Sedona in 3 Days: Red-Rock Flow for Intermediate Riders

Morning: Start on Mescal to learn how your tires hook up on red rock before there's any consequence. It's a mellow slickrock traverse on a sandstone bench, which makes it the right place to get a feel for the grip. From the Sedona Visitor Center take 89A about 3.2 miles, right on Dry Creek Rd 3.0 miles, then right on Long Canyon Rd 0.3 miles to the Mescal lot. Red Rock Pass required, 5 dollars a day, or use an America the Beautiful pass.

Afternoon: Head to Slim Shady for intermediate flow: slickrock wall rides, bermed corners, and stacked-rock rollers. Ride it as a loop with Made in the Shade, or link into Templeton if you've got legs left. Park at Yavapai Vista off Hwy 179, or stage at Bell Rock Vista if you're basing in Village of Oak Creek.

Eats: Post-ride tacos and a cold drink in Village of Oak Creek near the 179 trailheads. No named spot here, just grab whatever's closest.

Morning: Ride Templeton, the smooth loop around Cathedral Rock and the postcard ride of the trip. Park at the middle viewing point on Hwy 179 between Village of Oak Creek and Sedona and take Bell Rock Pathway about 0.7 miles through the tunnel under 179 to reach it. Use Llama Trail as the connector between Little Horse and Templeton to skip the hiker-packed stretch of Bell Rock Pathway.

Afternoon: Templeton links into Cathedral Rock Trail at about 2.4 miles. Stop at Cathedral for the view, then stack Slim Shady or Baldwin Trail on the way back for more miles. This is the classic Sedona intermediate loop when you chain it together.

Eats: Coffee and a big breakfast before you roll, then lunch in West Sedona after. Nothing fancy, just fuel.

Morning: Go back to whatever clicked, Mescal or Slim Shady, and session the features now that your traction's dialed. Repeat rides here teach you more than one-and-done laps because the slickrock rewards precise line choice.

Afternoon: If you want to see what advanced Sedona looks like, walk the first pitch of Hiline on foot from Yavapai Vista. Don't ride it yet. The east-side exposure is serious, and scoping it on foot tells you exactly what to train for before you come back.

Eats: Last-day burger and a beer wherever's closest to the trailhead in West Sedona.