Sedona Off Road Adventures: Cliff Hanger Hummer Tour

Stop by Stop

You meet at the office next to Nick's restaurant in West Sedona, the blue building signed Jeep Tours and Hummer Tours. There you check in, sign a waiver and meet your guide. The Hummer then drives a Sedona bypass toward the trail, with red rock views along the way.

The main event is the Cliff Hanger trail itself, 5.5 miles one way on the Forest Service OHV route list, run as a rugged crossing with steep drops and the Crack Axle section. At the end of the 2-hour slot the Hummer returns you to the office.

Included and Not Included

The Viator listing states two inclusions: all fees and taxes, and a professional guide. That means the Hummer, the guide's driving and the taxes on the booking cost nothing extra at the counter. There is no security deposit on this tour, so you do not need to block a card hold before you ride. The one extra is a gratuity for the guide, which the listing excludes and recommends at 15-20%. Helmets and goggles are not listed as inclusions here, because you ride in a seated vehicle driven by a guide rather than an open ATV.

This is the cheapest guided ride on our list. If you want the machine in your own hands, the guided ATV tour of West Sedona puts you behind the wheel instead.

Stated Limits and the Alternatives

The listing is blunt: not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, not recommended for pregnant travelers, and no guests under age 3. It also asks for at least a moderate level of physical fitness, because the trail jolts the whole 2 hours. The operator adds that dogs are welcome and service animals are allowed, which is rare on a guided ride.

There is no driver age or licence rule to worry about, because nobody in your group drives. The limits that matter are the physical ones. If you are pregnant, have a back or neck problem, or ride with an infant, book something smoother such as the Pink Jeep Scenic Rim Tour, which adds hotel pickup. If you want to drive, the guided ATV tour of West Sedona takes licensed drivers from 15 and a half. Group size tops out at 11 per Hummer, so larger parties split across vehicles. If bad weather cancels the ride, the platform refunds you in full.

Rules That Apply Around the Ride

Because the guide drives the operator's 4x4 Hummer, the vehicle and its paperwork are the operator's business, and a Red Rock Pass only comes into play when you park your own car at a fee site. The Arizona OHV decal costs $25 plus a processing fee and applies to vehicles of 2,500 pounds or less built for unimproved terrain, so private riders on the same Forest routes carry it while you do not. The Forest rule on the trail is simple: stay on open authorized roads. If you rent a machine on another day, ask the operator whether the vehicle carries the decal.

The trail is Cliffhanger on the Coconino National Forest route list, 5.5 miles one way in the Red Rock Ranger District. If you later park at a Forest fee site near Sedona, the Red Rock Pass costs $5 daily, and short photo stops of about 15 minutes need no pass.

Season matters. Red Rock State Park near Sedona averages a July high of 97°F and a January high of 56°F with lows of 30°F. Summer rides bake in an open vehicle, so book a morning slot and bring more water than you think you need.

Wear closed-toe shoes and long pants, bring sunglasses and sunscreen, and carry water. No deposit means no card hold, but bring a card for the tip.

What to Wear and Bring

Dress for an open vehicle in the desert. Closed-toe shoes and long pants protect against dust and sun. Sunglasses cut the glare on the red rock.

Bring water, and a hat that will not blow off. A light layer helps in the cooler months, when the January low averages 30°F. No deposit is charged, so your card is only needed for the 15-20% gratuity.