Cathedral Rock
by Earl E. Gibson
Cathedral Rock is one of my favorite places in the world. The view you see in this photo is the more "Classic" frontal view. There is a hiking trail on the other side. You can take that trail and find yourself between those monolithic spires you see here. Those areas are called "Saddles".
The Cathedral Rock trailhead can be accessed off of Back'O'Beyond Road. There is a small trail-head parking area with a restroom. However, the trail can also be accessed from Baldwin and Templeton trails. Cathedral rock is an amazing short but strenuous hike in the southern part of Sedona. It's a distance of just about 1.2 miles round trip but the 740+ ft elevation gain make this a moderate to difficult hike with portions where near vertical climbing is required. The trail time will vary per person or group. I spend hours here exploring and obviously taking photos.
If you are a hiking enthusiast, then you need to take this trail. For me, it is a Photographer's dream. Stunning views all around. Best at Sunrise and Sunset. If you go up before sunset and plan on viewing or photographing at this time, make sure you take a flashlight. You will be coming down in some darkness and it will be handy to have.