The Best Views in Sedona | Schnebly Hill Road

Finding the View

I was first introduced to Schnebly Hill Road a few years ago by a friend who had been in the area for a long time. I still remember the approach over the first hill and seeing down into the valley of Sedona with red rocks surrounding the area. I thought I was witnessing something from the old dinosaur cartoon, The Land Before Time. It was easily one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen.

Schnebly Hill Road

I drove this technical and rocky road in my old 2001 GMC Yukon which had 4-Wheel drive. This was the first challenging and technical off roading I had ever done and it was no joke. I highly recommend not only 4 wheel drive but also clearance. I have since done the drive in my newer stock SR5 4Runner and always scrape the bottom on a few parts of the road. The extra clearance is required if you don’t want to mess up your car or get stuck. Anyways if you don’t have a car that can handle this there are plenty of rental companies in Sedona that have capable vehicles.

Since this road is so hard to access you don’t get masses of tourists along it and the tours that use this road all go to the same point on it. There is a lot more to explore in peace and solitude which is another reason why this is my favorite place in Sedona. Not only do you get stunning views looking out west but you get them to yourself. There are plenty of unique photo opportunities to be had that haven’t been captured yet, especially for sunset.

This really is a road and area to explore. I don’t have a specific GPS coordinate to give out on where to go to get a specific photo of a scene. This is an amazing and beautiful area to explore for nature enthusiasts and beyond. I have gotten to find some “secret” roads off the main Schnebly Hill Road and some trails as well that have led to amazing views of the red rock valley of Sedona.