more stats
6.2 miles
Distance
619 ft
Climb
-758 ft
Descent
01:00:14
Avg time
-138 ft
Altitude change
4,122 ft
Altitude min
4,600 ft
Altitude max
4,593 ft
Altitude start
4,455 ft
Altitude end
-0.4%
Grade
-27.1%
Grade max
19.6%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
2 miles
Distance flat
01:00:14
Avg time

Outer Limits Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Western Gateway
    Sedona, Arizona
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    85 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 60 in Trail Running
    • 45 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #4482 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #48583 in Trail Running
    • #72196 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    All Season
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Year Opened
    2019
  • Land Owner
    USFS

The Outer Limits trail is 6.1 mile mostly intermediate trail. I would rate the trail as: 10% Beginner, 80% Intermediate, 8% Advanced and 2% Expert. The trail is most easily ridden in the northwest to southeast direction.

The trail has been routed from the Cultural Center parking lot at the southeast end to the Cockscomb trail at the northwest end. Due to a steep climb out of the Dry Creek Wash area up to Nod's Nob I have determined that the southeast to northwest direction to be the hardest. There is approximately 150 yards of fairly exposed trail about Dry Creek that many intermediate skilled riders may walk.

EQUESTRIANS: The trail on the west side of Dry Creek is steep and narrow until the southern intersection with Last Frontier. The south side of the hill would be an alternate route eventually reconnecting with the north bound section of Outer Limits.

Access Info

Cultural Center lower parking lot at t.he southeast end and the Cockscomb trail out of the Aerie Parking lot at the northwest end

Trail Supporters
  • Sponsor
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 15 miles average
6 Months
  • 86 rides
  • 21 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,031 rides
  • Last: Aug 19, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Outer Limits Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 15, 2026 @ 10:17am (America/Phoenix)
Aug 15, 2026
May 13, 2025 @ 1:23pm
May 13, 2025
Apr 8, 2025 @ 10:20am
Apr 8, 2025
 Nice but rocky at some place
Mar 8, 2025 @ 9:01am
Mar 8, 2025
Mar 6, 2025 @ 9:18am
Mar 6, 2025
more »
Status:
on Aug 15, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4 (35 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (4,094)
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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
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  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
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The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
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  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to outer-limits-170415 trailhead (34.880120, -111.863480)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        46 more »
        mtb
        431 |
        May 4, 2019 @ 8:39pm
        May 4, 2019
        mtb
        388 |
        May 4, 2019 @ 8:38pm
        May 4, 2019
        mtb
        35 |
        Apr 26, 2026 @ 8:15am
        Apr 26, 2026
        mtb
        23 |
        Apr 26, 2026 @ 8:15am
        Apr 26, 2026

        Videos

        6 more »
        youtuber The west side from Bottom Out to Ground...
        mtb
        48:17 | 34 | May 4, 2026 , Sedona
        Outer Limits
        mtb
        10:58 | 556 | Aug 28, 2022 , Sedona
        youtuber Bottom Out and Outer Limits
        mtb
        12:14 | 412 | May 12, 2022 , Sedona
        Biking Sedona: Girdner to Outer Limits (rv1;...
        mtb
        14:49 | 408 | Dec 5, 2021 , Sedona

        Trail Lists

        Routes with this trail

        298
        West Sedona 21 miler CCW
        ★ 3.7 • 22 miles • 2,043 ft • 10 • Loop •
        Park at cultural center, ride to Chuckwagon and continue long loop in a counterclockwise direction....
        69
        10 Miles -Sedona West Blue (Intermediate) Trails
        ★ 4.0 • 10 miles • 968 ft • 2 • Loop •
        Riding blue (intermediate) trails from the Cultural Center parking lot and back.
        190
        Western Gateway Loop (Black & Blue)
        ★ 5.0 • 14 miles • 1,488 ft • 6 • Loop •
        This is a super fun "big loop" ride for advanced riders. A nice mix of black and blue trails with some of...
        4.0 ★★★★★
        35 Ratings
        5 ★ 26%
        4 ★ 57%
        3 ★ 9%
        2 ★ 9%
        1 ★

        13 Reviews & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        Western Gateway

        • By johnf0246TF Pro & contributors
        • #170415 - 15,740 views

        Frequently Asked Questions About Outer Limits

        ▼ Where is Outer Limits located?
        Outer Limits is located in Western Gateway, Sedona, Arizona, United States. It is part of the Western Gateway trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 34.88012, -111.86348.
        ▼ How hard is Outer Limits?
        Outer Limits is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.4%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Outer Limits?
        Outer Limits has 619 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 758 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 4,122 ft to 4,600 ft.
        ▼ Is Outer Limits a point to point trail?
        Outer Limits is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Outer Limits?
        Outer Limits is 6.2 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Outer Limits?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Outer Limits. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Outer Limits?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Outer Limits are:
        • April (81 activities)
        • February (71 activities)
        • March (69 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Outer Limits? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Outer Limits are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Outer Limits?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 1 hour to ride Outer Limits. The trail is 6.2 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Outer Limits?
        Outer Limits is a very popular trail. There have been 4,168 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 4,087 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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