Broken Arrow Trail: Chicken Point Sunset and the Pink Jeep Reality

By The Lowdown Guide Editorial Team · Updated April 2026

Getting to the Trailhead

The Broken Arrow Trailhead is at the end of Morgan Road in southeast Sedona, accessed via Schnebly Hill Road. From AZ-179 in the Village of Oak Creek, take Morgan Road east. The pavement ends just before the trailhead, but the road remains passable for any vehicle. The lot has about 25 spaces.

A Red Rock Pass is required ($5/day, $15/week, or America the Beautiful annual pass). Spring and fall weekends, the lot fills by 9am — but turnover is constant because Pink Jeep tours bring in groups every 30 minutes who park briefly while their group finishes. Late afternoon parking is generally easier than morning.

If parking is full, alternatives include Bell Rock Pathway lots (3 miles south) which connect via the broader Sedona trail network, or returning later in the afternoon when jeep groups have cycled through.

Timing Around the Jeep Tours

Broken Arrow is the flagship Pink Jeep route in Sedona. Jeeps run on the same trail you hike on, and the experience differs dramatically depending on when you go:

• 6:30am – 9am: No jeeps. Trail is yours. Best for solitude, photography, and morning light at Chicken Point. Recommended for first-timers who want to enjoy the geology.
• 9am – 11am: First jeeps start. Manageable but you'll meet 3-5 jeeps each direction.
• 11am – 2pm: Peak chaos. Jeep traffic is continuous. The trail is sandy and rutted from the wheels. Chicken Point overlook hosts 6-8 parked jeeps and 30-40 visitors at any moment. Avoid if possible.
• 2pm – 4pm: Tapering. Last full tours run. Less intense than midday.
• 4pm – sunset: Trail empties. Sunset jeep tours exist but are smaller groups. By 30 minutes before sunset, you'll often have Chicken Point to yourself or near it.
• After sunset: Empty. Bring a headlamp for the descent and watch your footing on the slickrock.

If the off-road experience appeals to you instead, see Pink Jeep Tours for booking details — Broken Arrow is the flagship route.

Trail Highlights in Order

Mile 0–0.4 (Wash to Devil's Dining Room): The trail starts as a sandy wash with red sandstone shoulders. About 0.4 miles in you'll reach the Devil's Dining Room sinkhole — about 50 feet across, 30 feet deep, no fence. The bottom is rocky scree. Use caution with kids near the edge.

Mile 0.4–0.8 (Slickrock Ascent): The trail climbs onto open slickrock with views beginning to open south. This is where the jeeps perform the more dramatic descents — you'll often see groups maneuvering down boulder steps just off the hiking line. The hiking trail is parallel and clearly marked with cairns.

Mile 0.8–1.2 (Submarine Rock Spur): An optional spur trail branches right to the top of Submarine Rock, a long flat formation resembling a surfaced submarine. The spur adds about 0.4 miles round trip and gives a wide view from the top. Worth the detour at sunset.

Mile 1.2–1.4 (Chicken Point): The final approach climbs gently to Chicken Point — a wide slickrock platform with a panoramic view south and west. The Twin Buttes anchor the view; Mund's Mountain rises behind. This is where Pink Jeep parks for the photo stop. The slickrock platform is large enough that crowds spread out — you can find a quiet corner even on a busy afternoon.

Sunset at Chicken Point

Chicken Point faces west to southwest, making it one of Sedona's three best sunset spots — alongside Airport Mesa and Cathedral Rock viewpoint. The Twin Buttes catch the warm light first, then Submarine Rock and the lower formations.

• Best timing: Arrive 45 minutes before published sunset. Light becomes golden 30 minutes before sunset, peaks at 10 minutes before, and continues for about 20 minutes after as the sky color develops.
• Photography: Telephoto for the buttes from Chicken Point. Wider angles work from Submarine Rock spur. Tripod recommended for blue hour after sunset.
• Headlamp: Mandatory for the descent. The slickrock sections are easy to lose in darkness, and twisted ankles are the most common Sedona injury after sunset hikes.
• Layers: Temperatures drop 15–20°F at sunset in spring and fall. Bring an extra layer.

Compare against Airport Mesa for sunset in our Airport Mesa vortex page — both work, but Broken Arrow gives you a longer hike and more dramatic foreground.

Gear and Safety

• Footwear: Trail runners or day hiking shoes with grip. Slickrock can be slippery when wet.
• Water: 1.5 liters per person for the full hike including extra time at the overlook.
• Headlamp: Mandatory for any sunset hike. The descent in darkness is dangerous without one.
• Sun protection: Hat and sunscreen for daytime hikes — most of the trail is exposed.
• With kids: Manageable for ages 6+ on the main trail. The Submarine Rock spur and Devil's Dining Room edges require direct supervision.

Who This Trail Is Right For

Good fit for: Sunset photographers, hikers who can plan around early-morning or late-afternoon timing, families who want a moderate-length hike with a clear destination, and anyone who wants the iconic Chicken Point view without paying for a jeep tour.

Not the right trail if: You can only hike during midday on a weekend (the jeep noise will be relentless), you're sensitive to off-road dust, or you want a long-distance workout — Broken Arrow is short and the value is the destination, not the journey.

For a quieter sunset alternative, see Cathedral Rock Trail. For another short trail with no jeep overlap, see Bell Rock Trail. For the full Sedona hiking pillar, return there.