Bear Mountain Hike, Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness, Sedona, Arizona
This hike is one of my favorite hikes in Sedona. The two words I’d use to describe this hike are steep and beautiful. Be prepared for some real elevation gain! On the way up, you gain about 2000 vert in a little over 2 miles. Mike and I did this hike in the afternoon one day and were just finishing up as it got dark. We parked at the Bear Mountain trailhead and set off on the trail. The very beginning was the flattest part of the hike, but the flat part didn’t last long. We quickly started gaining elevation, and it felt like we had gotten on a stair master. There were several sections where we were unsure where the trail would even go to get up what looked like vertical cliffs. The trail ended up going up the cliffs without any parts feeling exposed, and it was easy to follow at all times. As we got higher, the views really started to open up and the views to the north and east were breathtaking. Views to the north of Fay Canyon were some of my favorite.
When we get about halfway, I was wondering if we were close to the top, but then the second half of the mountain really rose up in front of us and let us know we still had a lot of climbing to do. At 2.3 miles, we finally made it to the top and took some time to take it all in. After a few moments we started heading back down. This was my favorite part as you got to look towards all the other mountains in Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness. I would highly recommend this hike if you are a fit individual looking for a challenging hike that provides some of the best views in the area. The whole hike ended up being 4.6 miles and 1950 vert.
