You have your choice of dozens of hiking trails in the Sedona area. This combination of two trails, Jordan and Cibola Pass, should probably not be your first choice. Combining the two trails makes for a nice, relatively short and somewhat easy loop, that’s convenient to downtown Sedona. But, there are more scenic options.
My Visit
It was a gloomy, overcast day, so my hopes for taking beautiful pictures of Sedona were not high. At the same time, I still wanted to go for a nice hike in the morning, before heading up to the Grand Canyon. So, I decided to try a trail that’s close to town, and relatively easy — even if it wasn’t going to be the most beautiful of Sedona’s trails.
The trailhead at the end of Jordan Road serves as an access point for several trails. I had parked here several years ago, when I hiked to the top of Brins Mesa. I enjoyed that trail immensely. This time, I decided to head west on the Jordan Trail, then loop back via Cibola Pass.
Jordan Trail had some nice views, but none that were wide-open and unobstructed. I could see all of the mountains that tower over Sedona, but there was always a tree in the way of a clear shot.
And sometimes, there was much more in the way. For part of the hike, I was walking underneath or near power lines.
After about .4 mile, Jordan Trail intersects with the start of the Javelina Trail. I don’t see the Javelina Trail on most Sedona trail maps, so it might not be a major route.
Near the intersection of Jordan and Cibola Pass, you’ll enter a clearing, where there are some decent views of the surrounding hills. It’s a little less than a mile to this spot. Nearby, you’ll find some side-trails for Ant Hill Loop, which appears to be popular with mountain bikers. Jordan Trail is also bike-friendly, so you may have to step out of the way at times, to let bikers pass.
At the point where Jordan Trail meets up with Cibola Trail…
… you’ll have some better views of the immediate surroundings.
Bikes are not permitted on Cibola Pass Trail, which makes this part of the loop nicer for hikers. The scenery is also better.
But, as the name suggests, you’ll need to gain some elevation, and cross over a pass. It’s not very difficult…
… and you’ll see some interesting trees along the way.
Somewhere along this section of the trail, I found a nice clearing with a big log, which served as a convenient park bench. I stayed here for a few minutes, enjoying the view and the quiet. Then, I finished the hike…
… back at the Jordan Road trailhead.
The Bottom Line
The Jordan/Cibola Loop provided a nice, one-hour hike. There were some nice views, especially on the Cibola Pass portion of the trail, but you can certainly find better places to hike nearby. If you’re able to tackle a slightly more challenging trail, I’d suggest hiking Brins Mesa instead.
Location
The Jordan trailhead is at the northern end of Jordan Road. You’ll find Jordan Road in the middle of ‘uptown’ Sedona, just north of the “Y” intersection.
This trailhead provides access to Jordan, Cibola Pass, Brins Mesa, and Jim Thompson Trail. It requires a Red Rock Pass, or an annual pass to the National Parks and federal lands.
Drivelapse Video
Check out this time-lapse, dash-cam video of the drive through Sedona, then north on 89A through Oak Creek Canyon:
No comments