On an ordinary Tuesday, you can park at the Cathedral Rock trailhead. On Tuesday, Nov. 24, you can't. That day falls inside the Sedona Shuttle's holiday window, which runs daily from Nov. 19 through Nov. 29 except Thanksgiving. The trailhead lot closes to the public whenever the shuttle is running.
Most of what happens near Red Rock Loop Road between now and New Year's runs on calendars kept by someone else. Arizona State Parks sets the reservation windows at Red Rock State Park. The City of Sedona's shuttle program sets which days the Cathedral Rock lot is closed. The Forest Service sets when the gate opens at Crescent Moon. All three change between now and Dec. 1, and the first deadline is tomorrow.
The Star Party Registration Closes Friday
Red Rock State Park holds a Star Party on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. It starts with a presentation at the picnic ramada. After that, guests look through telescopes provided by AstroVerde Astronomers of the Verde Valley, the local astronomy club. The park lists Keep Sedona Beautiful as a partner and calls the evening kid-friendly.
According to the park, the timing is deliberate. The night is moonless, which suits deep-sky viewing, and Orion, Taurus and Perseus rise clearer as autumn goes on. That puts star clusters and nebulae within reach.
The park's guidelines for the evening:
- Fee: $16 per person
- Registration: required, open through Friday, Nov. 6, on the Arizona State Parks reservation site, searching "Red Rock State Park"
- Arrival: at the entrance by 5:30 p.m. The gate closes after that, and no one enters once it does.
- Pets: not permitted, including in a parked car
- Gear: at least one flashlight or headlamp per group, with a red lens preferred
At 4050 Red Rock Loop Road, the park is a short drive for most of the neighborhood. Because of the 5:30 gate time, that short drive still has to happen before sunset.
Sundays at 1 p.m., by Phone
The park's daytime calendar runs on a weekly rhythm through Nov. 22. Each Sunday at 1 p.m. has a guided hike on a different subject, and the hike is included with regular admission. Two of the three require a phone reservation.
| Date | Program | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Red Rock geology hike, about two hours | Reservation required, (928) 282-6907 |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Archaeology hike | Reservation required, (928) 282-6907 |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | Ethnobotany of Sedona hike | Reservations encouraged |
Admission is $10 for ages 14 and up, $5 for ages 7 to 13, and free for children 6 and under. Walk-in entry is listed at $5. After Nov. 22, the park's calendar shows no dated special events, though its recurring programs keep running.
The recurring programs shift with the season too. Guided bird walks meet Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m. through November, then start at 9 a.m. in December. The daily guided nature hike stays at 10 a.m. In January, Sedona Red Rock News described that daily walk as led by volunteer naturalists. The same piece retold how Jack and Helen Frye bought more than 800 acres along the creek and built the House of Apache Fire, which still stands inside the park.
The park also lists volunteer opportunities on Nov. 8 and Nov. 15, the same Sundays as two of the guided hikes.
Holiday hours are shorter. Normally the park is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4:30. On Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve it closes at 2 p.m., with last entry at 1:30, and it is closed on Christmas Day.
The Weekdays the Cathedral Rock Lot Closes
The shuttle's regular schedule runs Thursday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For people who live near Back O' Beyond Road, Cathedral Rock parking normally follows a simple pattern. The lot is closed from Thursday through Sunday during shuttle hours and open Monday through Wednesday.
The holiday calendar changes that pattern for three stretches this season:
- Nov. 19–29: daily service except Thanksgiving. The lot closes during shuttle hours on Monday, Nov. 23, Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25.
- Thanksgiving, Nov. 26: no service, so the usual Thursday closure doesn't apply that day.
- Dec. 17–24: daily service, which includes Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 21–23.
- Christmas Day, Dec. 25: no service.
- Dec. 26–31 and Jan. 1–3: service is listed for both stretches.
The shuttle's rule covers every one of those days. While the buses run, the Cathedral Rock trailhead lots are closed to the public, and they reopen once service ends for the day. The Forest Service has not set specific access hours for the trailhead, and overnight camping there is not allowed. The shuttle's guidance also says the Little Horse trailhead is not overflow parking for Cathedral Rock, which matters most on the extra holiday weekdays.
Riders bound for Cathedral Rock park at the North SR 179 Park & Ride, 1294 SR 179, which holds 65 vehicles. The neighborhood also has a lot of its own. The West SR 89A Park & Ride sits at 905 Upper Red Rock Loop Road with room for 91 vehicles, and its buses serve the Mescal and Dry Creek trailheads, the latter with access to Devil's Bridge. Parking and rides are free at both lots, and no lot allows overnight parking.
For a ride without driving to a lot, Sedona Shuttle Connect will pick you up at home for $2 and take you to any of the three park-and-ride lots. It runs from half an hour before to half an hour after the trailhead routes. The Verde Shuttle runs hourly from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and stops on 89A at Upper Red Rock Loop Road, by the Courtyard Marriott, on its westbound run.
Crescent Moon Moves to Winter Hours on Dec. 1
At Crescent Moon Picnic Site, the Forest Service lists hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30. Starting Dec. 1, the listed hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and they hold through March 31. A separate notice on the same Forest Service page says the area opens at 8 a.m. in winter and closes at dusk, and that the exit gate never closes. With two posted opening times for December, it's worth calling the site at (928) 203-0624 before an early start.
The fees are the part neighbors with annual passes ask about most. Entry is $15 per vehicle for up to five people, with walk-ins and extra passengers at $4 each. Red Rock Passes and America the Beautiful passes are not accepted. The site is day-use only, alcohol is allowed without glass, and amplified music is prohibited, though a single acoustic instrument such as a guitar is allowed.
The fall timing works well for an afternoon at Red Rock Crossing. Through Nov. 30 the posted hours run until 6 p.m., an hour later than the December schedule.
The Road Under All of It
Every one of these trips starts on pavement that just had work. Yavapai County scheduled its fall chip-seal project from Aug. 10 to Oct. 29. Earth Resources Corporation applied a 3/8-inch chip seal, fog seal and new striping, working Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and keeping one lane open at all times. The county's list of Sedona-area roads includes Chavez Ranch Road, Red Rock Crossing Road and Red Rock Loop Road. In August, Sedona Red Rock News told drivers on those roads to expect lane restrictions and minor delays through the Oct. 29 end date. The county's project page is the place to check if a flagger is still out on the stretch you drive.
Katrin Themlitz keeps track of these park, shuttle and Forest Service calendars, along with the details behind them: which roads lead to which trailheads, how a parcel near Chavez Ranch Road sits relative to the park-and-ride lots, and how the neighborhood changes from season to season. If you'd like to talk about any of it, let's connect.
