No matter the time of year, Sedona, Arizona is a very popular destination for travelers. Sedona RV parks often require reservations well in advance, especially at certain times of the year. But, there is so much to do and see in Sedona that it makes the trip well worth the planning.
In this post, we’ll look at some of the most popular things to do in and around Sedona, and we’ll share some popular RV parks that you can call home while you enjoy the brilliant red rock surroundings and some of the largest sycamore and cottonwood trees nature has to offer.
Load up the fridge and fuel up the rig! The red rocks are calling!
Things to Do In and Around Sedona, AZ
There’s so much to see and do in and around Sedona, that we can only touch on the available experiences in this post.
Located in the high desert under the rim of the Colorado plateau (just a couple of hours north of Phoenix), Sedona offers four seasons of mild temperatures in which to enjoy a truly inspiring environment… no matter what your interests are.
The sun shines brightly and consistently in the City of Sedona and delivers average temperatures between 45 and 75. (Note that these are annual average temps. Sedona tends to soar to daytime highs of the mid-90s in summer and down to nightly lows of 20 in winter, so plan your travels accordingly.)
It’s safe to say you’ll never be without spectacular sights and experiences to embrace when you visit this stunning area of the northern Verde Valley region of Arizona.
Hiking Trails
Sedona offers some truly spectacular hiking. Regardless of your desired level of hiking challenge, you’ll love hiking in and around Sedona.
There are trails for every level of hiker:
- from easy day hikes on mostly-flat terrain like that of Devil’s Bridge Trail (1.8 miles round trip)
- to the majestic rock-climbing hike of Cathedral Rock Trail in the Coconino National Forest (1.2-mile round trip but steep in places)
- to far more strenuous hikes like the steep and difficult Bear Mountain Trail (4.6-mile round trip for experienced hikers)
Sedona has a hiking trail for you. There’s so much hiking available in the area, you may even want to pick up a book or a trails map to guide you toward some of the best hikes to match your ability.
- Bohan, William (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Emmitt Barks Cartography (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Mountain Biking
Sedona offers world-class mountain biking and has many shops where you can rent, repair, tune up, and outfit your bike(s)… while getting lots of good advice about which trails offer the right level of challenge for you.
From Bell Rock Trail, where even novice bikers and families can ride freely, to intermediate rides through the Aerie and Cockscomb Trails, to hard-driving professional trails like Hiline and Hangover, Sedona offers mountain bikers some truly extraordinary riding experiences.
Take a Tour!
Whether your interests are mountain biking, hiking,or scenic touring in any capacity, Sedona offers ample opportunity for your enjoyment in surroundings that will leave you awestruck. Here’s a list of some of the most popular types of tours available in and around Sedona…and this is just a start!
- Bus Tours
- Four-Wheel Drive Tours
- Bike Tours
- Wine Tours
- Stargazing Tours
- Cultural Tours
- Architectural Tours
- Scenic Tours
- Vortex Tours
- Helicopter Tours
- Balloon Tours
- Canyon Tours
One awesome tour destination is Oak Creek Canyon (also in Coconino National Forest), a 16-mile gorge full of waterfalls and streams that are surrounded by stunning red rock walls. Absolutely spectacular!
When you’re traveling in Sedona, you’re only a couple of hours from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and Grand Canyon National Park.
And we’d be remiss were we not to mention that about two hours (114 miles) north of Sedona is the South Rim of one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, the ultra-spectacular Grand Canyon.
So, there’s much to enjoy, but where will you park your home-on-wheels?
RV Parks: Places to Stay In & Around Sedona
There are many campgrounds and RV parks in and around Sedona that will serve you well as you explore your interests in the surrounding areas.
We’ll mention several here to get you started in your research, but again, during certain peak travel times, some campgrounds and RV parks in Sedona may require reservations months in advance of your travels. So, plan accordingly!
Distant Drums RV Resort
Owned and operated by the Yavapai-Apache Nation, Distant Drums RV Resort, located in Camp Verde, Arizona, is one of the top RV parks in the area. They offer concrete sites with full 30/50 amp hookups and a free escort right to your site upon your arrival.
Distant Drums offers a wide variety of amenities including night security, a dog park, and a heated pool and spa.
If casinos are your thing, this RV park is an especially convenient place to stay because Cliff Castle Casino is right there in Camp Verde, (20 minutes south of Sedona), and Distant Drums RV Park offers a free shuttle to and from the casino.
Cliff Castle Casino, also owned and operated by the Yavapai-Apache Nation, has been voted the best casino in Arizona for more than a decade running. The casino features 650 slot machines, blackjack, and a high-limit room with five venues for dining and two bars.
Munds Park RV Resort
Nestled in the cool pines of northern Arizona, Munds Park RV Resort is open only from April 1st to October 31st.
Located in the small town of Munds Park, AZ, this resort is about 40 miles from Sedona in Coconino County. The area offers hiking, golf, fishing, and more.
Munds Park RV Resort welcomes small campers, RVs of all sizes, park models, and has seasonal rentals. The park is also big rig friendly!
Among the coolest amenities offered by Munds Park RV Resort are their own off-road trails for biking and ATV enthusiasts.
Munds Park RV Resort offers its own ATV and biking trails for the trail enthusiasts among us!
They offer a large recreation building where you’ll find entertainment like bingo, live bands, and line dancing every day. There’s also a pool for summer visitors, a heated spa, a fitness center, and a general store.
This RV park sits at a 6,700-foot elevation and is located immediately adjacent to the Coconino National Forest, an amazing place to visit in its own right.
Rancho Sedona RV Park
Located right in the heart of Sedona, Rancho Sedona RV Park finds its guests within walking distance of many restaurants, galleries, and shops.
Even though it’s right downtown, this park sits in the shade of spectacularly tall sycamore and cottonwood trees, and the area offers some of nature’s finest activities such as year-round hiking, mountain biking, and trout fishing.
Rancho Sedona RV Park is located on 10 acres with fields to explore and offers free Wi-Fi and digital cable TV, as well as spacious campsites, a laundry facility, and some great activities such as volleyball, horseshoes, and tetherball.
Verde Valley RV Park
Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort is a Thousand Trails resort situated on 300 acres along the Verde River (great for kayaking!), in nearby Cottonwood, AZ.
The famous ghost town of Jerome is located here and the area is rich with cultural and geological history, making it a fantastic location for sightseeing and exploring.
A mine and saloon in the famous ghost town of Jerome.
This 340-site RV park offers creek, canal, lake, river, or ocean frontage! Activities are endless here with pickleball, mini-golf, volleyball, shuffleboard, basketball, horseshoes, a playground, a dog park, and a billiards & games room.
In addition, there are hiking & biking trails, swimming, fishing, and a whirlpool, spa, and hot tub on site.
Verde Valley offers live entertainment, arts & crafts, jam sessions, tournaments, and other planned activities.
They even offer RV storage!
Rio Verde RV Park
Just 15-minutes south of Sedona in the small town of Cottonwood, Rio Verde RV Park offers 62 sites tucked among the cottonwood, juniper, and pine trees.
Rio Verde offers full hookups, on-site propane, laundry facilities, limited Wi-Fi, and a pet-friendly environment.
You’ll have river access as well as access to hiking trails, and right next door to the RV park is an ECO farm where you can take a tour of the fields, learn about sustainable organic gardening and see it happening first-hand. Plus, you can harvest whatever you’d like right from the farm! (The ECO Farm even has the only all-electric tractor in the State of Arizona!)
For anyone interested, there are opportunities to workamp here, and there are even tiny houses for rent.
These five Sedona-area RV parks represent a fraction of the campgrounds and RV parks located in and around Sedona.
Whether you arrive in Sedona in summer or winter, you’ll have many opportunities to hike, bike, fish, tour/sight-see, explore, and relax among the red rocks, rivers & streams, and trees that reach vastly skyward.
Have You Stayed at a Sedona RV Park?
If you’ve traveled in or around the Sedona area and would like to share your experience, we’d love to hear from you!
Drop us a comment and tell us what you especially enjoyed about traveling in the Sedona area!
Geek Out with Us Every Week
Join our newsletter to learn about all things RV-related. Every week we offer free tips, tricks, product reviews, and more to our online community of RVers. So, whether this is your first time on the road or you’re a seasoned expert, we’d love for you to geek out with us!
Tony S
Tuesday 29th of November 2022
We stayed 2+ weeks at Rain Spirit RV Park in nearby Clarkdale, AZ. It's a relatively small park (50-75 sites) with modest amenities. If you are looking to explore the region, it's a good spot and the rates were very reasonable.
TheRVgeeks
Saturday 3rd of December 2022
Thanks for sharing, Tony!
Marina
Monday 28th of November 2022
Hi. We stayed at Rancho Sedona earlier this month. We didn't want to leave. It's such a Spiritual place. If we didn't have to get warranty work done in Tucson we'd still be there! As you said, the hiking was terrific as well as the off roads trials. We'll definitely be back, for sure. Thanks for all your very informative videos. Marina
TheRVgeeks
Saturday 3rd of December 2022
Thanks for sharing your experience, Marina!
Mark Laffin
Monday 28th of November 2022
Sedona and the surrounding area is a beautiful place to visit. We live not far from there. Unfortunately, Sedona has been “discovered” thanks to an aggressive marketing campaign and articles like yours. You failed to mention several things that have resulted from Sedona’s discovery: 1. Traffic is often in near gridlock conditions because of the overwhelming number of tourists that exceed the road capacity. 2. Parking for all these cars is extremely limited, contributing to more congestion. 3. Wait times for restaurants and popular attractions can stretch into hours. 4. Prices for hotels, restaurants, RV parks, etc. are quite high compared to other nearby places. Last-minute reservations for anything are non-existent. 5. Hiking can be an arduous experience because of all the people on the trails, assuming you can find a place to park. 6. All the human activities are having a negative and lasting impact on the delicate and diverse ecosystem that is Sedona. Once disturbed, the ecosystem can take many decades to recover, assuming it isn’t disturbed further. The ecosystem surrounding Sedona is under constant and unrelenting attack from all the human activities.
We have an obligation to be very good stewards of the land entrusted to us. The overwhelming number of tourists that descend on Sedona and surrounding areas on a daily basis makes our stewardship nearly impossible.
TheRVgeeks
Saturday 3rd of December 2022
Thanks for your input, Mark. Sedona can indeed be better in the off-season due to its popularity during the busiest times of year. And people do indeed need to care for their environment no matter what!