Sedona ATV ToursVortex ATV Rental: Full-Day Side-by-Side Rental
- 8 hoursDuration
- 5.0 · 24Reviews on Viator
- From $575per vehicle
- Free cancellation 24hCancellation
Quick answer Vortex ATV rental in brief
Vortex ATV Rental costs $575 per vehicle for an 8-hour self-guided side-by-side day, with fuel, helmets, goggles, maps and water in the price. It runs from Cottonwood, not from Sedona itself. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the start.
Key takeaways
- See how this rental compares in the Sedona ATV and our guide to ATV tours in Sedona.
- If you only have half a day, the Honda Talon Half-Day Rental is a 4-hour alternative.
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Vortex ATV rental is a full eight-hour day in your own side-by-side, priced at $575 per vehicle rather than per person, so a full carload splits the cost. Fuel, helmets, goggles, trail maps and water are all in the price, which is rare among Sedona rentals. The catch is location: Vortex ATV Rental is based in Cottonwood, not Sedona, so you need your own transport to the office. This page covers what the price includes, how the day runs, Arizona helmet and decal rules, and who should book something else. For the wider picture, start with our guide to Sedona ATV tours and the full Sedona ATV.
About This Tour
Vortex ATV Rental hands you a side-by-side UTV for eight hours and lets you ride on your own with a paper map. There is no guide and no hotel pickup. You check in at the office in Cottonwood, ride out to the trailhead from there, and return the machine to the office when the slot ends. The operator calls itself a family business that talks each customer through a route that suits them, from red rock views to a cooling stop at the Verde River.
The price is $575 per vehicle for the whole day, not per head. Two people in the machine pay $575 between them, and the same figure covers four, so the bigger your group the lower the cost per rider. Fuel is in the price here, which is the main difference from some other Sedona rentals where gas, tax and insurance come on top at check-in. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund.
$575 per vehicle for 8 hours. The vehicle price is shared by everyone riding in it.
You do. This is a self-guided rental with maps, no guide leads the way.
A side-by-side UTV. Seating capacity is not stated on the listing, so ask the operator.
8 hours, a full-day slot.
At the Vortex ATV Rental office, 551 N Main St Suite B, Cottonwood, AZ 86326, open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. You ride out to the trailhead from there.
No deposit and no fees beyond the rental price are stated on the listing, so ask the operator when booking about a card deposit. Cancel at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Pick your date on the booking platform. The office is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
How the Day Runs
This is a rental, so the itinerary is yours to build. The listing gives three fixed points and leaves the middle eight hours to you.
Check-in, Ride, Return
You check in at the office on N Main St in Cottonwood, get the machine, helmets, goggles, maps and water, then ride out to the trailhead on your own. From there the map is the plan. Riders commonly point the front wheels at red rock viewpoints or down to the Verde River to cool off, and the operator says it will talk through a route with you at check-in.
The Coconino National Forest lists 11 OHV routes in the Red Rock Ranger District, including Broken Arrow at 4 miles round trip, Diamondback Gulch as a 6-mile loop and the Outlaw route as a 10.5-mile loop. Return the vehicle to the office at the end of the 8-hour slot.
The listing fixes the start and the end. The middle is the part you plan.
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8:00 AM
Office opens
Vortex ATV Rental is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily at 551 N Main St Suite B in Cottonwood. Start early to get the coolest hours in summer.
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Slot start
Check-in and briefing
Collect the side-by-side, helmets, goggles, maps and water. Talk through a route with the family-run team before you set off.
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Morning
Ride out to the trailhead
You ride the machine from the office to the trail on your own. No shuttle, no guide, no hotel pickup.
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Midday
Choose your route
Mapped Forest options include Broken Arrow at 4 miles round trip, the 6-mile Diamondback Gulch loop and the 10.5-mile Outlaw route loop. Fuel is in the price, so you can cover ground.
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Afternoon
Cool off or climb
Riders head for red rock viewpoints or down to the Verde River to cool off. Carry water, which the office provides to fill your bottles.
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Before 5:00 PM
Return the vehicle
Bring the side-by-side back to the office at the end of the 8-hour slot. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness near Winter Cabin trailhead. Photo: Brady Smith; Coconino National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Price Covers
The $575 price is per vehicle and covers the machine and the riding kit for the full 8-hour slot. The listing states no deposit and no fees beyond the rental price, so confirm both with the operator when booking.
Included and Added at Check-in
Fuel is the headline inclusion here. At the Honda Talon Half-Day Rental, gas, sales tax and insurance are paid at check-in on top of the listing price, and a $3,000 security deposit per vehicle goes on the card. Vortex states none of those on its listing.
Bring a credit card in your name anyway until you have confirmed the deposit situation, because rental operators commonly hold one. Service animals are allowed and the ride suits all fitness levels. Gratuity is not mentioned on the listing at all.
Hotel pickup is the one stated exclusion: you drive yourself to Cottonwood.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Side-by-side UTV | Yes | 8-hour slot, $575 per vehicle |
| Who drives | You, self-guided | Maps provided, no guide |
| Helmets and goggles | Yes | Both listed as inclusions |
| Fuel | Yes | The main selling point of this listing |
| Deposit | Not stated on the listing | Ask the operator whether a card hold applies |
| Fees at check-in | Not stated on the listing | No fees beyond the rental price are listed, confirm when booking |
| Gratuity | Not mentioned | Not stated either way on the listing |
| Hotel pickup | No | Stated exclusion, you drive to Cottonwood |
Source: Coconino National Forest.
A family stop on a self-drive side-by-side day near Sedona. Illustrative image.
Book It If, Skip It If
Book it if
- you want the longest slot, 8 hours in your own side-by-side at $575 per vehicle, cheaper per head as your group grows
- you want fuel, helmets, goggles, maps and water all in the price, which few Sedona rentals offer
- you have a full day and your own car to reach the Cottonwood office, open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily
Skip it if
- you only have half a day, in which case the Honda Talon Half-Day Rental runs 4 hours from Sedona
- you are a group of up to 4 watching the budget, in which case the Cottonwood UTV Rental with Trail Maps starts at $200 per group for 2 to 6 hours
- nobody in your group wants to drive, in which case the Guided ATV Tour of West Sedona or the Pink Jeep Scenic Rim Tour puts a guide at the wheel
Who This Tour Rules Out
An 8-hour self-guided machine is a big commitment, and a few groups should book something else.
Check the Limits Before Booking
The listing states traveler ages 0 to 120 and no deposit and no driver age, so ask the operator directly about minimum driver age, licence requirements and any card deposit. Riders under 18 must wear a helmet in Arizona by law, which is covered below. There is no hotel pickup, so you need a car to reach Cottonwood.
If you have only half a day, the Honda Talon Half-Day Rental runs 4 hours from Sedona with a sporty two-seat machine. If you are a group of up to 4 watching the budget, the Cottonwood UTV Rental with Trail Maps starts at $200 per group for 2 to 6 hours. If nobody in the group wants to drive at all, a guided ride such as the Guided ATV Tour of West Sedona or the Pink Jeep Scenic Rim Tour puts a guide at the wheel. The office hours run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, so the day has to fit inside them.
Jerome, the old mining town above the Verde Valley. Photo: Mike McBey, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Works and What Does Not
An honest read of this listing for a Sedona trip.
What we genuinely like
- Fuel is in the $575 price, unlike rentals where gas, tax and insurance land at check-in
- One price covers the whole vehicle, so the cost per rider falls as the group grows
- A full 8 hours, the longest slot among the rentals compared here
- Helmets, goggles, maps and water are all included
- 5.0 rating from 24 reviews and free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
The honest downsides
- No hotel pickup, you must drive yourself to Cottonwood, in the Verde Valley
- No deposit, driver age or passenger limits are stated on the listing, so you have to ask before booking
- 8 hours in an open machine is a long day in summer heat, when Red Rock State Park averages a July high of 97°F
- Self-guided means no guide to handle breakdowns or route decisions
Who it's NOT for: Not for travelers with only half a day, for anyone without a car to reach Cottonwood, or for groups who want a guide leading the ride.
Before You Ride: Rules, Passes and What to Bring
Arizona law and Forest Service rules apply on every mile of this ride. Here is what carries over to a self-guided Vortex day.
Passes and Trails
A Red Rock Pass costs $5 daily, $15 weekly or $20 annually and is only needed when you park at a Coconino National Forest fee site in the Sedona area. Brief stops of about 15 minutes or less for a photo do not require one. Vehicles parked on Forest land without a valid pass can be cited.
If you ride Forest routes, stay on open and authorized roads. Season matters too: Red Rock State Park near Sedona averages a July high of 97°F with a low of 64°F, and a January high of 56°F with a low of 30°F, so summer days are hot and winter mornings are cold on an open machine. More on Arizona OHV rules, the decal and the Red Rock Pass and where the rides go: Sedona OHV routes on the homepage.
| Rule or fee | What it says | For this ride |
|---|---|---|
| Helmet law (ARS 28-1179) | Under 18 must wear a US DOT helmet on public or state land | Helmets are in the price |
| Eye protection | Required on streets and highways | Goggles are in the price |
| Arizona OHV decal | $25 plus a processing fee, valid one year, per machine | Ask the operator whether the rental carries it |
| Red Rock Pass | $5 daily at Forest fee sites, not for stops of 15 minutes or less | Buy one if you park at a fee site |
| Forest routes | 11 OHV routes in the Red Rock Ranger District, stay on authorized roads | Route choice is yours, the maps help |
| Season | July averages 97°F high, January averages 56°F high | Start early in summer, layer up in winter |
Riding a UTV Through Arizona Red Rocks on the Outlaw Trail
A self-drive UTV run on the Outlaw Trail, one of the routes a full-day rental can reach. Third-party video by AKFasso. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Vortex ATV Rental Questions
How much does a Vortex ATV rental cost?
The listing price is $575 per vehicle for the full 8-hour slot, and the vehicle price is shared by everyone in the machine. Fuel, helmets, goggles, maps and water are in the price. See where it sits in the comparison table.
Where is Vortex ATV Rental and how far is it from Sedona?
The office is at 551 N Main St Suite B in Cottonwood, open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Cottonwood is in the Verde Valley, so plan your own drive there. Other rentals are covered in the guide to Sedona ATV tours.
What do the reviews say about this rental?
The listing carries a 5.0 rating from 24 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor, the strongest rating among the rentals compared on this site. Read how it stacks up in the Sedona ATV.
Is there a deposit or extra fees at check-in?
The listing states no deposit and no fees beyond the rental price, but it does not confirm whether a card hold applies. Ask the operator when booking. For contrast, the Honda Talon Half-Day Rental requires a $3,000 security deposit per vehicle.
Is it cheaper to rent a UTV in Cottonwood than in Sedona?
Cottonwood has the lowest group price on this site, with the Cottonwood UTV Rental with Trail Maps at $200 per group up to 4 for 2 to 6 hours. The Vortex day is $575 per vehicle but covers a full 8 hours with fuel included. Compare both on the Sedona ATV.
Do children need helmets on this ride?
Yes. Under Arizona law ARS 28-1179, anyone under 18 must wear a properly fitted US DOT helmet on public or state land, and helmets are included in the rental. More detail is on the homepage under Arizona OHV rules, the decal and the Red Rock Pass.
What should I bring for a full 8-hour day?
Closed-toe shoes, long pants, sunglasses or the provided goggles, and sun protection, since July highs average 97°F near Sedona. Water to fill your bottles is provided. Packing advice is on the homepage under what to wear and bring.
Compare with
Sedona Off-Road Center Honda Talon Two-Seat Half-Day Rental
A sporty two-seat Honda Talon for four hours on your own, with helmets, a trail map and an ice chest. Gas, tax, insurance and a $3,000 card deposit come on top at check-in.
- Category
- Self-drive ATV and UTV rental
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Sedona Off-Road Center
from $200
Priced per group
Cottonwood UTV Rental with Trail Maps and Expert Advice
A UTV for two to six hours from Cottonwood with maps and a route briefing for Sycamore Canyon, Mingus Mountain and the Verde River. One price covers up to four people.
Check Availability
Arizona ATV Adventures Guided ATV Tour of the West Sedona Backcountry
You drive your own automatic ATV behind a local guide for about three hours in the West Sedona backcountry, up to the Skeleton Bone Mountain view. Helmet and goggles are in the price.
- Category
- Guided ATV tour
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Arizona ATV Adventures
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