Red Rock Scenic Byway
A short, slow drive through Sedona's red rock country on State Route 179, with Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte right beside the road.
Also known as Red Rock All-American Road; State Route 179
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length7.5 miles[1]ADOT's scenic roads list rounds it to 8 miles.
- Drive timeAbout 20 minutes behind the wheel; allow several hours with stops[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsState Route 179[2]
- Start and endNear Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), AZ and near Sedona, AZNearest towns to the ends of the U.S. DOT route line
- Fees and passesSome stops along the byway require a use pass ($5 per FHWA).[1]Check the current pass price with Coconino National Forest before you go.
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNot verified
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
This All-American Road covers about seven and a half miles of State Route 179 between the Village of Oak Creek area and Sedona. You can drive it in 20 minutes, but most people spend a morning or an afternoon, pulling off for the buttes and short walks.
Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte stand right beside the highway. Cathedral Rock rises to the west, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross sits in the rocks east of the road.
Some stops along the byway need a use pass, so bring one if you plan to park and hike.
Stops along the way
-
Courthouse Butte
Big butte next to Bell Rock.
Official information · 34.80218, -111.75458 · about 0.7 mi from the route line
-
Bell Rock
Bell-shaped butte right beside the highway.
Official information · 34.80037, -111.76449 · about 0.2 mi from the route line
-
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Chapel built into the red rocks.
Official information · 34.83199, -111.76676 · about 0.8 mi from the route line
-
Cathedral Rock
Spired formation west of the road.
Official information · 34.81982, -111.79285 · about 0.9 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Sedona Community Farmers MarketSedona, AZ · about 2.9 mi from the route · listed as year-round
- Windmill Park Farmers Market in CornvilleCornv, AZ · about 7.5 mi from the route
- Verde Valley Farmers MarketCamp Verde, AZ · about 12.3 mi from the route
- Cottonwood Farmers' Market & JamboreeCottonwood, AZ · about 14.1 mi from the route
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Red Rock Scenic Byway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- List of Scenic Roads (Arizona Department of Transportation) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).