Sedona, Arizona is a beautiful four-season destination known for red rock formations, outdoor adventure, spiritual energy, and a thriving arts scene. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, blue skies are the norm, and cooler temperatures are guaranteed thanks to an elevation of 4500 feet.

The high desert terrain changes with the seasons, offering wildflowers in spring, monsoon spectacles in summer, the harvest in fall and a light dusting of snow come winter. The best time to travel to Sedona really depends on you and what you want to do.

Stay at Ambiente hotel, a luxurious, adults-only retreat, and you’ll be minutes away from the shops, galleries, restaurants and trails. Individual guest atriums feature IMAX-like views of the red cliffs and evergreen forest, plus each has a private rooftop deck with daybed and fire pit.

To help you choose the best time of year to travel to Sedona, scroll through the guide below.  

Spring (March-May)

Spring is one of the most popular times to visit Sedona. Desert wildflowers are in bloom, dotting the landscape with bright pops of color, and temperatures are mild, ranging from the mid-60s to 80s.  It’s the perfect climate for getting outside and exploring the red rocks. There’s no shortage of outdoor adventures, including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, 4X4 Jeep tours, hot air ballooning, and exploring vortex sites, to name a few.

Ambiente offers guests an exclusive off-road adventure that goes deep into red rock country: The Ambiente Soldiers Pass. This exciting 2.5 hour excursion plus picnic with Sedona Jeep Tours visits the Seven Sacred Pools and Devil’s Kitchen, a natural sinkhole formed by the collapse of underground caverns.

For hikers and mountain bikers, the Adobe Jack trail offers a shady, mostly flat two-mile trail that intersects with other hiking trails. Best of all, the trailhead is adjacent to Ambiente hotel. 

Spring is also a great time to visit one of Sedona’s seven vortex sites. Both Boynton Canyon and Airport Mesa are fairly easy to access and have fantastic views. For Boynton Canyon, follow signs for Boynton Vista Trail which dead-ends at the vortex.  At Airport Mesa, take the Summit Trail and follow the short walkway to the top. Plan to spend some time at the vortex sites as the energy is believed to facilitate meditation, creative thinking and mind-body healing.

Summer (June-August)

The summer months bring higher temperatures, often in the 90s, but Sedona’s higher elevation means it’s still cooler than Phoenix and other parts of Arizona. Get outdoors early, wear sunscreen and stay hydrated.

Cool off with a kayaking or tubing adventure on the Verde River, or try the ultimate water slide in Oak Creek Canyon at Slide Rock State Park. A narrow chute in the creek creates a natural water ride down the red rocks.

Take a break from the sunshine and go on a shopping adventure through Sedona’s many art galleries showcasing Southwestern, traditional, and contemporary art. On the first Friday of the month, many galleries host an evening open house with music and refreshments where you can meet the artists.

A Sedona summer landscape often includes a monsoon, a short but intense afternoon thunderstorm. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see one. Ambiente’s atriums with floor-to-ceiling windows are the perfect spot for cozying up to watch the spectacle. As the sky goes from blue to pewter, the colors of the landscape intensify before the rain falls with bolts of lightning and thunder. When the storm’s over, head up to your rooftop deck to feel the cool air, see a golden light break through the clouds, and spot a rainbow or two. 

An International Dark Sky Community, Sedona is one of the best places for viewing the night sky. Ambiente’s private rooftop stargazing experience brings a professional astronomer and custom telescopes to your private rooftop deck for a personal tour of the galaxy.

Fall (September-November)

Fall returns to milder days with temperatures in the 60s and 70s, crisp evenings and stunning fall foliage. Less crowded than in spring, fall is the season for leaf peeping, hiking, photography, and wine tasting.

Take a scenic drive on Highway 89A through Oak Creek Canyon, ranked among the most scenic drives in America, to see brilliant fall color. Hike along the bottom of the gorge alongside Oak Creek on the West Fork Trail to photograph gold and red leaves against the red rock canyon walls.

Another road awaits along the Verde Valley Wine Trail where Arizona’s vineyards are planted with more than forty different grape varieties, some of which you probably have never tasted. The Verde Valley is an AVA-designated wine region, and harvest season is a fun time to visit the small wineries and tasting rooms around Sedona and sniff the high desert terroir in a glass. More than twenty wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms are clustered around the towns of Cornville, Clarkdale, Cottonwood and Jerome.

Wine lovers should consider visiting during the annual Sedona Winefest  (Oct 4-5, 2025), a two-day wine festival where you can taste, talk and learn about Arizona wine. For a deeper immersion, Ambiente’s concierge can arrange a private, blind wine tasting with a sommelier at The Art of Wine, a tasting room and wine bar in Sedona. Your sommelier will lead you through an interactive, sensory evaluation and blind tasting of five wines, paired with an artisan charcuterie board. 

Winter (December-February)

Sedona takes on a serene beauty in winter, with the occasional snowfall dusting the red rocks. Daytime temperatures are moderate, with highs in the 50s, and evenings are cold. Layer up and enjoy winter hiking and mountain biking with fewer people on the trail.

In December, Sedona is decked out in festive lights and holiday displays. The Festival of Lights at Tlaquepaque is an annual tradition with free cider, musical entertainment, a visit from Santa and the lighting of 6000 luminarias throughout the arts and crafts village. In nearby Clarkdale, the Verde Canyon Railroad takes guests on a “Magical Christmas Journey” to the North Pole with elaborate decorations and storytelling by elves.

Sedona’s spiritual energy makes it an ideal place to pursue wellness and alternative healing treatments. Spas, wellness retreats and healers abound. Lean into the mysticism and try something different like an energy reading, sound bath, chakra balancing, or take a yoga class atop a vortex.

For pure relaxation, spend some time in Velvet, the spa at Ambiente. Indulge in a luxurious hydrating massage, try a warm Sedona clay wrap, or choose a couple’s ritual. YYou can also explore energy work with a reiki or cranial sacral treatment, both of which can be enjoyed in a serene and private setting.

So you see, the best time to travel to Sedona Arizona is up to you. No matter the season, Sedona does not disappoint. Pack layers to be prepared for temperature swings, book reservations early, and get ready to be wowed by the breathtaking natural beauty, mystical vortexes and starry nights.