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Cathedral Rock Trail from 179

Monday, May 2, 2011 by The Hike House 24 Comments

The Hike House Sedona Trail Rating System
Cathedral Rock Trail
from 179

More of a rock climb than a hike, this trail is unshaded and steep and difficult in places. Follow the basket cairns across the wash and up the moderate slope toward the spires. At .25 mile, the trail emerges on a broad ledge with nice views. Then, it ascends steeply over bald rock and in a shallow cleft with a few toeholds notched into the rock to help on the steeper places. 

Emerging on a small knob, cairns show the way up and across several ledges toward the deep drainage ahead which it follows, climbing moderately steeply to the top of a wide saddle between two spires. Great views all along, but quite spectacular from the top. An unmaintained path leads south along the west base of the spires giving access, with short climbs, to two more saddles between sheer rock faces and a close-up view of an exposed lava dike at the first. Return by the same route for a 1.5 mile hike. Hot is summer.

Trail Data

Distance: 1.75/3.5 miles (One way/Round Trip)
Time: 2 hours (Round Trip)
Elevation Change: 600 ft.
Difficulty: Difficult

Trail Rating

VN:RO [1.9.8_1114]
Overall
Views
Difficulty
Rating: 4.3/5

View the Cathdral Rock Trail from 179 Slideshow and Commentary

 Cathdral Rock Trail from 179  Image 1
 Cathdral Rock Trail from 179  Image 2

Sedona Trail Rating System

The Hike House Sedona Trail Rating System provides actual hiker feedback and ratings of each of the Sedona hiking trails. The cumulative trail ratings for the Cathedral Rock Trail from 179 submitted by fellow hikers is located above with the Trail Data. Your trail feedback and ratings are an important resource for fellow hikers and provide a personal account of your trail experience from which others may learn. So please hike Sedona, help others, and rate a trail today!

Filed Under: Sedona Trail Rating System Tagged With: Cathedral Rock Trail from 179, hiking sedona, The Hike House

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