A Weekend in Sedona Off-Road: The 2-Day Lifted Bronco Itinerary
- nicoletudisco
- May 18
- 10 min read
Most Sedona weekenders see Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge, and the gift shops on 89A. A 2-day lifted Bronco rental opens the other 90% — the top of the red rocks, the cliff dwellings, the sunsets you can only reach off-pavement. Here's the weekend itinerary we recommend to 48-hour renters. It's ambitious but doable, and it's a trip we've done ourselves.
Why a Weekend in Sedona Off-Road Is the Sweet Spot
Two days in Sedona is the most common search for a reason: it's the realistic window for most travelers. A one-day trip catches the highlights. A long weekend catches the light. Two sunsets, one sunrise, six trails — and time between them to eat real meals and actually look at where you are. A 2-day rental in a lifted Bronco lets you spread the trail driving so your weekend feels like a vacation, not a checklist.
The 2-Day Sedona Off-Road Itinerary
Day 1 — Morning — Robber's Roost Trail
Start with the trail most visitors never even hear about. Robber's Roost!
There's history here. Robber's Roost — also called “Hideout Cave” or “Shaman’s Cave” — is a well-known cave and overlook southwest of Sedona tied to local outlaw legends. According to Sedona lore, cattle rustlers and robbers supposedly used the cave as a hideout in the late 1800s because of its elevated vantage point over the Verde Valley routes.
Sack Lunch on the Trail
We include a Yeti ice block with the Yeti cooler so you can pack the sandwiches. Lunch happens wherever the view is best.
Afternoon — Outlaw Trail + Honanki Heritage Site
Outlaw Trail is the trail we recommend most often, and it's not the obvious answer. The bucket-list trails — Broken Arrow, Soldier Pass — get all the marketing, but Outlaw is the one that actually shows what you (and the Bronco) can do.
You'll run it via Loy Butte Road — roughly eleven miles of unpaved trail winding north through the Coconino backcountry, with red rock views that open up around every bend. The pace stays around 25 mph on the smooth stretches, which means real driving, not crawling. Then the terrain gets interesting: rocky sections that let you feel the suspension work, washouts that justify the lift, a few spots that look intimidating from the driver's seat and turn out to be nothing once you're in 4-Hi with the cameras on.
It's the right amount of challenge for a first-timer. Nothing that'll spook you. Plenty that'll make you grin. By the time you roll into Honanki at the end of the trail, you'll trust the vehicle — and that confidence is what makes the rest of the rental better. Broken Arrow on Day 2 feels like a victory lap when you've already cleared Outlaw.
Outlaw flows straight into Honanki, a 700-year-old Sinagua cliff dwelling with preserved pictographs and a walkable cliff base. There are also pit toilets at the entrance to Honanki — a small detail that becomes a big quality-of-life win on a full trail day.
Late Afternoon — Diamondback Gulch (Optional)
Outlaw was the scenic introduction. Diamondback is the level-up. Same red rock beauty, but the trail bites a little — enough to raise your pulse, but not enough to ever put you out of your depth in the Bronco. After Outlaw, you trust the vehicle. Diamondback is where you start trusting yourself in it.
The first section is called the Greasy Spoon, and the name's earned. Back in ranching days, a chuckwagon parked along this stretch to feed cowboys driving cattle through the country — its food had a reputation, and the nickname stuck. The trail still wears it. From there the terrain steps up into the gulch itself — tighter, rockier, more committed. This is where you find out the vehicle has more than you do, and that's the right feeling.
The gulch gets its name from the rattlesnakes that turn up in summer. You'll almost certainly never see one (they hear you coming long before you arrive), but the name fits the trail's character: a little more edge, a little more story. By the time you climb out, you've earned the Schnebly sunset.
Dinner — The Hudson
The Hudson is one of our favorites for a really nice meal without venturing into bougie territory. Top-quality food, classy atmosphere, none of the stiffness — and the red rock views from the patio do half the work for them. The menu spans steaks, seafood, and properly built sandwiches, with a bar program that holds its own.
Here's the local tip: they book up. Make a reservation if you can. But the worst-kept secret in town is that they always hold space for walk-ins. You may wait an hour at a busy time — bring a drink to the patio and let the view earn it. Bar seating is first-come, first-served, so even if reservations are gone, walk in and grab a stool. That's how locals eat there on short notice.
Sunset — Lower Schnebly Vista
After a full day on the trails, the last thing you want is more effort to chase the light. That's the genius of the Lower Schnebly Vista: it's a five-minute drive from the parking lot up Schnebly Hill Road. No hiking. You park, you walk a few steps, you're at the view.
The vista catches the red rocks in their orange phase, with eastern Sedona laid out below you and the cliffs cycling through red, copper, and violet as the light works.
If you ask us, this beats Airport Mesa — which is where every tour bus heads. Same light, a fraction of the people, and a tailgate to lean on. Yeti out, drinks poured, cameras up.
Approximate sunset times in Sedona, arrive 20 minutes prior (Arizona doesn't observe daylight saving time):
Winter (Dec–Feb): ~5:20 PM – 6:10 PM
Spring (Mar–May): ~6:25 PM – 7:15 PM
Summer (Jun–Aug): ~7:00 PM – 7:40 PM
Fall (Sep–Nov): ~5:25 PM – 6:30 PM
Day 2 — Sunrise — Mystic Vista
Mystic Vista is the sunrise photograph nobody on your Instagram has — and there's a reason for it. Almost no one comes here. The vehicles that can get to it are few, and the people who know about it are fewer.
It sits on the west side of Sedona and earns its name. Five minutes off-road in the Bronco from the access point, then a short five-minute walk up onto the rocks, and you're standing on a 360-degree viewpoint with a recognized energy vortex underfoot. Catch first light here and you understand what the locals mean.
No crowds. No queue for the photo. Just the desert waking up and the red rocks turning gold.
Approximate sunrise times in Sedona — arrive 30 minutes before for the pre-dawn glow (the soft alpenglow on the red rocks before the sun breaks the horizon is often the best shot of the morning). Arizona doesn't observe daylight saving time:
Winter (Dec–Feb): ~6:45 AM – 7:35 AM
Spring (Mar–May): ~5:15 AM – 6:45 AM
Summer (Jun–Aug): ~5:10 AM – 5:55 AM
Fall (Sep–Nov): ~5:55 AM – 7:10 AM
Late Morning — Devil's Bridge
Day 2 starts early with sunrise at Mystic Vista — one of those rare Sedona moments that feels almost unreal. And the best part? Five minutes later, you’re already on your way to Devil’s Bridge before most visitors have even finished breakfast.
Here’s what most tourists don’t realize about Devil’s Bridge: the famous part — the actual photo standing on the arch — is surprisingly short. The long part is getting there. Most visitors hike a dusty 3.6-mile out-and-back fire road just to reach the real trailhead. By late morning, the crowds, heat, and photo lines can get intense.
We skip the slog.
The Bronco drives that rugged access road for you, climbing through terrain noticeably rockier than Day 1 — the perfect warm-up for Broken Arrow later this afternoon. Instead of wasting energy on a fire-road march, your approach becomes part of the adventure.
Arriving right after sunrise changes everything: cooler temps, softer light, fewer people on the trail, and a much better chance at getting your iconic bridge photo without a massive line. Hike in, take the shot, soak in the views, then drive back out instead of retracing miles on foot. More adventure, less exhaustion.
Midday — Soldier Pass + Soldier Pass Cave (Optional)
Quick logistics note before the trail talk: Soldier Pass is permit-controlled. Only 12 vehicles are allowed per day, and the permit has to be booked the day before — we don't include it in the rental, but we'll point you to where to grab one at booking. Small step, easy to do, but one you can't skip.
Once you've got it, Soldier Pass is the trail that gets you the most Sedona for the least effort. The off-road section is short — 2.5 miles out and back — but it packs in the Devil's Kitchen sinkhole and the Seven Sacred Pools without making you hike most of a day to see them. The terrain steps up another notch from Dry Creek; the Bronco still eats it.
If you want the Soldier Pass Cave too, park at the end of the off-road route and pick up the Soldier Pass hiking trail from there. From that point, the cave is about a 30-minute walk — versus a much longer slog if you started from the regular hiking trailhead. Same move as Devil's Bridge: use the off-road to skip the boring approach.
Short, jam-packed, and the centerpiece of Day 2.
Broken Arrow
This is the crown jewel of Sedona. The trail every off-roader pictures when they imagine driving these red rocks. Devil's Staircase. Chicken Point. Submarine Rock. The names are iconic for a reason — each one is a moment.
Broken Arrow is technical. Steep slickrock climbs, off-camber ledges, the kind of grade where you're glad for the rear camera and even gladder for the lift. There's a real pucker factor on a few of the obstacles, and that's part of the deal — you're in good hands with the Bronco, but the trail makes you work for it. It'll test your driving chops in the best way.
One thing worth knowing: you won't be alone out here. Broken Arrow is the must-do for every Sedona off-roader, so there's always someone on the trail. We treat that as a feature, not a bug.
Short but intense. Push-button 4WD, A/C the whole way, jaw-dropping red rock views, and a story you'll tell for years. The right closer to a Sedona weekend.
Sunset — Schnebly Hill Road to Upper Vista
If the Lower Vista is a great sunset, the Upper Vista is the one we'd plan a whole trip around. Hand on heart: this is our all-time favorite sunset spot in Sedona. The crème de la crème. The view that ruins all other views.
The reason most people don't make it here is the same reason it's special — you have to plan for it. The drive from town takes 45 to 60 minutes one way, climbing Schnebly Hill Road past Merry Go Round Rock and onto the high shelf road that leads to the top. Worth every minute.
Treat it like an event. Pack a sandwich. Build a charcuterie board. Throw cold drinks in the Yeti. You're not popping up for a photo — you're setting up dinner on the rim of the canyon and watching the sun go down on the best red-rock view in the state. There is no better way to close out a weekend.
Movie-buff bonus: Upper Schnebly is a filming location from National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) — yes, the Aunt Edna scene with Chevy Chase was shot up here. Worth knowing while you're standing on it.
Important winter note: The gate on the shelf road just past Merry Go Round Rock closes seasonally (typically roughly late fall through early spring) which means the standard route up isn't accessible in winter. If you're visiting during that time call the Red Rock Ranger Visitor Center 928-203-2900 or https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/offices/red-rock-ranger-visitor-center to check the status of the gate. If the gate is closed, Merry-Go-Round Rock makes for an excellent alternative to the upper vista. Park near the gate then take the very short hike up Merry-Go-Round. The views are incredible.
Why a Lifted Bronco for a Sedona Weekend
• A/C vs. side-by-sides eating dust
• Comfort for the long haul - More than a jeep and way more than any ATV
• Push-button 4WD — no floor-shifter learning curve
• Front and rear cameras — confidence on every descent, in every light
• Yeti cooler included — and bonus ice pack
• Trail guide + restaurant picks — written by local off-roaders, not a chain tour
• We're available by phone the whole rental — questions get answered in real time
Less Time? Read These Next
• One Day in Sedona Off-Road: The Lifted Bronco Itinerary — the day-trip version. Link: /blog/one-day-in-sedona-off-road
• 24 Hours in Sedona: The Off-Road Itinerary with Sunset AND Sunrise — the overnight version. Link: /blog/24-hours-in-sedona-off-road
FAQ
Is Day 1 or 2 too packed?
It can be. The itinerary above includes Diamondback Gulch & Soldier Pass as optional — some renters may find our plan a bit much. We can help you modify/tailor the route to your pace and desires.
Do I need off-road experience to rent a Bronco for the weekend?
No. We walk you through the Bronco at pickup. Push-button 4WD is easier than a manual Jeep but we have a Jeep too if you insist!
Where do I park my personal vehicle between days?
You will park your vehicle in place of our Bronco & keep the Bronco at your hotel.
Is a 2-day Sedona trip good for couples?
Two sunsets, one sunrise, and a Bronco for two. It writes itself.
Can I split this with friends?
The Broncos seat up to 4-5 comfortably. Bring the crew.
How does this compare to a Jeep tour?
Jeep tours are guided, group-based, and on a fixed schedule. Our rental is self-drive — your route, your pace, no caravan. If you want to be chauffered, book a tour. If you want to drive Sedona on your own terms, rent the Bronco or our Jeep.
Book Your 2-Day Bronco Weekend
The only lifted Broncos in Sedona. Yeti cooler, cameras, A/C, push-button 4WD, full trail guide, and our number for the whole rental.
Book Your Adventure Now: https://www.arabellaoffroad.com/booknow
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