock Trail No. 170 is an official trail in the Sedona Red Rock area, managed by Coconino National Forest (USDA Forest Service). Its published distance is 1.1 miles roundtrip. The managing agency rates it Strenuous. The trailhead is Trailhead parking turnout on Back O' Beyond Road. Fees or passes, as published: Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass required to park at the trailhead. Every fact here was read from an official source on the date shown and has not been independently field-checked; conditions and fees change, so check the agency page before you go. This record was compiled on September 26, 2026.

Managed by Coconino National Forest (USDA Forest Service). Facts compiled from official sources on .

Quick answers

The published facts, and when we read them

Trail
Cathedral Rock Trail No. 170Checked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Trailhead
Trailhead parking turnout on Back O' Beyond RoadAs published: from the junction of state Routes 89A and 179, take 179 south 3.5 miles to Back O' Beyond Road on the right. Go 0.6 miles to the trailhead parking turnout on the left. Location: 38 miles south of Flagstaff in scenic Red Rock Country.Checked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Coordinates
34.825194, -111.788417Checked via: GPS printed on the trail page as 34°49'30.7"N 111°47'18.3"W, converted to decimal degrees only: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Route, as published
Return by the same route for a 1.5-mile hikeChecked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Distance, as published
1.1 miles roundtripChecked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Elevation, as published
Trailhead Elevation: 4,043 ft. Elevation Gain: 669 ft.Checked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Difficulty, as published
StrenuousChecked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Dogs
Not published by the sourceChecked via: No dogs or pets line is printed on https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170; nothing was borrowed from elsewhere.
as of August 30, 2026
Fees / pass
Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Pass required to park at the trailheadChecked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Managed by
Coconino National Forest (USDA Forest Service)Checked via: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/recreation/trails/cathedral-rock-trail-no-170
as of August 30, 2026
Free shuttle stop
North SR 179 Park & Ride (1294 SR 179)Checked via: https://sedonashuttle.com/how-to-ride/ (the Trailhead Shuttle serves "Cathedral Rock" from the North SR 179 Park & Ride)
as of September 26, 2026
Facts compiled on
September 26, 2026Checked via: Compiled verbatim from the official Coconino National Forest trail page (its footer showed 'Last updated July 30, 2025'); the shuttle stop was added from sedonashuttle.com on 2026-09-26 (CAIRN-10). Not independently field-checked.
as of September 26, 2026

Guided options whose own sites name this trail

These operators' compiled records mention Cathedral Rock in their own published tour lists or permit statements — that is the only reason they appear here. Cairn sells no placement.

Two figures on one official page

The at-a-glance block prints "Length: 1.1 miles roundtrip." while the description says "Return by the same route for a 1.5-mile hike." Both are reproduced verbatim; the discrepancy is unresolved on the source page. Published time: 1.5 hours roundtrip.

A climb more than a walk

As published: "More of a rock climb than a hike, this trail is unshaded and steep and difficult in places" and "Hot in the summer, so plan accordingly." The page suggests the free Sedona Shuttle, which serves specific trailheads Thursday through Sunday.

Nearby trails

The 4 other trail records here whose coordinates are closest to this one's. Each figure is a straight line between the two records' coordinates, not a route, a drive or a hiking time.

This trail record was compiled verbatim from official sources — Forest Service and other agency pages — and has not been independently field-checked. Each fact shows the date it was read and the page it came from. Conditions, closures and fees change; check the managing agency's page before you go. If anything is wrong, corrections are free: email thomas@sedonatechsolutions.com.

Report an error

Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we will check it. It is free, there is no account, and you do not have to be the business owner. Corrections go to Thomas Karl at thomas@sedonatechsolutions.com.

Email a correction about Cathedral Rock Trail No. 170

Opens your email app with the page and a few prompts already filled in. Prefer to write it yourself? Write to thomas@sedonatechsolutions.com directly.