ATV Adventure in Sedona, Arizona: The Ultimate Guide

If you’re looking to inject a dose of adrenaline into your next desert escape. An ATV adventure in Sedona, Arizona is the perfect way to do it. Picture yourself on an ATV adventure navigating rugged trails, conquering rocky terrain, and soaking in panoramic views that seem straight out of a postcard.

Sedona, Arizona, is renowned for its breathtaking red rock formations and vibrant desert landscapes. But it offers more than just stunning scenery, Sedona is a paradise for thrill-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts.

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to embark on an unforgettable ATV journey through Sedona’s captivating wilderness. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or a curious beginner, get ready to rev up your engines and explore the exhilarating side of Sedona’s natural beauty. Book your Sedona ATV tour here.

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mom and son sitting on a blue atv in desert with red rock hills in the background — Taking a break to enjoy the scenic views of Sedona’s red rocks.

I have to front this with even though how stunning the terrain is in Sedona; the coolest but probably most disappointing part of our ATV adventure was seeing a roadrunner for the first time in real life. Maybe I watched way too many episodes of Looney Tunes growing up, but I expected Beep-Beep.

A real roadrunner is nothing like Beep-Beep, at least size wise. Still, even in my utter disappointment of my favorite Looney Tune’s character in real life, it was very neat to see. But, onto the ATV adventure part.

Meeting Point and Preparation

My son and I did The West Sedona Canyon Tour through Arizona ATV Adventures. You first meet at their office which is in town and get geared up. You are required to wear a helmet, goggles and a scarf covering your mouth and nose which will be provided for you. This is also the time to use the bathroom because there will be no other options available to you once you leave their office.

You can check the Coconino National Forest’s OHV trail maps to get an idea of the routes in the area.

After the group is geared up, you head out together to a gravel road where you will start your ATV ride. You have an option to drive your own vehicle to the drop off/pickup point where you hop onto your ATV. I recommend taking them up on that offer. My son and I did not, and we regretted that decision.

There is no delay heading to the site but at the end of the tour you have to wait for them to check all the ATV’s and load them up before you can leave. This takes a lot of time.

Luckily the family we took a tour with offered us a ride back to our car. I don’t recommend riding with strangers or picking them up on the side of the road. Unfortunately, I broke that rule twice on this trip. First time I ever broke this rule, just wanted to add that.

I broke that rule in this situation here and one other time on this trip. Which you will read about on our hike at Cathedral Rock. But, definitely for safety reasons, I do not recommend accepting rides or giving rides to strangers. Therefore, plan your transportation accordingly and drive to the gravel road drop off location.

The ATV Tour Experience

Our ATV excursion was a total of 4 hours. Approximately 3 hours of ride time through the outback of the West Sedona Valley, where over 40 movies have been filmed over the years.

There are over 100 miles of trails through the West Sedona Valley, which provides your guide an opportunity to craft a customized experience according to the tour’s skill level that will bring you to a breathtaking view of the Verde Valley from the top of Skeleton Bone Mountain which is over 800 feet above the valley floor.

Most of the time, you are in a single file line following your guide. Making stops periodically when wildlife is spotted, landmarks, or to hear cool facts about the area or movies that were filmed in that location.

Imagine driving along the valley floor on your ATV and having antelope run alongside you or horses running in the distant.

mom and son standing in front of a blue ATV wearing black clothes, black helmets on top of head, black goggles over eyes and a red bandanna around face — Preparing for our ATV Adventure with helmets and goggles on.

Tips for a Comfortable Ride

On the back of your guide’s ATV, he/she will have a cooler with snacks and bottled water. I do recommend bringing a backpack if you are riding a single ATV or a fanny pack if you ride a double in order to bring along additional supplies.

If you go in the summer like how we did, it gets really hot. I recommend bringing a cooling cloth and a few extra waters to keep wetting the cloth to keep yourself cool. My son overheated a little bit on this trip, so I saturated his head and neck with water and put a cooling cloth around his neck under his shirt.

It’s always smart to check the Sedona weather forecast before heading out on an ATV so you can be equipped with proper supplies.

Arizona ATV adventures did an incredible job, and this was a great way to see Sedona off-road and provided a fun, unique way to see stunning scenery that was absolutely breathtaking.

– They do not offer you to add the tip to your reservation if you pay by credit card. If you would like to tip your guide after your adventure, bring cash.

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir

What we brought:

FannyPack
Backpack
Water container
Electrolyte Drink Mix
Snack
Cooling cloths
Put on sunscreen prior to your adventure
Gym shoes
Phone
Camera

Have you embarked on an ATV adventure in Sedona? Share your experiences or ask questions below!

If you’re planning a Sedona trip, you can check ATV tour availability here.

Pin It For Later!

mom and son an a blue atv in top of slip picture with them standing in front with helmets on at the bottom with a sign stating arizona

Below is a list of posts to continue reading about our adventures in Arizona and an overall summary of our trip.

Carson and I got to experience the beauty of Arizona. The hills, mountains, red rocks and desert terrain captivated us throughout its change in scenery.

We took up our wings in a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, did some hiking, went glamping, saw the red rocks from the sky, and experienced the outback off-road. Overall, this was a great, very memorable vacation.

If you have more time than we did, I have a few recommendations below:

One

I recommend staying a couple more days in Sedona to do a few more different hiking trails. I would also have added one more day at the Grand Canyon too for another day of hiking.

Two

If you have even a few more days you can push on top of that, then I would recommend going to Page Arizona to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and then into Utah to Lake Powell (rent a jet ski for the day).

Three

If you need a good car break between Sedona and the Grand Canyon, I recommend Bearizona in Williams, AZ.

Bearizona is a great place to stop. This attraction provided the perfect leg break from the car after we finished the drive-through attraction. If you have never seen a live bear in the wild, this would provide a great safe opportunity because bears are free to roam the drive-through exhibit.