The best time to visit Sedona is mid-March to mid-May and late September to early November, when average highs run between 62 and 79 °F (17 to 26 °C) and the red rock trails stay walkable from breakfast to sunset. The period to avoid, unless heat suits you, is late June through July: the average July high is 92 °F (33 °C), and the North American monsoon runs from June 15 to September 30 under the dates fixed by the National Weather Service. January is the cheapest and quietest month, with highs near 51 °F (11 °C). Everything below is month by month, with trail access, fees and event dates. More on choosing a base in our Sedona hotel guide.
The short answer
- Best overall: mid-March to mid-May, then late September to early November.
- Hottest month: July, average high 92 °F (33 °C). Coolest: January and December, average high 51 °F (11 °C).
- Monsoon window: June 15 to September 30. July is the wettest summer month, 1.2 in (30 mm) spread over 7 rain days.
- Driest month: June, 0.1 in (3 mm) and under one rain day on average.
- Cheapest and quietest: January and early February, outside the holiday weeks.
- Fall color in Oak Creek Canyon peaks from mid-October into early November.
- Trail access: Cathedral Rock and Little Horse trailhead parking is closed Thursday to Sunday; the free Sedona Shuttle runs on those days instead.
The Sedona planning calendar: the monsoon window, the two high seasons and the dates worth booking around.
Understanding the climate in Sedona
Sedona sits at about 4,350 feet (1,325 m) in the Verde Valley, high enough to escape the Sonoran Desert heat and low enough to stay snow free most winters. That single figure explains the whole calendar. The town has two rainy periods rather than one: Pacific fronts in December and February, each averaging 2.2 in (57 mm), and the summer monsoon in July and August. Between them sits June, the driest month of the year at 0.1 in (3 mm). Across the year Sedona averages 15.2 in (387 mm) of rain over about 54 rain days, in the ERA5 reanalysis series published through Open-Meteo for 2001 to 2020, which counts a rain day as any day with 1 mm (0.04 in) or more.
Cathedral Rock from the loop trail. Its trailhead parking is closed Thursday to Sunday, when the free Sedona Shuttle runs instead. Photo : Nikolai Gates Vetr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The other number that shapes a stay is the daily swing. Dry desert air loses its heat fast after sunset, so the gap between the afternoon high and the dawn low runs 20 to 28 °F (11 to 16 °C) in every month of the year. In October the average high is 74 °F (23 °C) and the average low 50 °F (10 °C). Pack for both ends of that range rather than for the forecast high, a point our guide to what to wear in Sedona in spring works through in detail.
Flagstaff, 2,650 feet higher, is the escape valve
Drive about 30 miles (48 km) north up Highway 89A through Oak Creek Canyon and you gain roughly 2,650 feet (810 m). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 1991 to 2020 normals for Flagstaff Pulliam Airport put the July average high at 82 °F (28 °C), a full 10 °F below Sedona on the same afternoon. In January the same station averages a low of 18 °F (-8 °C) against 31 °F (-1 °C) in Sedona, and it records 91 in (230 cm) of snow a year, of which 21 in (53 cm) falls in January alone. The ERA5 series carries no snowfall figure for Sedona itself.
Two practical consequences. In July and August, the drive up the canyon is the cheapest air conditioning in Arizona. In January and February, that same drive can put you in snow and ice while Sedona stays dry, which matters if you are planning a Grand Canyon day trip. Note also that the Flagstaff figures count a rain day as 0.1 in (2.5 mm) or more, a stricter bar than the Sedona series, so the two rain day counts are not directly comparable.
Thirty miles apart and 2,650 feet of elevation between them: Sedona and Flagstaff do not have the same weather on the same day.
Spring in Sedona, March to May
Spring is the most reliable stretch of the Sedona year. The average high climbs from 62 °F (17 °C) in March to 70 °F (21 °C) in April and 79 °F (26 °C) in May, while rainfall falls away from 1.6 in (41 mm) to 0.5 in (12 mm). May averages only 2.5 rain days. Nights stay cool: the March average low is 38 °F (3 °C), so a dawn start on Devil's Bridge or Bell Rock begins in a jacket and ends in a t-shirt.
Bell Rock, off State Route 179. South facing sandstone like this is comfortable in April and punishing in July. Photo : Tomascastelazo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
It is also the busiest stretch. Spring break traffic concentrates in the second half of March, and the trailheads that sit on State Route 179 fill first. Plan around these:
- Parking at the Cathedral Rock and Little Horse trailheads is closed Thursday through Sunday. On those days the free Sedona Shuttle runs from the North SR 179 Park and Ride at 1294 State Route 179, roughly 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. No reservation is needed.
- If you drive to a Forest Service trailhead on any other day, you need a Red Rock Pass: $5 for the day, $15 for the week, $20 for the year, or an America the Beautiful pass on the dashboard. Walking the trails is free; parking is what is charged.
- Rattlesnakes become active from March, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and move to night hours as temperatures climb in May. Stay on the trail and look before putting a hand on a ledge.
- Carry more water than the distance suggests. The sun on bare slickrock is stronger than the air temperature implies.
- Check the Flagstaff forecast separately if you plan the canyon drive in March: the station still averages 16 in (40 cm) of snow that month.
Spring is the right window for the long red rock routes, for the Cathedral Rock climb and for the Verde Valley vineyards south of town, which are in leaf by April.
Summer in Sedona, June to September: heat first, then the monsoon
Sedona's summer splits cleanly in two. June is hot and almost rainless: average high 91 °F (33 °C), 0.1 in (3 mm) of rain, fewer than one rain day. Then the monsoon arrives. The National Weather Service fixed the season at June 15 to September 30 in 2008, and in practice the storms build through July. July averages 1.2 in (30 mm) over 7 rain days with a high of 92 °F (33 °C); August averages 1.1 in (29 mm) over 6 rain days at 89 °F (32 °C).
Rain over the Sedona red rocks. Monsoon storms are an afternoon event, and flash flooding in the washes is the real hazard. Photo : Nicholas Hartmann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Monsoon storms are short, violent and mostly an afternoon event. They are not a reason to cancel a trip, but they change how you plan a day.
- Start at dawn and be off exposed rock by early afternoon. Lightning on a slickrock dome has nowhere to go but through you.
- Do not enter a dry wash or a slot when storms are forecast upstream. Flash flooding in northern Arizona comes from rain that fell miles away, over ground that absorbs nothing.
- Oak Creek can rise fast. Arizona State Parks reopened the swim area at Slide Rock in coordination with a revised US Forest Service closure order for the creek, and states plainly that swimming is allowed at your own risk but is not recommended. Check the park page on the morning you go.
- Book the balloon for the first slot. Flights launch at sunrise, before the day's convection starts.
- Drive up to Flagstaff when it gets unbearable. Ten degrees and a pine forest are 45 minutes away.
Balloon flights launch at sunrise, before the day's convection starts. In July that is also the only comfortable hour on the rock. Illustration : Sedona Travel Guide: Red Rock Trails, Vortexes & Hidden Gems in Arizona.
Two fee notes for a summer stay. Slide Rock State Park charges $30 per vehicle from May through August 21, 2026, then $20 from August 22 to April 2027; the park opens at 8 a.m. and the last entry is an hour before the 6 p.m. close. Arriving before 9 a.m. on a July weekend is the difference between parking and being turned away. Our page on how Slide Rock shapes your hotel choice covers the approach from each district.
Fall in Sedona, late September to November
September still reads as summer: an average high of 84 °F (29 °C) and 4.2 rain days as the monsoon tails off. The season turns in the first half of October, and what follows is the best hiking weather of the year. October averages 74 °F (23 °C) by day and 50 °F (10 °C) at dawn, with 1.0 in (26 mm) of rain over 4.2 days. November settles at 62 °F (17 °C) and 41 °F (5 °C).
The West Fork of Oak Creek in October. The bigtooth maples turn from mid-October into early November. Photo : Coconino National Forest, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
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Fall is also the one time of year Sedona has genuine leaf color. The bigtooth maples, boxelders and velvet ash along the West Fork of Oak Creek turn from mid-October into early November, roughly two weeks later than the aspens above Flagstaff. The West Fork trailhead sits in Oak Creek Canyon on Highway 89A, and its lot fills by mid-morning on October weekends. Going Monday to Thursday is worth more than going early. The Oak Creek Canyon drive is the route, and our October weather page goes deeper on that single month.
October is the densest month on the events calendar, which is worth knowing before you book. The Sedona Arts Festival takes over on October 10 and 11, 2026, the Sedona Plein Air Festival runs October 16 to 24, and the Sedona Yoga Festival fills the first weekend, October 1 to 4. Rooms in Uptown go first on those dates.
Winter in Sedona, December to February
Winter is the quiet season and the cheap one. December and January both average a high of 51 °F (11 °C) and a low of 31 °F (-1 °C); February edges up to 54 °F (12 °C). These are also the wettest months, at 2.2 in (57 mm) each in December and February, spread over 6 rain days. That is Pacific frontal rain, not monsoon: it comes in all day rather than in an afternoon burst.
The San Francisco Peaks above Flagstaff. The airport station there averages 91 in (230 cm) of snow a year; Sedona has no snowfall figure at all. Photo : Martin Ely, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Snow on the red rocks is the photograph everyone wants and nobody can schedule. The ERA5 series used here records no snowfall total for Sedona, and what falls at 4,350 feet usually goes by midday. Thirty miles north it is a different climate: Flagstaff averages 21 in (53 cm) of snow in January and 19 in (49 cm) in February, which is why the San Francisco Peaks stay white on the northern horizon for months.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross. Winter is the season for sightseeing that does not depend on a long walk. Illustration : Sedona Travel Guide: Red Rock Trails, Vortexes & Hidden Gems in Arizona.
US News and Travel + Leisure both place the year's lowest lodging rates in winter, and the Slide Rock fee schedule points the same way, dropping to $20 per vehicle from August 22 through April. The exceptions are the holiday weeks and two February fixtures that fill the town: the RunSedona half marathon, 10K and 5K on February 6, 2027, and the Sedona International Film Festival, in its 33rd edition from February 20 to 28, 2027, with more than 150 films over nine days.
Sedona month by month
Sedona month by month: average high, average low and rain days, from the ERA5 series for 2001 to 2020.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Rain days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51 °F / 11 °C | 31 °F / -1 °C | 2.1 in / 53 mm | 6.0 | Cheap, quiet, cold nights |
| February | 54 °F / 12 °C | 32 °F / 0 °C | 2.2 in / 57 mm | 5.7 | Wettest month, festival crowds |
| March | 62 °F / 17 °C | 38 °F / 3 °C | 1.6 in / 41 mm | 5.1 | Season opens, spring break |
| April | 70 °F / 21 °C | 44 °F / 7 °C | 0.8 in / 21 mm | 3.5 | Close to ideal |
| May | 79 °F / 26 °C | 52 °F / 11 °C | 0.5 in / 12 mm | 2.5 | Warm, dry, busy |
| June | 91 °F / 33 °C | 63 °F / 17 °C | 0.1 in / 3 mm | 0.8 | Driest, hottest, dawn only |
| July | 92 °F / 33 °C | 68 °F / 20 °C | 1.2 in / 30 mm | 6.8 | Peak heat, afternoon storms |
| August | 89 °F / 32 °C | 65 °F / 18 °C | 1.1 in / 29 mm | 5.7 | Monsoon, good value |
| September | 84 °F / 29 °C | 60 °F / 16 °C | 0.9 in / 24 mm | 4.2 | Cooling, storms fading |
| October | 74 °F / 23 °C | 50 °F / 10 °C | 1.0 in / 26 mm | 4.2 | Best hiking, leaf color |
| November | 62 °F / 17 °C | 41 °F / 5 °C | 1.3 in / 34 mm | 3.9 | Crisp, clear, thinning |
| December | 51 °F / 10 °C | 31 °F / 0 °C | 2.2 in / 57 mm | 6.0 | Wet, quiet, holiday spikes |
Source: ERA5 reanalysis (ECMWF) via Open-Meteo, monthly means 2001 to 2020, for the Sedona grid point at 34.87 N, 111.76 W. A rain day is any day with 1 mm (0.04 in) or more, which is a looser bar than the 0.1 in (2.5 mm) used by NOAA's US stations. Every figure in this table comes from that single series, so the months are comparable with each other.
The best time for what you want to do
Bell Rock and its trail. October, then March and April, are the months for the long red rock routes. Illustration : Sedona Travel Guide: Red Rock Trails, Vortexes & Hidden Gems in Arizona.
- Long hikes on the big formations. October first, then March and April. Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Devil's Bridge are all south facing and bake from May onward. Remember the Thursday to Sunday parking closure on SR 179 and use the shuttle. Our easy hikes with scenic views and Bell Rock parking guide cover the logistics.
- Hot air ballooning. Year round, always at sunrise, when the air is coldest and stillest. Late spring and October give the steadiest run of clear mornings. See how to choose a hotel for a sunrise flight.
- Swimming in Oak Creek. June through August, when the water is warm enough to matter. Slide Rock State Park charges $30 per vehicle until August 21, 2026, opens at 8 a.m. and does not take reservations. Arizona State Parks does not currently recommend swimming there; read the notice before you commit a day to it.
- Stargazing. Any clear night, and the town is built for it: the International Dark-Sky Association named Sedona the world's eighth International Dark Sky Community in 2014. Winter gives the longest dark hours and the clearest air.
- A Grand Canyon day trip. April, May, September and October. The South Rim is about two hours north and sits near 7,000 feet, so a December run means checking road conditions twice. Our Sedona versus Grand Canyon comparison weighs the two as bases.
- Verde Valley wine country. September and October, through the harvest, when the vineyards around Page Springs and Cornville are working. See matching your hotel to a day in wine country.
- Photography without the crowd. The Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau publishes Sedona's Secret 7, seven lesser known places in each of seven categories including vistas, stargazing and picnics, built specifically to pull visitors off the overloaded trails. It is the single most useful free planning tool for a November or February trip.
Oak Creek at Slide Rock State Park. Entry is $30 per vehicle to August 21, 2026, then $20; swimming is allowed at your own risk but not recommended. Photo : mbaylor, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Events that shape the year
Sedona is a small town of low rise resorts, so a single festival moves the whole lodging market. These are the dates that matter, from the Visit Sedona events calendar and the organizers themselves.
- RunSedona half marathon, 10K and 5K, February 6, 2027. The 22nd edition, run on the roads west of town.
- Sedona International Film Festival, February 20 to 28, 2027. Nine days, more than 150 films, 33rd edition.
- Sedona Yoga Festival, October 1 to 4, 2026.
- Sedona Rock, Gem and Jewelry Show, October 3 and 4, 2026.
- Sedona Arts Festival, October 10 and 11, 2026. The 35th edition, with more than 100 juried artists.
- Wings and Wheels, October 10, 2026, at Sedona Airport.
- Sedona Plein Air Festival, October 16 to 24, 2026, run by the Sedona Arts Center.
- Sedona Turkey Trot, November 27, 2026.
The practical rule: if your dates fall in the first three weeks of October or the last ten days of February, book earlier than you otherwise would.
Where to stay
Season should decide your district as much as your hotel. Uptown puts you closest to Oak Creek and the canyon drive, which matters in October. West Sedona is the shorter drive to the SR 89A trailheads and to Flagstaff. Four properties from our selection, each with its own reason:
- L'Auberge de Sedona, 301 L'Auberge Lane, Uptown. Fifty three keys arranged along Oak Creek under the sycamores, on the canyon floor rather than looking at it. The creekside setting is at its best in October and least useful in a wet February.
- Sky Rock Sedona, 1200 West Highway 89A. A 108 room hotel on one of the few rises inside West Sedona, so the red rock runs all the way around from the pool deck. Good for a short stay when the view has to come without a drive.
- The Wilde Resort and Spa, 2250 West Highway 89A. A 137 room resort laid out low and wide, with a heated saltwater pool, fire pits and a lawn labyrinth. Built for the summer pattern of hiking at dawn and staying put through a monsoon afternoon.
- Adobe Grand Villas, 35 Hozoni Drive, West Sedona. Sixteen individually themed villas behind a gate, the smallest running to 850 square feet. The space argues for a longer winter stay rather than a two night stop.
For the wider comparison by district, see where to stay in Sedona.
FAQ
What is the best month to visit Sedona?
October is the strongest single month. The average high is 74 °F (23 °C) and the average low 50 °F (10 °C), rain totals 1.0 in (26 mm) over about four days, and the fall color in Oak Creek Canyon peaks from mid-month. April is the close second, at 70 °F (21 °C) and only 3.5 rain days, with longer daylight and no leaf season.
What is the cheapest month to go to Sedona?
January, outside the New Year week. It shares the year's lowest average high, 51 °F (11 °C), with December, and both US News and Travel + Leisure place the lowest lodging rates in winter. Slide Rock State Park's own fee schedule follows the same curve, charging $20 per vehicle from August 22 through April against $30 in summer. Midweek nights are cheaper again.
What is the busiest month in Sedona?
March and October are the two peaks. March brings spring break into the best hiking weather of the first half of the year; October combines leaf season with the densest run of festivals, including the Sedona Arts Festival on October 10 and 11, 2026, and the Plein Air Festival from October 16 to 24. Weekends in both months fill the SR 179 trailhead lots by mid-morning.
Does Sedona get snow in winter?
Occasionally, and it rarely lasts. The ERA5 series used on this page carries no snowfall figure for Sedona at 4,350 feet. Thirty miles north and 2,650 feet higher, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport averages 91 in (230 cm) of snow a year in NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, 21 in (53 cm) of it in January. Sedona's winter precipitation mostly arrives as rain, 2.2 in (57 mm) in December.
What is monsoon season in Sedona and should I avoid it?
The National Weather Service fixes Arizona's monsoon at June 15 to September 30. In Sedona it means afternoon thunderstorms rather than all-day rain: July averages 1.2 in (30 mm) over seven rain days. It is not a reason to cancel. Start hikes at dawn, stay out of dry washes and off exposed rock after noon, and treat flash flooding as the real hazard.
How many days do you need in Sedona?
Three full days covers the core: one for a major formation such as Cathedral Rock or Bell Rock, one for Oak Creek Canyon and Slide Rock, one for Uptown, the Chapel of the Holy Cross and a vista at sunset. Add a fourth for the Grand Canyon South Rim, about two hours north, and a fifth for the Verde Valley vineyards.
Is Sedona or Flagstaff better in summer?
Flagstaff is cooler by a clear margin: 82 °F (28 °C) against 92 °F (33 °C) as a July average high, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals. Sedona has the red rock, the resorts and the trail network. The usual answer is to sleep in Sedona, start at dawn, and drive the 30 miles up Highway 89A when the afternoon turns.
Are rattlesnakes a problem on Sedona trails?
They are present, not common on the trail itself. The Arizona Game and Fish Department reports rattlesnakes are most active from March through October, moving to night hours once daytime temperatures climb in early May, and notes that more than half of all bites are provoked. Stay on marked trail, keep dogs leashed and look before reaching onto a ledge.
Read next
- Sedona weather in October, the single best month, in detail.
- What to wear in Sedona in spring, for the 20 to 28 °F daily swing.
- How many days to spend in Sedona.
- Choosing a hotel for red rock hikes, canyons and day trips.
- Free things to do in Sedona, useful in the high season.