Backcountry Camping in the Sedona Area

I love the outdoor recreation opportunities around Sedona. Lots of cool day hike and bouldering spots. And of course, there are a lot of tourists. So what if you want to go backpacking, or do an overnight climbing trip? This was the question I had a week ago. No one in the area seemed to know of a trail that was open to dispersed (backcountry) camping or just made for backpacking in general. The USFS states on their website that dispersed camping is legal a mile into the Secret Mountain/Red Rock Wilderness area. So all you have to do is drive to a trail head, hike a mile PAST the wilderness boundary, and you're all set to start looking for a site to pitch the tent, or in my case this last weekend, tentS. 

Access:

We parked at the Long Canyon trailhead, on a Long Canyon Road, about a mile north of Dry Creek Road from Route 89A in Sedona. The entire drive is paved. The parking area is only marked by the Long Canyon trail sign, so keep an eye out for a small pull out area just off to the left when you're driving north on LC road. You have to hike one mile before you enter the wilderness boundary. Please respect other hikers and do not camp near the trail. Please practice Leave No Trace principals and leave your camp site the way you found it.

Here are some pictures from the overnight trip up Long Canyon in the Sedona area: