Balanced Rock

Hi All. This is my first post. I just got back from Sedona, AZ. We hiked the red rock trails but didn't ride. Awesome place. I noticed that there are a ton of mountain bike trails, but couldn't find much info on gravel rides. On my own I plotted a ride to the Palatki and Honanki cliff dwellings, which we visited with a guide. (Bike Forums won't let me post a link to the GPS track.) The two archeological sites are right next to each other and just down the road from the Enchantment Resort, an easy gravel ride through red rock buttes. I'm not allowed to post photos either.

Anyone have gravel ride routes in Sedona? I want to return better prepared.

Hondo Gravel

Sedona is awesome the two times I have been I just hiked. I also wondered about local gravel roads when I was there. As you said there are many mountain bikers on the trails.

Balanced Rock

Yup! Lots of MTB trails, but not much on gravel roads even though there must be miles of National Forest Roads.

Here is a link to one gravel ride from Bikepacking.com. We took a Pink Jeep tour that traveled most of this route, to the cliff dwellings at Honanki. Gorgeous red rocks, buttes, and views of Bear Mountain. It would be fun to visit Palatki on a ride. We hiked to Honanki. Palatki requires an advance reservation.

The link as best as I can post on Bike Forums until they give me full access: ridewithgps.com/routes/26976311

chas58

Keep posting to get to 10 posts!

I like to use Strava heat maps to see where people go:
https://www.strava.com/heatmap#11.28...85594/gray/all

Balanced Rock

That's helpful. Thanks. I found an Arizona group as well. Most of the gravel recommendations have been in the Honanki area. Plenty of wild camping there too. Cheers!

Cuteboots13

Hi. I'm coming into this thread a few months late but was wonder if any more info had been found since the last post.
I'm trying to plan a bikepacking trip through the Sedona area using mostly gravel roads during the 1st week of April 2020. I have checked out the Bikepacking.com route and that is a bit longer than what our time frame will allow. We are looking to do a 3 day loop ride. We are also wondering about water sources. In the last post "Balanced Rock" mentioned an Arizona grouP. anyway, just looking for more info. thanks.

chas58

Water is a big deal. Also, riding gravel in that part of the country can be full of goatheads. I've bailed on rides (when I was using tubes) just 'cause I was getting too many flats...

Balanced Rock

That Arizona group I found was for mountain biking. The best info has been from Bikepacking.com. They have quite a few routes, including overnighters. For a medium-length route, my recommendation would be to take a segment of one of their too-long routes and customize a loop to fit your needs.