Hiking Red Mountain Trail Near Flagstaff

Red Mountain Trail is a really cool and unique hike that we almost passed up! When we first got to the Flagstaff area, we looked up potential hikes in the area. Hiking Red Mountain Trail popped up and was deemed easy, kid-friendly and was only 3 miles round trip. But from what we found, this short trail led to a really unique volcanic formation with cool hoodoo formations. So of course we had to check it out and see it for ourselves! Man, we’re we glad that we did..

Red Mountain Trail leads to a well preserved cinder cone in the San Fransisco Peak Volcanic Field. After a volcanic explosion, a large natural amphitheater was created with nearly vertical 800 feet walls. The amphitheater continues to get bigger due to erosion. And as you stand in the middle of this amazing amphitheater, you’re surrounded by fascinating erosional pillars known as hoodoos. Looking at this towering, unique volcanic feature from the floor of the amphitheater is truly a sight to see!

Red Mountain also makes a great stop on the way to the Grand Canyon!

Quick Info: Hiking Red Mountain Trail

Directions: From Flagstaff, head north on the US-180 W for about 30 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 9023V and after about 0.3 miles you will reach the parking area and trailhead.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 3 miles roundtrip

Check out the video below to follow us on our adventure on Red Mountain Trail!

Our Experience Hiking Red Mountain Trail

The drive from the Flagstaff area was beautiful – vast and scenic! And as we approached our destination we could see the obvious Red Mountain formation in the distance. From the road and even from the parking lot, I didn’t think that it looked all too exciting. Luckily I was very mistaken!

At the trailhead there is a large designated parking area and it was mostly full on the day that we were here. There is also an information sign and log book. Finally, our hiking Red Mountain Trail adventure began!

From the parking lot, the dirt trail is pretty mellow as it passed through a pretty juniper forest. Along the way we noticed a few cool plants that caught our attention.

And there were some beautiful junipers that stood out as well. The path remained pretty mellow, then it passed through a wash area. The trail is well marked the whole way.

Before we knew it we were walking along the base of a steep hill of black cinder. And through the tall ponderosas we could see Red Mountain getting closer and taller!

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Then we reached the ladder. We thought the ladder was really cool but the massive black rocks formations marking the entrance to the Red Mountain amphitheater area were fascinating! They looked beautiful, eerie and interesting all at the same time! Already, I was so glad that we decided yes on hiking Red Mountain Trail.

Once past the incredible black rock formations the dirt path continued to pass through tall conifers. Then we reached the cool red rock formations! The trail branched right and led into a side canyon. Our curiosity got the best of us so we followed this canyon trail to see where it went.

This side canyon led us to some more unique rock formations and through some narrow slot-like canyons. All of the formations, colors and beauty were a lot to take in! One thing about hiking Red Mountain Trail is that it is very visually appealing! Not only were the colors of the mountain gorgeous but the green trees and shrubs contrasted really well.

The walls of Red Mountain were nearly vertical, towering about 800 feet above us. And the erosion overtime created the unique hoodoos all along the steep walls. We also noticed that there were lots of holes in the hoodoos where the birds were nesting.

We continued hiking Red Mountain Trail and followed some little side canyons. The cinder cone and hoodoos within it were super impressive. We ate our lunch among this gorgeous, unique area appreciating the beauty surrounding us.

An Amazing Finale

Right as we decided to head back, we noticed one more tempting side trail through a narrow rock canyon. As we entered it, there was a tall dry fall with a part of a tree trunk placed perfectly to grant us access. We climbed up the wood, then climbed further up the rock walls before we were surprised with a stunning tall cathedral like area.

It felt magnificent being completely enclosed by these beautiful towering walls. We tried to envision how beautiful it would be to see a waterfall tumbling down the steep walls, creating a whirlpool in the rounded, hollowed out cathedral area we were standing in. It was a beautiful moment to be all by ourselves inside of such a dramatic natural feature. And it gave us a moment to feel the calming, centering effects nature has on our souls.

Then we had to make the climb back down the steep dryfall. We thought it was going to be more difficult than it was but it was definitely a fun little obstacle! As we were heading out, we noticed lots of others hiking Red Mountain Trail coming in.

When we passed the area with the ladder on the way back, my eyes were once again captivated by the black rock formations! So amazing! Hiking Red Mountain Trail back to the trailhead was, like the hike in, a nice mellow walk in a beautiful area.

Hiking Red Mountain Trail was a real treat, full of amazing surprises! Although it’s a short, mellow hike the features along the way and at the destination are unique and memorable! Definitely worth making the stop.

Thanks for Reading!

We are always on the move and always looking for new places to see and explore! If you’d like to read about some of our other adventures we’ve encountered on the road check out the articles below:

• Hiking in Pinnacles National Park
• Laguna Falls
• Exploring Point Trail

While we’re on the move, we’re also working on creating a fresh lineup of our handpainted longboards! If you’d like to see what we’ve been working on, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop.

And if you do your online shopping on Amazon, please use our link to get to Amazon. Then shop as you normally would and know that you’re helping us out a bit! We appreciate it 🙂

30 miles from Flagstaff
45 miles from the Grand Canyon