Wilson Mountain Trail
Closed right now
Wilson Mountain Trail No. 10 is explicitly named in the Coconino National Forest Pocket Fire closure order, in effect through September 30, 2026 unless rescinded earlier. The Midgley Bridge trailhead area is inside the closure boundary.
Closed right now, explicitly named in the closure order.
When open, this is the biggest climb in the Sedona area: 5.6 miles one way with 2,400 feet of gain, rated "strenuous and challenging with steep ascents." The Forest Service says it "heads straight for some of the most panoramic views in the Oak Creek Canyon/Sedona area" — and given how many viewpoints compete for that title here, it's a notable claim from a normally understated source.
The trailhead is just north of Midgley Bridge, near a monument to Richard Wilson, who was killed by a grizzly bear here in 1885.
The facts
- Open right now?
- CLOSED — explicitly named in the Pocket Fire closure order
- Forest Service trail
- Wilson Mountain Trail No. 10
- Distance
- 5.6 miles one way
- Elevation gain
- 2,400 ft
- Difficulty (USFS)
- Strenuous and challenging with steep ascents (USFS)
- Time needed
- About 2.5 hours one way
- Trailhead elevation
- 4,550 ft
- Pass required
- Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful
- Sedona Shuttle
- Not served
- Parking
- Just north of Midgley Bridge on SR 89A. Capacity not published.
- Restrooms
- Not documented
- Shade
- Partial on the lower canyon sections
Getting there
Get directions →The big one
Wilson Mountain is the high point of the immediate Sedona skyline, and the trail earns every foot of it. The climb starts near creek level at Midgley Bridge and works up through switchbacks onto a bench, then continues to the summit plateau.
From the top you're looking down into Oak Creek Canyon on one side and across the whole red rock basin on the other — the only local viewpoint that gives you both at once.
2,400 feet of gain puts this in a different category from everything else in this guide. Cathedral Rock, the hike people find hardest, is 669 feet. Start early, carry a lot of water, and be realistic about the descent, which is long and hard on knees.
The Richard Wilson monument near the trailhead commemorates a bear hunter killed by the grizzly he was tracking, in 1885 — the mountain is named for him.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wilson Mountain open?
No. Wilson Mountain Trail No. 10 is explicitly named in the Pocket Fire closure order, in effect through at least September 30, 2026.
How hard is Wilson Mountain?
It's the hardest hike in this guide — 5.6 miles one way with 2,400 feet of gain, rated by the Forest Service as strenuous and challenging with steep ascents.
Where does the Wilson Mountain trail start?
Just north of Midgley Bridge on SR 89A, about 2 miles north of Sedona, near the monument to Richard Wilson.
Is the view worth it?
The Forest Service — not a body given to hyperbole — says it heads for some of the most panoramic views in the Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona area. It's the only local summit that overlooks both the canyon and the red rock basin.
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.