Sedona, Arizona is one of the best destinations you can visit on a campervan trip. There are countless epic hikes, tons of good restaurants, and enough Instagram photo spots to fill your feed.
I recently spent 3 days in Sedona in a campervan and packed my itinerary with all the best things to do. Keep reading for my perfect 3-day Sedona campervan itinerary, including all of the best hikes, where to park your campervan, places to eat, who to rent your van from, and more!
How to see Sedona: Hotel or Camper van?
My recommended way to travel in Arizona is by renting a campervan. A campervan gives you the flexibility to travel how you like with all of the comforts of a hotel or Airbnb.
You have the freedom to get to the most popular hikes early in the morning and make your own breakfast, you don’t have to constantly pack and unpack, and you’ll never forget to bring anything on your hike since all of your luggage travels with you!
You can pick up your camper van in Phoenix and then do an easy 2 hour drive north to Sedona. From there, you can pick an RV site to park your van at if you are looking for amenities like electricity and showers, or you can even park your van at a dispersed camping location to be all on your own.
If you have more time than 3 days, you can continue driving north of Sedona to see places like the Grand Canyon, Monumental Valley, and Antelope Canyon. I only had 3 days in Sedona, so I decided to make the most of my time there!
I knew I wanted to rent a camper van for my Sedona trip, and as I started researching van rental companies, I quickly came across Boho Camper Vans.
The Boho Camper Van Experience
You may have heard of Boho Camper Vans from their appearance on Shark Tank (!), and after experiencing their van and customer service, I wish that I was one of their investors too!
Boho has camper van rental locations in both Phoenix and San Diego, and they made the entire rental process a breeze.
From the moment of booking the van, they had excellent communication to let me know what to expect on my trip, including when to pick up and drop off the van, and even gave me access to their “Secret Map” which was filled with handy stops and places I would have missed!
Every one of Boho’s vans has its own name and personality, and I choose the lovely “Polly” as my van for the trip.
Polly truly felt like a beautifully designed home away from home and was equipped with everything we needed for our trip. This included a full kitchen basket with pots, pans, utensils, a 2-burner propane stove, bedding, pillows, and more.
I need to give a special shout-out to the memory foam mattress in the van because it was exceptional! My husband and I slept better in the van than we do at home.
The camper van was plenty spacious for the two of us, and I felt great waking up to take on the day’s hike each morning (which is no small feat considering I had two slipped discs in my neck during the trip!).
Boho also includes a lot of smaller touches that make the experience even more special, including an Adventure Journal in the glove compartment that previous renters had used to document their trips and leave advice for future travelers.
I had high expectations for my Boho camper van rental based on their 200+ 5 star Google reviews, and I was still blown away.
If you can’t tell by now, I highly recommend you book with Boho Camper Vans for your Sedona trip!
Where to stay Sedona
There are several RV sites in Sedona, and I recommend booking your site ahead of time because they can fill up quickly, especially in high season.
We booked our stay at the Rancho Sedona RV Park, and it had everything we needed.
I loved that I could book our specific RV site online. We booked a spot near the back by the creek in the “Adults Only” area, which was nice and quiet, though it was a bit of a walk to the bathrooms so you might want to book your site closer.
Rancho Sedona has full RV hookups, so we could easily plug in the electricity of our camper van to run off while parked at night, as well as very clean bathrooms with hot showers (a luxury not always found at campsites).
Polly did have an external shower off the back like most of the Boho van rentals, but considering we traveled in February and got one of the biggest snowstorms in Sedona history, we opted for the hot showers at the campsite.
Sedona Campervan Itinerary: Day 1
You will likely start your Sedona road trip by arriving at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport. I would recommend trying to book a morning flight so you can land and immediately pick up your camper van.
If you booked with Boho Camper Vans as I recommend, then you can easily take a 6-minute Uber from the airport to their location.
You’ll pick up the van, do a quick orientation on the features of the van, load your bags, and be on your way!
From Phoenix, it’s an easy 2-hour drive to Sedona. Before starting your drive, you may want to swing by a store in Phoenix to stock up on supplies for the trip.
Picking up food and supplies
I decided to go to Trade Joe’s for my shopping because I know the store like the back of my hand (and they have excellent wine and cheese), but you could just as easily get all of your supplies from one of the many Targets, Costcos, or Safeways depending on your preference.
Your shopping list will depend on your preferences, but I always find that easy-to-prepare foods like pasta, stir-fries, salads, bread, deli meats, and eggs will give you all that you need for a trip.
Also, there is a large Safeway and Whole Foods in Sedona, so if you forget something you can always get it there.
Pro-tip: The Sedona Safeway has incredible bread, so buy some fresh bread up there for your sandwiches or to pair with your wine and cheese!
Arriving in Sedona: Day 1 Afternoon
Depending on how long your campervan pickup and shopping takes, you will likely arrive in Sedona in the early afternoon. After getting settled at your campsite, take advantage of this day and go on a great sunset hike!
There are several options for sunset hikes depending on how much time you have and how long of a hike you would like to do.
Sunset: Airport Mesa Trail
If you are tired from the travel day but still want to see a beautiful sunset over the red rocks, then this is the spot for you.
Mesa Airport viewpoint isn’t really a hike at all — instead, it is a viewpoint where you can park at the parking lot and walk across the street to take in the view.
The beauty of this viewpoint is you don’t have to worry about finding parking for your van. Some of the parking lots in Sedona are very small and can be near impossible to find a place to park later in the day, but the Mesa Airport viewpoint has its own large lot you can park at for $3.
Take it easy on your first day and enjoy the sunset views because the real hiking begins tomorrow morning!
(Optional) Dinner: The Hudson
For dinner, you can return to your campsite and make dinner in your camper van using the supplies you already bought.
If you want to treat yourself to a nice meal out, there are a lot of great options in Sedona!
We went to The Hudson, which is walkable from the Rancho Sedona RV Park, or they do have a large parking lot in the back if you want to drive your van.
They have a very good menu with a wide range of options, including bruschettas, sandwiches, salads, and more. We had the crispy chicken sandwich with fries and a Caesar salad, both of which were good size portions and very tasty.
Pro-tip: If you haven’t made a reservation in advance, one trick is to walk in and grab a seat at the bar (this works for many of the restaurants in Sedona!). We saw a lot of people waiting for a table but there were open bar seats, so you can grab a chair and eat without the wait.
Sedona Campervan Itinerary: Day 2
Morning hike: Devil’s Bridge
I hope you got some sleep because this day will start nice and early!
One of the best hikes in Sedona is Devil’s Bridge, and I recommend starting your first full day with this hike.
Getting to Devil’s Bridge
You have a few options for getting to this hike. There is a small parking lot at the beginning at Dry Creek Trailhead, and if you are up early enough (around 7 am), you might be able to grab a spot. It is a smaller parking lot so finding a space for your van could be a bit tricky, but we were able to comfortably park our van in the lot.
If you do park in the lot, you will need a Red Rock parking pass, which you can buy from the machine in the parking lot. You will need this parking pass for other hikes later in the trip and It’s only $5/day or $15/week, so I would recommend buying the week-long pass if you are doing 3+ days in Sedona.
Also, if you have an America the Beautiful pass, you can display this on your dashboard instead of buying the Red Rock pass!
This lot is about a mile walk to the beginning of the hike itself. If you have a 4×4 vehicle, you can drive the dirt road and park closer to the start of the hike, but you can only do this drive in a 4×4. It is a very rocky and uneven trail, and the only cars I saw on it going to the hike were ATVs or true 4×4 jeeps.
If you don’t want to worry about parking, your other option is to take the Sedona shuttle. You can park your van in one of the lots where the shuttle picks up, then you can take the shuttle which will drop you off at the same parking lot above.
The shuttle is more convenient because you don’t need to stress about finding parking, but be sure to check the shuttle schedule. It only runs certain days of the week, but there is a handy app you can use to track the shuttle to see how far it is and if it is running on the day you want to visit.
Hiking Devil’s Bridge
If you parked at the main lot or took the shuttle, you have 2 options for getting to the Devil’s Bridge hike.
There is a longer but prettier walk from the parking lot which wraps around the valley and leads you to the hike through well-marked signs.
Your other option is to walk along the dirt road that you could have taken if you have a 4×4 vehicle.
I recommend taking the “pretty” but longer walk on the way to the hike, and the shorter but faster dirt road on the way back when you are tired.
To take the small hike instead of the dirt road, simply follow the signs out of the parking lot to the trail. This will add maybe half a mile to your walk, but it’s a flat, easy walk, and it will connect with the dirt road before you start the Devil’s Bridge hike.
You’ll know when you are at the beginning of the Devil’s Bridge hike when you see the 4×4 vans parked as well as a sign.
This hike starts out pretty flat and easy, but there is a good incline towards the last quarter of the hike.
I read online that the Devil’s Bridge hike was classified as “easy”, but I would put it more in the “moderate” category due to the rock scrambling and 400-foot incline towards the end!
The hike itself is only about a mile each way, so take your time and spot for photos along the way. You’ll see areas where people have built rock cairns, as well as some pretty epic viewpoints.
When you get to the Devil’s Bridge, there will likely be a line of people taking their photo. The bridge is not nearly as narrow as it appears, so you can walk around the right side to wait your turn to take some great photos!
Head back the way you came and walk the dirt road back to your van (or to the shuttle stop).
Bonus hike: Birthing Cave
If you still have energy and want to add in another short but memorable hike, then you can also do the Birthing Cave since it’s pretty close to the Devil’s Bridge parking lot.
The Birthing Cave is a short 2-mile round trip hike that is mostly flat, except for climbing to the cave at the end.
To park for the birthing cave, drive yourself to the Long Canyon Trailhead and look for parking along the road. There isn’t an actual parking lot here, but we were able to easily park the van on the side of the road to start the hike.
Once you are parked, follow the hiking signs for “Long Canyon Trail”. This is a flat, easy walk, which you will take for a little over half a mile before coming to a wooden fence.
When you come to the wooden fence, take the unmarked path to the left instead of continuing down the path to Long Canyon Trail.
If you aren’t sure if you are in the right place, simply ask one of the other hikes if this is the way to the “Birthing Cave” – they will point you in the right direction!
You’ll go down this unmarked trail for about a quarter mile, then look to your right as you see a heart-shaped indentation in the rocks above — that’s where you are going!
Turn right and head towards the heart-shaped indentation. You will scramble up some rocks, but it is a relatively easy hike up to the cave.
Once in the cave, you can take your photos (or stop for an impromptu meditation session as we saw several people doing during our visit). Climbing up the left side will give you some of the best views for photos!
When you are done, head back to the car the way you came and get ready for lunch.
Lunch: Indian Garden Cafe
You’ve probably worked up a good appetite at this point, so it’s time for lunch!
If you want to save money, now would be a great time to do lunch in the van. You could even pack sandwiches with you and eat them in the Birthing Cave for lunch with a view.
If you want to eat lunch out, then head to the Indian Gardens Cafe & Market back towards Sedona.
This is a casual lunch spot with excellent sandwiches, bowls, and a super cute garden you can sit in.
Make sure to check the days and hours that the cafe is open though — as of March 2023, the cafe is only open on Thursday through Monday, so you might need another option if you are visiting on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Afternoon hike: Solider Pass
After lunch, it’s time to head to your afternoon hike at Solider Pass Trailhead.
There are a couple options for parking to do the Solider Pass hike. You can look for parking at the main Solider Pass Trailhead, but this is a smaller parking lot and it might be tough to find parking, especially for the campervan.
To make parking the van easier, we instead parked at Jordan Road Trailhead and hiked towards Solider Pass trail from there.
This adds about a mile hike, but parking was much easier. Remember to display your parking pass (either your Red Rock pass or your America the Beautiful pass) on your dashboard before going on the hike!
If you park at Jordan Road Trailhead, simply follow the signs to Solider Pass trailhead and not towards Brins Mesa trailhead.
About a mile after you start your hike, you’ll come up to the Devil’s Kitchen, which is a really cool sinkhole.
Continue past Devil’s Kitchen for about another half mile and follow the signs to the 7 Sacred Pools. You can’t miss the pools, and this is a really cool spot to take photos.
If you are getting tired, you can turn around and head back towards Jordan Road Trailhead, or you can carry on hiking.
If you keep going, you will be able to see the Solider Pass cave, and you can even loop all the way around to connect with Brins Mesa trailhead and follow that loop back to your van at Jordan Road trailhead.
Just make sure you are up for it because the entire Solider Pass + Brins Mesa loop is about 6 miles total!
Head back to the van and get ready for dinner.
Dinner: Javelina Cantina
Sedona is known for having some great Mexican food, so if you are looking to do a dinner out, then I recommend Javelina Cantina.
This is located in the same area as The Hudson, so you can either walk from the Rancho Sedona RV park or find parking in the same lot. Though you might want to walk to take advantage of the excellent margaritas!
I’d recommend making a reservation if you can, or if not, you can walk in and likely grab a spot at the bar where you can order food and drinks.
I would recommend ordering the fajitas, which were delicious. The portions are also huge, so you could likely share an order of fajitas along with some chips and guacamole (and a margarita of course!).
Sedona Campervan Itinerary: Day 3
Morning hike: Cathedral Rock
The morning of your third day is when you’ll go to see one of Sedona’s most famous landmarks: Cathedral Rock!
Like Devil’s Bridge, parking at the Cathedral Rock trail can be a challenge. There are 2 parking lots near the trailhead, but both of them are pretty small and narrow, especially for parking the campervan.
If you do want to drive yourself, I would recommend getting an early start to give yourself the best chance to find a spot. Otherwise, it might be easier to use the Sedona shuttle, which will drop you off at the trailhead!
Once you park, the hike is a little over a mile, but most of it is uphill!
You will need to scramble up the rocks for most of the hike if you want to get to the top.
One note is to make sure to check that the main trail is open. As of March 2023, the main trail was closed for improvements, but it should be open by April or May 2023.
Even if the main trail is closed, the hike is still worth doing since you will be able to do an alternate hike around Cathedral Rock along Templeton Trail.
I’d recommend doing the Cathedral Rock hike so you can get up to the top of the rock if you can, but Templeton trail is a good alternative if you can’t do the main Cathedral Rock hike!
Lunch: Chapel of the Holy Cross
After your morning hike, I recommend saving some money and taking advantage of the cooking options inside your Boho campervan. We made sandwiches in the van to eat after the hike, then we drove to an easy photo spot — the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
You’ve probably seen photos of the chapel all over Instagram, and for good reason. The Chapel is built right into the rocks and is a short drive from the Cathedral Rock hike.
For parking, I would recommend parking on the street before you get into the main parking lot for the chapel. They do have a lot, but it would be a little tight trying to park the van in there.
Instead, keep an eye out for parking along the road leading to the chapel. We were able to get a great (free) spot for the van right near the entrance to the Mystic Trail Trailhead.
We ate our lunch here while looking at the view, then walked 5 minutes to get a photo of the Chapel. The best photos are from the bottom looking up at the chapel, so you can take a quick snap from the parking lot and get ready for your afternoon hike!
Afternoon hike: Courthouse Butte Loop and Bell Rock
It’s time for your last big hike of the 3-day trip, and we’ve saved one of my favorites!
I’m a big fan of loop trails because it keeps the hikes interesting, and Courthouse Butte Loop is a perfect way to end the trip.
There is a decent-sized parking lot for this hike at Courthouse Vista, and there is a 2nd good sized lot very close at Yavapai Vista Point if you can’t find a spot at Courthouse Vista, so you should be able to get a parking spot in one of those lots.
Once you park, simply follow the signs for Courthouse Butte Loop trail. This is an easy 4-mile loop, so take your time around the loop and enjoy the scenery!
I recommend starting the loop by going to your left (away from Bell Rock) — that way you can end the loop at Bell Rock and go up Bell Rock for a view of the sunset if you want.
To do that, follow the loop all the way around. Near the end of the loop, look to your right and you will see signs pointing you to Bell Rock Pathway/Bell Rock Climb.
The Bell Rock climb is about a mile, and it’s up to you how far up the rock you go. Find yourself a spot, grab a seat, and take in the beautiful red rock surroundings!
Dinner: Elote
For your last meal in Sedona, it’s worth making it a memorable one. If you are lucky enough to get a reservation at Elote, do it!
I would recommend booking a reservation at Elote as soon as you begin planning your trip. Elote is an expensive meal, but it’s also widely regarded as the best restaurant in Sedona, so if you want to end your trip on a high note, this is the place to do it!
If you aren’t able to get a reservation at Elote, some other higher-end restaurants that could be great for a final dinner include Mariposa or Salt Rock Kitchen.
Sedona Itinerary Wrap Up
If you’ve followed this itinerary, you will have an amazing time in Sedona over three days!
You could easily spend a few more days in Sedona to see some of the other sights or carry on in your camper van to other great hiking destinations like the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley.
As a reminder, I highly recommend booking your van with Boho Camper Vans in Phoenix to make sure you have a wonderful trip.
I hope this article helps you plan the perfect 3-day campervan trip in Sedona!
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We Are Travel Girls Founder Becky van Dijk of BeckyvanDijk.com
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