Jacks Canyon Trail: Sedona's Locals-Only Winter Canyon Climb

6.8 miles one way (13.6 miles round trip per the USFS), hard, 2,047 feet of gain. Free Jacks Canyon Road lot, no Red Rock Pass. The Big Park canyon hike that stays open December through March when Wilson Mountain is snowed in. Most day hikers turn back well short of the full distance. Carry 3 liters of water minimum -- no sources on trail.

By The Lowdown Guide Editorial Team · Visited Spring 2026 · Updated May 2026

Trail Stats

  • Distance6.8 mi one way (13.6 mi RT, USFS)
  • DifficultyHard / Strenuous
  • Elevation Gain2,047 ft (USFS)
  • Trail TypeOut and back; most hikers do a partial distance
  • ParkingFree dirt lot, Jacks Canyon Rd
  • Pass RequiredNo (free at this trailhead)
  • TrailheadJacks Canyon Road, Big Park / Village of Oak Creek
  • Water SourcesNone on trail -- carry 3 liters minimum
The Lowdown Verdict: Jacks Canyon Trail is for experienced hikers who want the longest-feeling, most isolated hike in the Sedona area without paying a permit or permit lottery. The canyon starts narrow and deepens as you climb, creating a slot-like enclosed feeling that most Sedona trails -- which open to panoramic views quickly -- do not provide. Deer and javelina sightings are common because this trail sees a fraction of the traffic of Bell Rock or Wilson Mountain. Its primary practical advantage is winter accessibility: it sits at low enough elevation to remain clear of snow from December through March when the upper-elevation Sedona hikes are closed or hazardous. The honest caveat: this trail is not for first-timers, and it is longer than it looks -- the USFS lists the full route at 6.8 miles one way (13.6 miles round trip) with 2,047 feet of gain, so treat any published "turn-back mile" as a rough guideline, not a landmark to watch for. Signage is minimal and the sustained climb with no water is genuinely demanding. Pair with the Munds Mountain Trail guide if you are planning the full connector traverse.
What Jacks Canyon Trail Is Not:
  • Not for beginners. This trail has minimal signage, a sustained hard climb, and no water. First-time Sedona hikers should choose Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, or Broken Arrow instead. Jacks Canyon is a second or third Sedona visit trail.
  • Not a short hike. The USFS lists the full trail at 6.8 miles one way (13.6 miles round trip) with 2,047 feet of gain -- far longer than a typical Sedona day hike. Most visitors do a partial out-and-back rather than the full distance; plan generously either way, and remember the return takes as long as the way in.
  • Not well-signed. The Forest Service provides minimal trail markers in Jacks Canyon. You will not see the kind of regular signage found on Devil's Bridge or Cathedral Rock. Navigation by map or GPS is recommended beyond mile 2.
  • Not a dog trail without planning. Dogs are permitted but there is no water on trail. In any weather above 65 degrees, carrying sufficient water for your dog (1 liter per 25 lbs of dog weight per hour of hiking) makes this a logistics challenge for large dogs. Plan accordingly or choose a shorter option.

Trailhead: Jacks Canyon Road Access

The Jacks Canyon Trail trailhead sits in the Big Park area, which is the local name for the Village of Oak Creek south of Sedona. Per the Coconino National Forest, from the SR-179/AZ-89A junction in Sedona, drive south on SR-179 for 7 miles to Jacks Canyon Road, then turn east (left) and travel 2 miles to the parking lot turnoff. The lot is a free dirt/gravel pullout with no fee, no kiosk, and no Red Rock Pass requirement.

This is one of the last no-fee trailheads with legitimate access to a hard Sedona hike. The Forest Service manages the trail as part of the Munds Mountain Wilderness. Because it is in the Village of Oak Creek area rather than central Sedona, it also escapes the traffic patterns of SR-179 corridor trails. The parking lot typically does not fill even on peak spring weekends -- a meaningful advantage compared to the SR-179 trailheads that are routinely full by 8 AM. See the Sedona permits and passes guide for the complete picture of which Sedona trailheads are free versus fee-required.

Water management is the top planning concern for this trail. There are no reliable water sources anywhere on the 6.8-mile one-way (13.6-mile round trip) route. Carry a minimum of 3 liters per person even for a partial out-and-back. In summer heat this increases to 4 liters. Do not rely on seasonal streamflow in the canyon bottom -- it is unreliable and untreated. A water filter adds insurance but should not be counted on as your primary supply strategy.

Why Locals Choose This Trail in Winter

Jacks Canyon Trail's seasonal advantage is elevation. The trailhead sits at approximately 4,000 feet, several hundred feet lower than Wilson Mountain (which climbs to 7,122 feet) and significantly lower than Munds Mountain at 6,834 feet. When December and January bring snow to the upper Sedona trails, Jacks Canyon Trail is often clear and passable. This makes it a locals-favored destination from December through early March when the upper-elevation hikes are either snow-covered or require microspikes and cold-weather experience.

Winter also brings increased wildlife activity in the canyon. Javelina (peccaries) are commonly seen in groups along the lower canyon in morning and evening hours from November through February when temperatures are cool enough for midday foraging. Deer sightings are equally common. The trail's isolation -- it sees a small fraction of the traffic of any SR-179 trail -- means wildlife encounters are genuinely more frequent here than anywhere in central Sedona.

For visitors comparing Sedona versus nearby towns in terms of hiking access and climate, the Sedona vs Jerome guide covers the elevation and weather differences between the two areas, which are relevant for winter planning in this region.

Trail Breakdown: Mile by Mile

0-1.0 mi

Canyon Mouth to Lower Canyon

From the trailhead the path enters the canyon mouth and follows the sandy wash bottom northeast. The grade is gentle to moderate. The canyon walls rise on both sides. Pinyon and juniper are dense. The first mile is the most accessible section -- suitable for a shorter out-and-back to get a feel for the canyon without committing to the full climb.

1.0-2.5 mi

Canyon Narrows

The canyon narrows and the slot-like character becomes pronounced. Walls rise steeply on both sides. The grade increases from gentle to moderate-steep. This is the most visually distinctive section of the hike -- the enclosed canyon feeling that separates Jacks from every other Sedona trail experience. Trail markers become infrequent. Follow the wash bottom and the most worn path when in doubt.

2.5-3.5 mi

Upper Canyon Climb

The canyon opens slightly and the climb steepens noticeably. Views begin opening to the south and west. The pinyon-juniper transitions to more open high-desert scrub. This is where most day hikers begin feeling the cumulative effort -- and it is only roughly the halfway point of the USFS-listed 6.8-mile one-way trail.

~3.5-4.0 mi

Practical Turnaround for Day Hikers

This is a reasonable turnaround for a half-day out-and-back, not the Munds Mountain connector -- the Forest Service lists the full trail at 6.8 miles one way, so this point is only about halfway. Turn back here unless you have planned the full route with adequate daylight, water, and navigation skill. Do not push on without at least 2 hours of remaining daylight and enough water for the return.

4.0-6.8 mi

Full Route to the Munds Mountain Connector

Continuing beyond the practical turnaround adds several more miles of sustained climbing toward the trail's end near an upper saddle, where the Coconino National Forest describes a short, steep climb connecting to Munds Mountain Trail No. 77. The Forest Service does not publish exact interior mile markers for this stretch. Reaching it and returning is a full-day undertaking (13.6 miles round trip, 2,047 feet of gain) best reserved for experienced, well-provisioned hikers.

Comparable Trails and When to Choose Jacks Canyon

Jacks Canyon Trail occupies a specific niche in the Sedona trail network: hard, isolated, free, and winter-accessible. The closest comparable in difficulty is Munds Mountain Trail, which Jacks Canyon can connect to via the upper canyon connector for a full traverse. The main Munds Mountain trailhead requires a Red Rock Pass and sits at higher elevation -- Jacks Canyon is the lower-elevation, no-fee alternative entry point into the same wilderness area.

For experienced hikers comparing options in the Village of Oak Creek area, Bell Rock Trail nearby is dramatically shorter (1.5 miles RT to the base, longer to summit) and far more crowded but gives strong vortex-site views for a fraction of the effort. Jacks Canyon is the choice when you want solitude and a genuine hard hike, not the vortex experience.

Season recommendation: December through March for low-crowd winter conditions and wildlife. April and May for best overall conditions if you can handle heat on the open upper section. Avoid June through August unless starting before 6 AM -- the exposed upper canyon reaches dangerous temperatures by 10 AM.

Guided Sedona Canyon Hikes

Prefer a guided canyon experience with a local naturalist who knows the wildlife and geology? Viator lists guided Sedona hiking tours departing from the Village of Oak Creek and Uptown Sedona, including options for hard-rated hikes with experienced guides.

Find Guided Sedona Hikes on Viator →

Affiliate link -- we earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Editorial note: Trail researched Spring 2026 by The Lowdown Guide editorial team. Distance (6.8 mi one way / 13.6 mi RT), elevation gain (2,047 ft), trailhead elevation, and access directions confirmed against the Coconino National Forest's official trail page for Jacks Canyon Trail No. 55. No-fee status confirmed on-site. No-water condition verified from Coconino National Forest trail notes and field observation. Winter accessibility window (December-March) based on trailhead elevation comparison vs Wilson Mountain summit (7,122 ft) and confirmed by local trail volunteer reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Jacks Canyon Trail start in Sedona? +
Jacks Canyon Trail starts from a free dirt parking lot on Jacks Canyon Road in the Big Park area, also called the Village of Oak Creek, south of Sedona proper. No Red Rock Pass is required at this trailhead. Per the Coconino National Forest, from the SR-179/AZ-89A junction in Sedona, drive south on SR-179 for 7 miles to Jacks Canyon Road, then turn east and travel 2 miles to the parking lot turnoff. There is no fee kiosk and no paved lot -- it is a gravel pullout at the mouth of the canyon.
How hard is Jacks Canyon Trail in Sedona? +
Jacks Canyon Trail is rated hard/strenuous. Per the Coconino National Forest, the full trail is 6.8 miles one way (13.6 miles round trip) with 2,047 feet of elevation gain, taking 2.5 to 4 hours one way. The first 2 miles feel moderate as the trail follows the canyon floor. After mile 2 the canyon narrows and steepens noticeably. Most day hikers turn back well before the trail's full length -- the Forest Service describes the upper connection to Munds Mountain Trail as a short, steep climb from an upper saddle, without publishing an exact turn-back mileage. Continuing toward the Munds Mountain connector requires experience and navigation skill as trail signage is minimal. No technical climbing is involved, but the sustained elevation gain and lack of shade make the full route a demanding full-day undertaking.
Is Jacks Canyon Trail good in winter? +
Yes, Jacks Canyon Trail is one of Sedona's best winter hikes. The trailhead sits at lower elevation than Wilson Mountain, Munds Mountain, or the Wilson Mountain summit area, which means Jacks Canyon stays mostly clear of snow and ice from December through March when upper-elevation trails are impassable. Daytime temperatures in the canyon bottom stay warmer than exposed ridge trails. Wildlife sightings including deer and javelina are more frequent in winter when animals are active during the cooler midday hours. This is a locals-favored trail in January and February precisely because it is accessible when the more iconic Sedona hikes are snow-covered or icy.
Do you need a Red Rock Pass for Jacks Canyon Trail? +
No Red Rock Pass is required at the Jacks Canyon Trail trailhead on Jacks Canyon Road. The dirt lot is a free Forest Service access point. This is one of the few trail access points in the Sedona area that does not require any pass or fee. Carry enough water -- a minimum of 3 liters is recommended even for a partial out-and-back, since there are no reliable water sources on the trail and the full round trip is 13.6 miles.
Where should I turn back on Jacks Canyon Trail? +
The Coconino National Forest does not publish a specific turn-back mileage for Jacks Canyon Trail, but with a full one-way length of 6.8 miles (13.6 miles round trip) and 2,047 feet of gain, most day hikers turn back well before the trail's end -- typically once the canyon steepens noticeably past mile 2 and daylight or water margins start to tighten. The Forest Service describes the approach to the Munds Mountain connector as a short, steep climb from an upper saddle near the trail's far end. Continuing toward it requires experience in route-finding, since signage is minimal. Whatever your turnaround point, budget generous daylight for the return -- retracing several miles of this canyon takes longer than it feels on the way in.