Boondock as in dispersed camping or stealth? There's not many options within city limits. Your best bet is to head west on 89 towards Page Springs/Cottonwood or off Beaverhead Flats rd on the VOC side. There's quite a few threads on Sedona camping to look for ideas.
Sedona camping
Sounds like camping in Sedona during the bike festival is pretty challenging. Are there any places you can boondock camp?
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I always stay at the Connor in Jerome. There's a bar downstairs and you can legally drink in the park across the street. It's a 15 minute drive back to Sedona and there's two ways to go. Food is good in Jerome too.
That was the problem I was looking at when I went to Sedona a year ago, nowhere to camp. Honestly bumps Sedona lower on my list of places to visit, sadly.
15 minutes? Maybe in a helicopter. Cool place to stay though.I always stay at the Connor in Jerome. There's a bar downstairs and you can legally drink in the park across the street. It's a 15 minute drive back to Sedona and there's two ways to go. Food is good in Jerome too.
There's always the 525 road but that place has become quite the vagabond shanty town these days.
I also stay at the Super 8 in Cottonwood. It's clean, cheap and they have a hot tub. From there it's 15 minutes. Jerome is a bit farther. I used to stay at Skyranch at the airport but it's more than doubled in price but the Grill is right there and those views at sunset...15 minutes? Maybe in a helicopter. Cool place to stay though.
There's always the 525 road but that place has become quite the vagabond shanty town these days.
when I went to Sedona, I was driving from far enough away that I didn't want to count on boondock camping. And it was early enough in the season that the USFS campgrounds in oak creek canyon weren't taking reservations. they were first-come-first-served, but only if the weather was nice enough. I wanted the security of a reserved spot, so I ended up in Cottonwood at Dead Horse Ranch SP. Nice place, actually.
This is a key component of visiting Sedona imo. Sedona isn't a place I'd want to show up without already having a reservation somewhere, because you're going to likely end up driving to Flagstaff to find a place to sleep.I wanted the security of a reserved spot
I considered the "official" festival camping area but nixed that pretty quick. Super expensive for just a spot in a field with a bunch of other ppl, it seemed. No shower (a warm shower after a day of riding in the early spring was something I wouldn't want to give up) unless you brought one yourself.This is a key component of visiting Sedona imo. Sedona isn't a place I'd want to show up without already having a reservation somewhere, because you're going to likely end up driving to Flagstaff to find a place to sleep.
The thing I liked least about the Sedona MTB fest that other bike fests get right is that at the end of the day, everybody disperses to the winds. Lots of ppl in AirBNBs or hotels or whatever. Some in campgrounds scattered all over the place. Restaurants in town close really damn early. Evening socialization SUCKS for this bike fest. And I even went to this thing to ride with a group of friends. But because our lodging was so scattered, we barely socialized. Most of the time, all the restaurants in town were closed by the time we finished riding, so we had to scatter to feed ourselves right afterward. We did manage to finish up and find a restaurant where we could socialize one evening. But the place was dead and we felt rushed to leave.
It was such a strange experience for a tourist town with such a major event. Maybe the official event camping area had better evening socializing, but it was awful expensive for what you got and there wasn't all that much space, anyway.
I get the sense that a lot of people who visit Sedona expect a lot more out of the city itself for post ride things to do. It's not a particularly fun or interesting city outside of the outdoors stuff. It's small, the restaurants are very expensive and often times not great, and like you mention things tend to shut down early. It's basically the exact same thing as Moab. Endless amazing outdoors things to do with world class mountain biking, but once you've ridden all day and the sun goes down there isn't much to do besides find a place to sit down and drink beer... Not that there's anything wrong with that, in fact that's what most mountain bike trips are.I considered the "official" festival camping area but nixed that pretty quick. Super expensive for just a spot in a field with a bunch of other ppl, it seemed. No shower (a warm shower after a day of riding in the early spring was something I wouldn't want to give up) unless you brought one yourself.
The thing I liked least about the Sedona MTB fest that other bike fests get right is that at the end of the day, everybody disperses to the winds. Lots of ppl in AirBNBs or hotels or whatever. Some in campgrounds scattered all over the place. Restaurants in town close really damn early. Evening socialization SUCKS for this bike fest. And I even went to this thing to ride with a group of friends. But because our lodging was so scattered, we barely socialized. Most of the time, all the restaurants in town were closed by the time we finished riding, so we had to scatter to feed ourselves right afterward. We did manage to finish up and find a restaurant where we could socialize one evening. But the place was dead and we felt rushed to leave.
It was such a strange experience for a tourist town with such a major event. Maybe the official event camping area had better evening socializing, but it was awful expensive for what you got and there wasn't all that much space, anyway.
I usually try to talk people into staying in Flagstaff. It's not a far drive and once you're done riding, the food and nightlife scene is significantly better than Sedona.
I am pretty anti social. So I am not really too interested in a festival, camping together, eating together, or any of that 
I would try to find a place to stay in Oak Creek Canyon, there are several campsites there and the area is absolutely stunning and much better than most other places in the area. There are a bunch of little ins and rooms available in that area too. If all that is booked up, it might be a good idea to put in a reservation at one of the hotels just the other side of 40 in Flagstaff, then you can transit the area and look for an open site if you are going to be there for a few days. My pick is to stay up there, just so many more options for everything. Sedona isn't a "nightlife" town, a gathering of bikes might help to address that, but as stated, it's not really a place to stay and an event like this is going to stress any place around there. Oak Creek Canyon should not be missed.
I'm not necessarily looking for huge nightlife, either. It's just that after a long day of riding, sometimes I'd rather just order food and drink a beer while waiting for it rather than dealing with food prep. Especially if I'm in a town. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere the whole time, that changes my expectations a bit.I get the sense that a lot of people who visit Sedona expect a lot more out of the city itself for post ride things to do. It's not a particularly fun or interesting city outside of the outdoors stuff. It's small, the restaurants are very expensive and often times not great, and like you mention things tend to shut down early. It's basically the exact same thing as Moab. Endless amazing outdoors things to do with world class mountain biking, but once you've ridden all day and the sun goes down there isn't much to do besides find a place to sit down and drink beer... Not that there's anything wrong with that, in fact that's what most mountain bike trips are.
I usually try to talk people into staying in Flagstaff. It's not a far drive and once you're done riding, the food and nightlife scene is significantly better than Sedona.
I mean, I live in the southeast, so I'm VERY familiar with places having restricted hours, esp on Sundays. But Sedona is oddly worse with most restaurants closing around 6, IIRC.
One of my favorite mtb fests, though, they do it solid. The whole thing is held and contained within a state park. They're able to fit a ton of people into the official event camping area. It's easy for groups of friends to be relatively close to each other for easier socializing. If you don't want that experience, then that's fine, there are other options, too. And yeah, the town is small (smaller than Sedona by a big margin), but there are a couple restaurants that stay open later. And the festival actually has live music going until 11pm or so. Even if you're not camping at the official event camping, you can partake in the music. There's also beer and food provided on-site as part of the festival. For those who want that social experience, it's there. And if you don't want it, or you only want a little, then you can adjust as you desire. But Sedona offers no evening options like that whatsoever. The music and the food trucks and all that are during the day. And end at 5 when I attended.
I showed up in Sedona on a whim with no reservations on a three day holiday weekend, and with my bike and dog. I went to the chamber of commerce and through their connections I had a room at a nice place right quick. The Red Agave I believe. And I could walk to Picazzos which has good pizza and Italian food. The Mesa Grill at the airport is good and overlooked. Both are open later than most other places. The Grill is open 'till 9. I'd still rather stay at the Connor in Jerome. Everything except the bars shut down early. One time I showed up ten minutes after everything closed and the nice lady who owns the Connor made me a chicken dinner with rice and veggies.This is a key component of visiting Sedona imo. Sedona isn't a place I'd want to show up without already having a reservation somewhere, because you're going to likely end up driving to Flagstaff to find a place to sleep.
Recently? Sedona seems to have gotten significantly more busy the past year or so.I showed up in Sedona on a whim with no reservations on a three day holiday weekend, and with my bike and dog. I went to the chamber of commerce and through their connections I had a room at a nice place right quick. The Red Agave I believe. And I could walk to Picazzos which has good pizza and Italian food. The Mesa Grill at the airport is good and overlooked. Both are open later than most other places. The Grill is open 'till 9. I'd still rather stay at the Connor in Jerome. Everything except the bars shut down early. One time I showed ten minutes after everything closed and the nice lady who owns the Connor made me a chicken dinner with rice and veggies.
Never heard of going through the CoC, that's a good move though.
I just happened to be driving past while thinking of my lack of preparation and the possibility of driving to Flag and thought hmmm...The nice ladies at the CoC were more than willing to help. My bailout is stealth drycamping somewhere off Munds Wagon Trail.Recently? Sedona seems to have gotten significantly more busy the past year or so.
Never heard of going through the CoC, that's a good move though.
This was Labor Day weekend of 2016
Sedona blows donkey nards if a) there's an event, b) it's a weekend, c) a holiday, d) any combination thereof.
It blows regardless of the above if camping is your goal. 525 is about as close as it gets for at-large camping and it's definitely become way too crowded in recent years. The in-town campgrounds do indeed suck. Stayed at the one in Oak Creek for the 2020 fest and it wasn't horrendous because the 'rona had just become a big deal and there were TONS of cancellations. Had a lot of space, but aside from a fairly clean ****-house, there's not much else to justify the cost. Parking was still out on the street, trails are mostly JUST far enough that you want to drive to them but traffic is absolutely a **** show.
Camping on the other side of the 17 doesn't help with that either.
There's always camping topside on the rim if your bike rack (and vehicle) can survive Schnebly Hill road, or if you want a REALLY long drive to camp. Did that one on a non-event weekend and that was enough for me.
Can't see myself ever going back to the festival. I'll stick to day-trips mid-week and keep what little sanity I have left =)
It blows regardless of the above if camping is your goal. 525 is about as close as it gets for at-large camping and it's definitely become way too crowded in recent years. The in-town campgrounds do indeed suck. Stayed at the one in Oak Creek for the 2020 fest and it wasn't horrendous because the 'rona had just become a big deal and there were TONS of cancellations. Had a lot of space, but aside from a fairly clean ****-house, there's not much else to justify the cost. Parking was still out on the street, trails are mostly JUST far enough that you want to drive to them but traffic is absolutely a **** show.
Camping on the other side of the 17 doesn't help with that either.
There's always camping topside on the rim if your bike rack (and vehicle) can survive Schnebly Hill road, or if you want a REALLY long drive to camp. Did that one on a non-event weekend and that was enough for me.
Can't see myself ever going back to the festival. I'll stick to day-trips mid-week and keep what little sanity I have left =)
I used to live in themiddle of nowhere on the south end of Mingus Mountain. I'd stay away from Sedona in the spring and fall and have empty trails during the summer.Sedona blows donkey nards if a) there's an event, b) it's a weekend, c) a holiday, d) any combination thereof.
It blows regardless of the above if camping it your goal. 525 is about as close as it gets for at-large camping and it's definitely become way too crowded in recent years. The in-town campgrounds do indeed suck. Stayed at the one in Oak Creek for the 2020 fest and it wasn't horrendous because the 'rona had just become a big deal and there were TONS of cancellations. Had a lot of space, but aside from a fairly clean *-house, there's not much else to justify the cost. Parking was still out on the street, trails are mostly JUST far enough that you want to drive to them but traffic is absolutely a * show.
Camping on the other side of the 17 doesn't help with that either.
There's always camping topside on the rim if your bike rack (and vehicle) can survive Schnebly Hill road, or if you want a REALLY long drive to camp. Did that one on a non-event weekend and that was enough for me.
Can't see myself ever going back to the festival. I'll stick to day-trips mid-week and keep what little sanity I have left =)
i often wish i lived up that way. some desolate spot between sedona/prescott would be nice.I used to live in themiddle of nowhere on the south end of Mingus Mountain. I'd stay away from Sedona in the spring and fall and have empty trails during the summer.
sedona is a day trip destination to me, but that drive up/down the 17 sucks so bad that i rarely bother anymore. thats a lot of why i prefer to make an extended camping trip out of any trek north. arrive, set up camp, relax, enjoy music booze and stogies, ride whenever and wherever nearby, rinse and repeat. and make that drive worthwhile =)
I was off 169 between Dewey and Camp Verdei often wish i lived up that way. some desolate spot between sedona/prescott would be nice.
sedona is a day trip destination to me, but that drive up/down the 17 sucks so bad that i rarely bother anymore. thats a lot of why i prefer to make an extended camping trip out of any trek north. arrive, set up camp, relax, enjoy music booze and stogies, ride whenever and wherever nearby, rinse and repeat. and make that drive worthwhile =)
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