Rough Riders Summit Bear Mountain on Autumn Day
January 09, 2026
By John Such
From one of Bear Mountain’s upper benches, hikers are rewarded with amazing views across Dry Creek Basin. On this clear November morning, the vast expanse of red rock country stretched in every direction.
Bear is a challenge even for many of the seasoned Rough Riders, the most challenging of the Sedona Westerners’ seven hiking groups, hiking every Saturday during the season. This ambitious group divided early in the hike into two teams, one aiming for the summit and another choosing to turn around before the final steep push. Both groups found the day’s challenge exactly to their liking. Bear Mountain, after all, offers no easy trek: the out-and-back route climbs through steep, rocky terrain that demands both endurance and attention to footing. Even the lower benches provide a strenuous workout and panoramic rewards.
The trail begins at the Doe/Bear Mountain trailhead west of town, where the red rock cliffs rise abruptly from the desert floor. Early on, we paused at the first bench, where the view back toward Sedona spread out in spectacular detail, Thunder, Wilson, and Munds Mountains standing guard beyond the sweeping expanse of Dry Creek Basin. The fall sunlight cast a warm glow on the sandstone ridges, bringing out deep gold tones that seemed to shimmer against the clear blue sky.
We climbed steadily, as the trail alternated between narrow ledges, stone steps, and slickrock slabs. Conversation ebbed and flowed with the elevation gain: bursts of laughter during breaks, quiet concentration during the steeper scrambles. Between breaths, hikers pointed out clusters of manzanita, piñon pine, juniper, prickly pear, and agave lining the slopes, plants that thrive in this rugged high-desert environment, even more so this year with the slightly above-average rainfall Sedona enjoyed in October. Each hiker had some unfortunate contact with a cactus of one variation or another. Long pants are recommended for hikers that tackle Bear.
At the second bench, the trail offered another perfect vantage point. To the east stretched the buttes and mesas of Sedona’s backcountry; to the west lay the red ridges leading toward Sycamore Canyon. The peaks out towards Cottonwood were a bit hazy that morning due to controlled fire burns in the area.
The upper section of Bear Mountain is both the most demanding and the most rewarding. It is also well marked thanks to the Friends of the Forest. There are white trail markers painted on rocks to help guide hikers. False summits test every hiker’s patience, and the final approach involves short scrambles over Coconino Sandstone. Yet each pause offered an ever-expanding panorama, Doe Mountain and Fay Canyon below, Mingus Mountain and Jerome to the west, and the distant San Francisco Peaks visible to the north. When the summit group finally reached the top, the sense of triumph was tangible. The view of Doe sparked a conversation of a Mesa versus a Mountain. It may have been the thin air, but some argued a mountain must be formed by orogeny (an event involving plate tectonics). An internet search leaves this author with the conclusion that Doe Mountain is both a mesa and a mountain. My research suggests orogeny is “a” mountain forming event but not “the only” mountain forming event. Even though most of Sedona’s elevated geologic features are erosional remnants of the elevated Colorado Plateau, they are still mountains, as are our many volcanically formed mountains, like House Mountain, a shield volcano! House Mountain, near Red Rock State Park, is Sedona’s youngest volcanic mountain, formed about thirteen million years ago.
Lunch at the summit was simple but satisfying. Some hikers unpacked sandwiches, others trail mix and chocolate. Our hike leader even brought homemade treats. The breeze was cool, the view endless.
The descent required as much focus as the climb. Though easier on the lungs, the unrelenting downhill put strain on legs and knees. Hiking poles may come in handy for stability on the rocky steps and slanted slabs to those considering doing this hike. As always, the return trip revealed sights missed on the way up, including an Indian Paintbrush blooming as well as many hedgehog cactuses.
Back at the trailhead, the consensus was unanimous: Bear Mountain never disappoints. Whether one summits or stops short, the views, challenge, and sense of accomplishment make it one of Sedona’s most unforgettable hikes. This was the first time I ran out of water on a hike even though I had packed slightly more than the recommended two liters, another reflection of the challenge, keep that in mind next time you visit Bear.
Locals and visitors are always welcome to become members of the Sedona Westerners, who lead hikes at varying levels of difficulty from September through May. To learn more, visit www.sedonawesterners.org for schedules, membership information, and upcoming hikes. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a seasoned hiker, there’s a place for you on the trail with us.
This week on Saturday, January 10 the Rustlers are exploring Coffee Pot and Soldiers Pass, the Rough Riders are going to Munds Notch and Overlook, and Sunday the Drovers will hike Turkey Tank Loop. On Tuesday the Dogies hike Mescal, Wednesday the Drovers are going to Anaconda Cypress Snake Loop, and Thursday Cathedral Rock via Templeton for the Amblers and the Mustangs will hike Horse Mesa Loop.