Airport Loop Trail at Carroll Canyon

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3.3 miles

Distance

555 ft

Climb

-563 ft

Descent

01:03:11

Avg time

-7 ft

Altitude change

4,461 ft

Altitude min

4,737 ft

Altitude max

4,599 ft

Altitude start

4,593 ft

Altitude end

-0%

Grade

-34.2%

Grade max

28.4%

Grade min

2 miles

Distance climb

1 mile

Distance down

2,828 ft

Distance flat

01:03:11

Avg time

Airport Loop Details

Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
Riding Area

Carroll Canyon
Sedona, Arizona
Difficulty Rating

Black Diamond Rate
Voted Difficulty

Double Black Diamond (2 votes)
Local Popularity
30 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 85 in Trail Running
- 95 in Hiking
Global Ranking
#165499 in Mountain Biking [+]
- #60802 in Trail Running
- #42913 in Hiking
State Ranking
#2,626 in Mountain Biking · Arizona [+]
- #863 in Trail Running
- #770 in Hiking
Trail Type

Singletrack
Direction

Both Directions
Dogs Allowed

Yes
eBike Allowed

No

Intermediate 50%, advanced 40% and expert 10%, 3.2 mile MTB trail which is a bi-directional singletrack with a lot of technical rocky sections with exposure to spiny vegetation. The trail tread is mostly in packed dirt with river rock impeding the flow at times. I prefer to ride the trail in the counter clockwise direction and the trail is a connector for several other fun rides.

Disclaimer

Equestrians Restricted

Trail Supporters

USFS
Land Manager

Local Trail Association

Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition
Mountain Bike Association of Arizona
Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund
Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to support
trail development & maintenance.
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Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week

1 rides
5 miles average

6 Months

2 rides
4 miles avg distance

All

67 rides
Last: Sep 30, 2026

c1	c2	c3	c4
January	February	March	April
May	June	July	August
September	October	November	December

update trails status or condition

Airport Loop Trail Reports

status	date	description
	Mar 6, 2025 @ 9:37am Mar 6, 2025
	Mar 6, 2025 @ 9:24am Mar 6, 2025
	Nov 7, 2024 @ 11:38am Nov 7, 2024	The trail under the road isn’t on Trailforks
	Jul 1, 2024 @ 6:58am Jul 1, 2024
	Apr 30, 2024 @ 12:59pm Apr 30, 2024

Carroll Canyon
15 trails
ALL SEDONA TRAILS
2 trails
Advanced Mountain Bike Trails in Sedona
1 trails

Routes with this trail

1127

Sedona: Triple H

★ 3.2 • 30 miles • 3,603 ft • 56 • Loop •

This is a classic Sedona high tech route using some of the iconic trails in the area: , Hogs & . This...

Sedona Airport Loop Trail

3 miles • 450 ft • 1 • Loop •

A very scenic route that is not difficult in terms of elevation, but it is very rocky, especially on the...

2.5 ★★★★★

39 Ratings

5 ★ 13%

4 ★ 13%

3 ★ 18%

2 ★ 18%

1 ★ 38%

26 Reviews & Comments

Score Time Post Comment

bunjinjohn Apr 5, 2024 at 13:44

Based on rating and comments, I only rode this because rain and snow were predicted and I could ride to the trailhead. Tons of rocks have been pulled out in the section from the north end of Oak Creek Road to Bandit, but it's still not easy. CCW from there is a stupid steep climb as you round the east end of the Mesa, constantly riding over big cobbles, which continues on the north side of the airport. The west and south sides are the most fun where it turns to red dirt/rock, with occasional techy bits.

While I agree with some commenters that it's a legit technical challenge, I can't recommend this one unless you don't mind a sufferfest and only have a couple of hours like I did. This is the kind of trail you'd ride is some sad place that has nothing better. That ain't Sedona.

Dwhale Mar 28, 2024 at 8:49

After reading all the comments, I prepared myself for a horrible experience. This trail had alot of challenges but found it solidly difficult and mostly rideable. Disclaimer is I rode up Bandit counter clockwise to Brewer and down. Much of the North section i did not ride. Very hard climb but tide most followed by very tricky chunky ro ks with some exposure and a lot of prickly pear. But the last mile was mostly flowy off camber slick rock with occasional step ups and one very narrow cliff section i walked. I give this a 4 out of 5. I am an advanced rider with good fitness but not an extreme expert and mostly did fine. Give it a try!

ninesix May 16, 2023 at 8:44

First off. If you have your suspension too soft. Or not enough compression you will have a bad time.
This trail is “bumpy” but it is all rideable if you wanted you could ride the whole thing with “10 dabs or less” this is based on a combination of skill and fitness. (Stopping for pics and cactus thorn removal not included)
I would call it a single black for tech, but double black because of the fitnes needed to run the entire thing “perfect” with no dabs.
Thank you to thoes who gave the trail a good review, I almost listened to the crybabies and skipped this one.
I tan it clockwise, and will ride it again.

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Nearby Trails

Brewer 0 ft
Airport Conn 2,408 ft
Sedona Vista 3,077 ft
Crucifixion 3,481 ft
Crusty 3,757 ft

Carroll Canyon

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Frequently Asked Questions

▼ Where is Airport Loop located?

Airport Loop is located in Carroll Canyon, Sedona, Arizona, United States. It is part of the Carroll Canyon trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 34.85574, -111.78002.

▼ How hard is Airport Loop?

Airport Loop is rated as Black Diamond difficulty.

▼ What is the elevation gain for Airport Loop?

Airport Loop has 555 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 563 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 4,461 ft to 4,737 ft.

▼ Is Airport Loop a point to point trail?

Airport Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.

▼ How long is Airport Loop?

Airport Loop is 3.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.

▼ Are dogs allowed on Airport Loop?

Yes, dogs are allowed on Airport Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.

▼ How do I access Airport Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?

The closest parking and trailhead locations to Airport Loop are:

Airport Road (23 ft away)
Parking (3,031 ft away)
Parking (3,410 ft away)

View all parking locations in the area.

▼ How long does it take to ride Airport Loop?

Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 51 minutes to ride Airport Loop. The trail is 3.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.

▼ How busy is Airport Loop?

Airport Loop is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 655 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 715 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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