My friends and I will have four days in Scottsdale - we are staying at the Wild Horse Resort by Sheraton. We plan to take a day trip to Sedona. Other than that, what are some of the prettiest sites to see that are close by? We love to hike and bike and would appreciate some suggestions. Thanks.

I hope you are aware that the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass, while a very nice new hotel, is not in or even especially close to Scottsdale. It is located on the Gila River Indian Reservation south of town. It will be a 20-30 minute ride into Scottsdale, possibly more during rush hour periods. With that said, if you like hiking you've come to the right place. Not to be missed is a hike up Camelback Mountain, with a spectacular 360 view of the valley from the top. Also recommended is Squaw (aka Piestewa) Peak. There is great hiking in the Superstition Mts to the east (The Peralta Trail is a beautiful hike). South Mountain park is not far from your hotel and great for mountain biking. The hotel concierge can give you directions to all these and even more places if you wish. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks for the info - I did think we were close to Scottsdale so thanks for clearing that up. Do you know how long it would take to drive to Sedona from there?

Lynne

It's about two and a half hours from Scottsdale proper to Sedona (two hours once you get on the highway, but you have a bit of a drive to get there). I don't know if that Sheraton is on the far side of Scottsdale putting it further away from the hwy though, that could add more time if it is.
But don't be put off by the drive- it is a neat drive to/from Sedona. Those cactus as tall as phone poles, and you go through a few zones that make it interesting.

I agree with Bonesaz suggestions; I have hiked those trails and they all are great. Driving to Sedona will depend on the time of day. In Dec. I drove from Phoenix to Sedona during rush hour; very very slow. Driving at night you miss the scenery too. Be sure to take a drive north of Sedona through the canyon. It's breath taking.

I biked South Mountain, although not exactly epic, it was a great ride, very different from the EAst Coast singletrack we are used to.

We did two long rides in Sedona, Broken Arrow was one and I can't remember the other. At the bike shop "Bike and Bean", they have a big topo map showing the Sedona trails and were very helpful in giving directions. Mountain Bike Heaven is also in Sedona and rents bikes if you need them.

You can also mountain bike in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve along the Christiansen trail. Parts are very rocky, but most of it is pretty nice.

You can also mountain bike at the McDOwell Mtn Park near fountain hills. If you like road cycling, the road between Fountain Hills thru Rio Verde and up to Reata Pass is one of the best cycling roads in the Phoenix area. There are also extensive bike paths along the canals.

Going to Sedona, if you drive anywhere near rush hour, you might be better off taking the outer loop 101 rather than going thru the cetner of Phoenix. But if you take the carpool lane on I10, you can ususally zoom right by.

The hikes bonesaz recommends are the best in the area

The Camelback hike is quite strenuous. People do it in tennis shoes, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you don't have hiking boots, at least wear something with good treads. The Pinnacle Peak hike is very nice, if you're in North Scottsdale. It's right next door to one of the new resorts, the Four Seasons, maybe (I'm having a mental block right now).

As for biking, there's a great trail system from the McCormick Ranch area of Scottsdale (Hayden/Via de Ventura) to Tempe. You can also ride the canals in various directions. One canal ride I like to do is from Scottsdale to the Biltmore Golf Course (for lunch). Or, you can ride the streets in Paradise Valley and look at all the beautiful homes, then end up at the Phoenician Resort.

Thanks for the advice. Here is my next question - if we only have three full days there (with long travel days on either side) is it worth it to spend 2+ hours for a day trip to SEdona or should we focus on biking/hiking around PHoenix/scottsdale area? I've never been in a desert climate so it will all be new to me - I live in Asheville. Thanks

I would go to Sedona. I'm not a big fan of Sedona, but then I live in Arizona and can go there anytime. It has interesting rock formations and the drive there is nice. I would stop at Montezuma's Castle (and Well - a separate part of the national monument a few miles away). I also lilke the trip over Mingus Mtn into Jerome, but that might be more driving than you want.