Airport Loop Trail
The best view-per-effort ratio in Sedona that doesn't involve scrambling. The Airport Loop circles Airport Mesa for 3.5 miles with 535 feet of gain — the Forest Service calls it moderately challenging, with rocky sections but no climbing.
It's open, it's in town (no long drive), it needs no shuttle, and the Table Top spur delivers a 360-degree panorama. You need a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful pass at the trailhead lot.
If you only want the view and not the loop, the saddle near the Airport Road pullouts is a short walk from the car.
The facts
- Open right now?
- Open (not in the current closure order)
- Forest Service trail
- Airport Loop Trail No. 210
- Distance
- 3.5 miles (loop)
- Elevation gain
- 535 ft
- Difficulty (USFS)
- Moderately challenging (USFS) — rocky in spots, no scrambling
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Trailhead elevation
- 4,580 ft
- Pass required
- Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful
- Sedona Shuttle
- Not served — drive yourself
- Parking
- Trailhead turnout on Airport Road, plus separate pullouts higher up. Capacity not published.
- Dogs
- Leashed dogs permitted forest-wide (6 ft maximum)
- Restrooms
- Not documented at the trailhead
- Shade
- Minimal — exposed mesa trail
Getting there
Get directions →The loop and the shortcut
The full loop is 3.5 miles around the rim of Airport Mesa with 535 feet of cumulative gain, and it's genuinely rocky in places — sturdy shoes matter more than fitness here. The Table Top spur branches off about 1.7 miles in and adds half a mile each way.
Most visitors don't do the loop at all. They park at the pullouts partway up Airport Road and walk a few hundred yards to the saddle for the panorama. That's a legitimate choice and it's why this spot appears on "easy vortex" lists — but be clear which one you're doing, because the two have very different shoe requirements.
The Forest Service directions: take 89A west 1.0 mile to Airport Road, then 0.5 miles to the turnout on the left.
Three different parking areas — don't confuse them
Airport Road has three separate parking situations and guides mix them up constantly:
The Airport Loop trailhead turnout — Forest Service, Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful required.
The free pullouts near the vortex saddle — small, and the first to fill before sunset.
The Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout — a separate paid lot further up that does not accept the Red Rock Pass.
None of these has a Forest Service-published capacity. What's consistently reported is that the free pullouts go first, particularly in the hour before sunset from spring through autumn. Sunrise is the same view with a fraction of the traffic.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Airport Loop hard?
Moderately challenging per the Forest Service — 3.5 miles with 535 feet of gain and rocky footing, but no scrambling or exposure. Much gentler than Cathedral Rock.
Can I just see the view without hiking the loop?
Yes. From the pullouts on Airport Road it's a short rocky walk up to the saddle viewpoint. That's what most visitors do.
Do I need a Red Rock Pass?
Yes at the Forest Service trailhead lot — $5/day, $15/week, or $20/year, or a valid America the Beautiful pass. The separate Airport Scenic Lookout lot charges its own fee and doesn't accept either.
Is it open during the wildfire closures?
Yes. Airport Mesa is not named in the Pocket Fire closure order, which covers trails north and west of town.
When's the best time to go?
Sunrise for the same panorama with far fewer people and easier parking. Sunset is spectacular and correspondingly crowded — the small pullouts fill well ahead of golden hour in busy season.
Facts on this page last verified July 28, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.