Marg's Draw Trail: The Family Escape Cathedral Rock Crowds Miss

1.7 miles round trip, easy-moderate, 200 feet of gain off Schnebly Hill Road. Named for Marg Crandall, a 1940s local. Cairn navigation past mile 0.6. Sunset on Mitten Ridge is why people come back. Lot holds 15 cars and fills by 10 AM weekends.

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

Trail Stats

  • Distance1.7 mi RT
  • DifficultyEasy-Moderate
  • Elevation Gain~200 ft
  • Trail TypeOut-and-back
  • Parking~15 spots, fills 9–10 AM weekends
  • Pass RequiredYes — Red Rock Pass
  • TrailheadSchnebly Hill Rd / Crimson Cliffs TH
  • Best Pick ForFamilies, sunset hikers
The Lowdown Verdict: Marg's Draw is the quiet Schnebly Hill corridor trail that families keep finding by accident and return to on purpose. It delivers genuine Sedona red rock scenery — Mitten Ridge filling the frame as you walk, brush-framed views of the surrounding formations — without the Cathedral Rock parking scramble or the Devil's Bridge queue. The trail is short enough for a pre-dinner hike and interesting enough for a dedicated morning. Marg Crandall lived here when this was working land, and the draw still feels like something discovered rather than engineered. Pair it with a stop at the Munds Wagon Trailhead nearby for a second look at the corridor. For a guided jeep perspective on the same landscape, see Schnebly Hill jeep tours on Viator.
What Marg's Draw Trail Is Not:
  • Not a summit hike. There is no dramatic high point. The payoff is the framed views of Mitten Ridge at mid-trail and the quiet of the brush corridor — not elevation.
  • Not suitable for jogging strollers past the trailhead. The rocky mid-section past mile 0.6 requires careful footing and cairn navigation.
  • Not a loop. Return the same way you came unless you extend to Munds Wagon or Crimson Cliffs, which adds significant mileage.
  • Not the right call on a hot midday. The juniper and manzanita provide thin shade. Start by 9 AM from May through September.

Trailhead and Parking

Marg's Draw is reached via Schnebly Hill Road, turning east off AZ-179 at the south end of Sedona. After the pavement ends — roughly 1.5 miles from the highway — continue approximately 0.5 miles on dirt to the trailhead pullout. The lot is small: approximately 15 vehicles fit in the informal gravel area. Alternatively, the Crimson Cliffs Trailhead on Schnebly Hill Road provides another access point with comparable lot size.

A Red Rock Pass is required: $5 per day or covered by the America the Beautiful annual interagency pass. On spring and fall weekends the lot fills between 9 and 10 AM — arriving by 8:30 AM gives a reliable margin. Schnebly Hill Road dirt section is manageable for standard two-wheel-drive vehicles in dry conditions; avoid after rain, when the clay surface becomes deeply rutted.

If the Marg's Draw pullout is full, the Munds Wagon Trailhead further up Schnebly Hill Road has a larger paved lot (approximately 30 vehicles) with Red Rock Pass required. From there, a connecting trail can link to the Marg's Draw area via the Crimson Cliffs junction, adding about 0.4 miles each direction.

Trail Breakdown: Mile by Mile

0–0.4 mi

Sandy Wash Opening

The trail leaves the parking area on a wide sandy path through low scrubland. Views of Mitten Ridge open immediately to the north. Terrain is flat to gently rolling — the easiest section of the hike. Red rock walls visible ahead frame the draw.

0.4–0.6 mi

Rocky Rise, Best Views

The trail steepens slightly and becomes rockier underfoot. This is the best sustained viewpoint of Mitten Ridge — the formation catches morning light from 8 to 10 AM and sunset light from roughly 5 PM onward in spring. The elevation gain of 200 feet is concentrated in this stretch.

0.6–0.85 mi

Cairn Section, Thick Brush

Past mile 0.6, the trail enters dense juniper and manzanita brush where the path narrows and becomes less defined. Follow the cairn markers carefully — the brush makes it easy to drift off-trail. Pace slows here. Children should stay close. The brush also provides the best native plant observation of the hike.

0.85 mi

Junction: Crimson Cliffs / Munds Wagon

The trail meets the Crimson Cliffs Trail and the broader Munds Wagon Trail intersection. Day hikers on Marg's Draw turn back here. Experienced hikers with time can continue north toward the Munds Wagon corridor for an extended loop back to the paved Munds Wagon Trailhead lot.

Best Time to Hike

March through November works for Marg's Draw, with some timing considerations. In summer (June through September), start before 9 AM to complete the hike before open-sky heat builds. The juniper and manzanita brush provides more shade than open slickrock trails, but it is not a creek-canyon level refuge.

Spring (March through May) is the best window overall: pleasant temperatures, possible wildflower spots in the wash section, and good parking availability on weekday mornings. Fall offers the best sunset light on Mitten Ridge as the sun angle drops lower.

For families with young children, mid-morning spring and fall visits hit the sweet spot: full light on the rock, temperatures under 75°F, and enough time to take the cairn section slowly without heat pressure. Compare timing and conditions against the broader Sedona May 2026 trail conditions update before your trip.

Guided Jeep Tours: Schnebly Hill Corridor

Pink Jeep and other Sedona operators run guided off-road tours through the Schnebly Hill area. A vehicle-based excursion covers terrain near Marg's Draw without the footwork and includes geological narration on the red rock formations you see from the trail.

Find Schnebly Hill Jeep Tours 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. Lot capacity (~15 vehicles), fill time (9–10 AM weekends), and cairn section location (past mile 0.6) verified on-site. Historical detail on Marg Crandall sourced from Sedona Heritage Museum records. Trail connectivity (Crimson Cliffs / Munds Wagon junction) confirmed via Coconino National Forest trail maps.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is Marg's Draw Trail in Sedona? +
Marg's Draw Trail is rated easy-moderate. The trail covers 1.7 miles round trip with 200 feet of elevation gain. The terrain is mostly packed dirt and sandy wash with some rocky sections. The stretch past mile 0.6 involves cairn navigation through thick juniper and manzanita brush where the trail becomes less obvious. Appropriate for older children and adults of average fitness. Not suitable for jogging strollers past the trailhead due to the rocky mid-section.
Where do you park for Marg's Draw Trail in Sedona? +
Marg's Draw Trail is accessed via Schnebly Hill Road approximately 0.5 miles past where the pavement ends, or from the Crimson Cliffs Trailhead area. The lot holds approximately 15 vehicles and fills between 9 and 10 AM on spring and fall weekends. A Red Rock Pass is required: $5 per day or covered by an America the Beautiful annual interagency pass. Arrive by 8:30 AM on busy weekends to secure a spot. Schnebly Hill Road transitions from pavement to dirt before the trailhead — standard vehicles manage it in dry conditions.
Who was Marg's Draw Trail named after? +
Marg's Draw Trail is named for Marg Crandall, a woman who lived in the Sedona area in the 1940s. The draw — a shallow canyon drainage — carried her name among locals long before the trail was formally established. This type of informal naming was common in early Sedona: landmarks were identified by the homesteaders and ranchers who worked the land before the area became a tourist destination. Marg Crandall's connection to this specific drainage gives the trail an authenticity that most Sedona trail names lack.
What connects to Marg's Draw Trail in Sedona? +
Marg's Draw Trail connects at its far end to the Crimson Cliffs Trail and the Munds Wagon Trail intersection. From that junction, hikers can extend north toward Munds Wagon Trail for a longer out-and-back into the Schnebly Hill corridor, or link to Crimson Cliffs for red rock views to the south. The connection makes Marg's Draw a useful access route for experienced hikers building a longer day rather than an end-destination hike. Trailhead signage at the junction is present but worn — confirm your direction before committing to the extension.
What is the best time to hike Marg's Draw Trail for sunset? +
Marg's Draw Trail delivers exceptional sunset light on Mitten Ridge, the distinctive formation visible from the trail's mid-section. Arrive at the trailhead approximately 90 minutes before sunset to reach the best viewpoint before golden hour. The trail is short enough to complete a round trip in under an hour at a moderate pace, which allows time to settle into the viewpoint rather than rush back. In spring and fall, the warm alpenglow on Mitten Ridge turns the red sandstone a deep amber. Bring a headlamp for the descent — the parking area is dark after sundown.