Fay Canyon Trail
Fay Canyon Trail
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
677 reviews
Excellent
438
Very good
187
Average
46
Poor
5
Terrible
1
FoxTravelers
San Antonio, TX850 contributions
May 2021
This is one hike that it might be better starting later in the morning, but a sunrise hike was still spectacular. The trail is wide, easy and has beautiful scenery all around. Don’t miss the arch – it’s a short spur trail to the right about halfway up the main trail. You can see the arch from the spur…it looks like a cave. The hike to the arch was the only difficult part of the whole hike. We also climbed past the end of trail sign to see the box canyon from a little higher up. This was trickier than the actual trail, but worth the effort.
Written 28 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brown_Samantha
Kennewick, WA1,829 contributions
Nov 2021
We paired this trail with a more difficult hike completed in the morning. Fay Canyon had plenty of parking spaces when we arrived in the afternoon. It is very shady, and flat trail. Round trip distance is about 2.5 miles. No wonder it is family and dog friendly!
Luckily one of the kids on the trail was looking for the "mummy" and "goblet". We started looking for the formations as well. Voila! Wouldn't you know it. So funny.
We also saw a "loaf of bread rock", and Sphinx at the end of the trail. Let your imagination bring out your inner child. All and all, it is a very enjoyable hike.
Luckily one of the kids on the trail was looking for the "mummy" and "goblet". We started looking for the formations as well. Voila! Wouldn't you know it. So funny.
We also saw a "loaf of bread rock", and Sphinx at the end of the trail. Let your imagination bring out your inner child. All and all, it is a very enjoyable hike.
Written 14 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rod121
Cheyenne, WY22 contributions
Nov 2019
This trail is not too long and goes past some beautiful high canyon walls. The trail has a slight elevation gain as you traverse the canyon, and most of it is very easy. It is a popular trail but one I always recommend to the beginning hiker.
Written 6 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian K
Schenectady, NY651 contributions
Feb 2020
We were looking for a nice hiking trail that was not too long or difficult as my wife had hip replacement near five years ago. This was the perfect hike. 2.6 miles up and back with mostly shade after you walk from the parking lot. At the end of the trail before you turn around many hikers were climbing the cliff face. We passed on that but still enjoyed the wonderful scenery and spotted some unique birds. Easy trail and you can't get lost.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steven
Sarasota, FL116 contributions
Feb 2021
Great trail for beginners or those that want a flat trail with beautiful views. Fay Canyon is located on Boynton Pass Road, just a quick 10-15 mins from West Sedona. The drive up offers some nice views as well.
There is a decent sized free parking lot across from the trailhead. There is also a bathroom available in the lot. We were here in February and there plenty of open spots in the morning. The trail is mostly flat with some larger rocks here and there. It is also well shaded which would be welcomed in the hotter months.
Even at a slow pace it doesn't take long to get to the end (about 1.2 miles each way). There is some really nice views of the Red Rocks during the hike with the best view at the end, although some climbing is required.
If you are a beginner or just want an easy level hike this is a great choice.
There is a decent sized free parking lot across from the trailhead. There is also a bathroom available in the lot. We were here in February and there plenty of open spots in the morning. The trail is mostly flat with some larger rocks here and there. It is also well shaded which would be welcomed in the hotter months.
Even at a slow pace it doesn't take long to get to the end (about 1.2 miles each way). There is some really nice views of the Red Rocks during the hike with the best view at the end, although some climbing is required.
If you are a beginner or just want an easy level hike this is a great choice.
Written 4 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle O
Prescott Valley, AZ226 contributions
Jan 2022
The trailhead is well signed & has a good sized parking lot. The views along the route exceeded expectations. The trail is well maintained & effortless to traverse. Whoever maintains this trail deserves a trophy; we did not see a piece of trash which was wonderful.
The trail was busy with hikers but not crowded. It is a good choice for families.
The trailhead has a 'bicycle repair kiosk which I have never seen before. How nice to be able to make small bike repairs.
The trail was busy with hikers but not crowded. It is a good choice for families.
The trailhead has a 'bicycle repair kiosk which I have never seen before. How nice to be able to make small bike repairs.
Written 12 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TutinsPony
Phoenix, AZ2,541 contributions
Apr 2021
This is a good quick and easy hike, although we did not go to the arch, we just went to the end of the Trail. We did this after we did the Doe Mountain hike as it si just down the road.
It is shaded most of the way, we did this in April, so the weather was perfect for hiking in Sedona. The car park is across the road, on the east side. The hike is only 1 mile to the trail head.
The arch can be seen from the path, we met some people who started to go up to the arch but said the path was not great/safe.
It is shaded most of the way, we did this in April, so the weather was perfect for hiking in Sedona. The car park is across the road, on the east side. The hike is only 1 mile to the trail head.
The arch can be seen from the path, we met some people who started to go up to the arch but said the path was not great/safe.
Written 12 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wvogelii
165 contributions
May 2021 • Family
Took our two boys (9 & 12) on this trail as they had been complaining about all the “moderate” trails we had done the past few days and gave them an “easy” rated trail for a change. Was a nice walk with great views. Heavy crowds but easy to maneuver around and everyone was polite and let you pass. Once you get to the “tail end” sign we noticed some people climbing up the side of the rock so I decided to check it out. Totally worth the extra effort! I believe my wife and boys would have been fine but my wife passed on going up. There was a clear path to follow and it kept going. The climb was more than worth it for the amazing views but even if that’s not your thing the hike on the marked path was a good walk for the boys.
Written 31 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rrdd8
Alpharetta, GA27 contributions
Apr 2021
This trail is very easy and not too long. A lot of people hike it. There is an unmarked side trail that is kind of hard to find. The side trail is difficult and very steep, but takes you to a natural rock arch. The arch is awe inspiring and there are good views from underneath it.
Written 13 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CleveRocks
Atlantic City, NJ5,434 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
This was our first hike after getting into town, and it was a great introduction.
Parking was easy at 8:15 AM on a weekday in late-March. NOTE: The trailhead is across the street from the parking lot. This parking lot has a bathroom.
The terrain was easy and mostly flat, except at the very end. Wondrous views of the red rocks, as well as the relative abundance of greenery. On the way back (after reaching the end of the trail), we had fun exploring several of the dry creek beds. But by far the most fun was finding and taking the spur to the arch. This was a lot of uphill hiking, and some scrambling was necessary. If you like that kind of activity, it made this hike that much better.
By the time we got back to the parking lot, it was full and there were some cars waiting. Rather than getting into the car and driving to another trailhead and probably experiencing parking issues, we decided to see else what we could do without moving the car. Conveniently, there was a trail map of the area at the parking lot.
From the parking lot, we took a small piece of the Cockscomb trail and then made a left turn onto the Aerie trail, which more or less paralleled the road (but was not right next to it, and was much much more winding). We took Aerie all the way out to the Boynton Vista trail, and climbed to the top of that vista, for a beautiful view of a large valley to the front, and the Enchantment Resort to the rear. After a nice lunch on the top of the Boynton Vista, we retraced our steps and hiked back to the Fay Canyon trailhead parking lot.
All of that was good for about 6 miles of hiking, and it made for a very nice day, without having to move the car between trails.
Parking was easy at 8:15 AM on a weekday in late-March. NOTE: The trailhead is across the street from the parking lot. This parking lot has a bathroom.
The terrain was easy and mostly flat, except at the very end. Wondrous views of the red rocks, as well as the relative abundance of greenery. On the way back (after reaching the end of the trail), we had fun exploring several of the dry creek beds. But by far the most fun was finding and taking the spur to the arch. This was a lot of uphill hiking, and some scrambling was necessary. If you like that kind of activity, it made this hike that much better.
By the time we got back to the parking lot, it was full and there were some cars waiting. Rather than getting into the car and driving to another trailhead and probably experiencing parking issues, we decided to see else what we could do without moving the car. Conveniently, there was a trail map of the area at the parking lot.
From the parking lot, we took a small piece of the Cockscomb trail and then made a left turn onto the Aerie trail, which more or less paralleled the road (but was not right next to it, and was much much more winding). We took Aerie all the way out to the Boynton Vista trail, and climbed to the top of that vista, for a beautiful view of a large valley to the front, and the Enchantment Resort to the rear. After a nice lunch on the top of the Boynton Vista, we retraced our steps and hiked back to the Fay Canyon trailhead parking lot.
All of that was good for about 6 miles of hiking, and it made for a very nice day, without having to move the car between trails.
Written 7 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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