An easy 1.4 mile loop can be made from the Thunder Mountain Trailhead using Lower Chimney Rock Trail and the southern portion of the Thunder Mountain Trail. From the loop, a short but steep route climbs up the Summit Trail to Chimney Rock Vista on top of a red rock hill with a great 360 degree view. A moderate 2.6 mile loop can be made using the Chimney Rock Pass Trail and more of the Thunder Mountain Trail. or, a moderate “figure 8” of 3 miles can be hiked using the same trails. The trailhead at the north end of Andante Drive can also be used as the starting point for these loops. These trails offer no shade.
The Thunder Mountain Trail is the connector between these western trails and the eastern portion of the North Urban Trail System (described separately). The trail begins at the Thunder Mountain Trailhead and goes north, passing Chimney Rock. It then turns east and crosses the open area south of the sheer face of Capitol Butte, intersecting Teacup Trail at 1.7 miles. This is an easy, level trail, but there is no shade. The Teacup trail continues east. The Sugarloaf Trailhead is .3 miles to the south.
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 Thunder Mountain Trail 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!
