Midgley Bridge Picnic Area

Midgeley Bridge Picnic Area is a must-see spot in Sedona. The bridge itself is incredibly impressive, and even a short walk around the area offers breathtaking views of Sedona’s iconic red rocks. You don’t need to do a long hike to enjoy the scenery—just a brief stroll is enough to experience the beauty and grandeur of this place. It’s a perfect spot for photos and a great place to pause, relax, and take in the surroundings. If you’re looking to experience Sedona’s stunning landscape without much effort, this is definitely a place I would highly recommend.

The place is nice to get beautiful scenery and have a little walk. I didn't go to the trail but at the beginning it looked well-marked and nice to go on a walk to.

Great spot!! Very beautiful and refreshing. Definitely worth checking out.

There is a picnic table under a canopy with the view of the bridge, you can't see it that well from the parking lot, which is very small, it's just past the vault toilets. There is a trail that leads down some steps and past the picnic area, we didn't use the trails, we just stopped to have lunch, it was a perfect place to do so.

A hidden gem in Sedona with many hiking trails of varying difficulty levels. I took one trail down to the river, which was beautiful; it took me 15 minutes to go down and 25 minutes to come back up. The river was lovely, and the water was refreshing. I visited around 4 p.m., and it wasn’t crowded—the weather was perfect. The whole area is stunning and great for photos. Another trail I tried was along the edge, which was nice but a bit challenging if you have pets or children. Overall, I highly recommend this place if you’re in Sedona.

We actually drove by here as it is around a blind bend from one side. After a u-turn, we made our way back.The other issue is parking as it is limited. You will also need a parking pass to stay. We didn't go too far up the path as we didn't have a pass at that time. I did quickly take a walk under the bridge. The path is a bit hairy there, but can be managed if you watch your step.You really get a nice view of the water below from that path. On the higher paths, there are some wonderful views. Even on the otber side of the road, you can see the snowy rock formations. We will be back another time as I really want to walk under the bridge.

We visited here just for the bridge. We like to pay tribute to the bridge builders 75 years ago. Without them, we won't have today's Sedona. Besides, the bridge looks beautiful.

Parking is extremely limited, and a parking pass is required. Great views of the bridge and mountains with trail options. We didn't venture far from the lot, but I did not see picnic tables or bathrooms, not much beyond the great views. It is easy to miss the entrance, and a turnaround isn't easy on the winding road.

Cool bridge.... Let's face it...if it don't collapse it gets 5 stars imho This is based on Roman architecture where the arch creates pressure to keep the bridge in place. Very cool looking bridge over a gully

It's a site to see this white steel-arched 200 ft. Bridge nestled among the majestic Red Rocks of Sedona. This landmark catches you by surprise coming across all these gorgeous natural rock formations and then crossing this rather small man made metal structure! It looks like a scene from the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", as my friend, James M. noted. Construction began on this bridge in 1930, connecting the highway over Wilson Canyon. Completed in 1938, (some 30 years after Butch and Sundance would have roamed the Southwest) Midgley Bridge was named for a local rancher, businessman and "good roads advocate" and president of the State Highway 79 Association, Major Midgley. The drive over this narrow bridge has a beautiful view, but the driver needs to pay close attention crossing this precarious overpass, so let your shotgun partner take the photos or video! Hikers and trail blazers can park below this historic bridge and venture down several trails through the canyons and capture some breathtaking vistas. Maybe you'll even run into the "Hole-in-the-Wall" gang! "For a moment there, I thought we were in trouble!"

The trailhead for this hike starts at the W.W. Midgley Bridge, which is located a few miles north from Sedona. You park just past the bridge in the lot on your left. The first challenge is parking: the lot is fairly small, accommodating perhaps 12 cars. We lucked out and someone was leaving as we arrived. You do need to pay to park here (though our recently-acquired Annual National Park Pass was good here too!). We left the Park Pass in its plastic holder on the dash. The trail starts near the parking-payment kiosk. You may be able to go either way, but we opted to hike down to the creek. You first cross under the highway bridge. The trail then turns left and parallels the road a bit (but down the slope a bit). It is not a difficult trail - fairly level - but it has a lot of loose rocks. After a quarter mile or so, the trail turns right and descends to the creek. This part is steeper, but not bad. After the ~ 1/2-mile walk, you are rewarded with shade and a cool stream. Several of us took off our shoes and refreshed our feet in the water before beginning the hike back up. Unsurprisingly, the ascent is more strenuous, especially given the absence of shade (for the most part). We happened to do this hike on the peak day of a heat wave. The temperature that day was over 115 degrees F. We had brought bottles of water, but taking occasional short breaks on the return walk was necessary. You absolutely should NOT do this hike without bringing water! It may be much more pleasant in late fall or winter, but be careful during the summer! When we returned to the parking lot, we were intercepted by someone in need of a parking spot. As we got in our car, we noted that the sun had warped the plastic holder for the Park Pass! The hike was nice, but would have been nicer in cooler weather.

Hike: Jim Thompson Trail number 124 Difficulty rating, 3 of 5. (5 being Expert terrain) I started my hike off of Route AZ 89A. NOTE: This trailhead is I'm the Coconino National Forest so you have to pay $5 for a day pass. Park in the lot after the Midgely Bridge and you'll see the Wilson mountain trail head. Jim Thompson also starts at this point. The hike starts slow along the creek bed and gradually rises to beautiful vistas around every corner. At the 2 mile mark, there's a Vista of Old Town Sedona from above. I turned around at the 2.5 mile mark. Temperatures on June 5: 72° at 8 AM, 79° at 9 AM Rating: 5 Stars

Nice views! Worth a stop to take in all the scene. Trail is also a nice trail to stop and wake up your legs.

My husband and I stopped here on the way back to Sedona from Williams. As others have mentioned, there is a small parking lot available for a fee. There are large rock stairs that take you down to the bridge and viewing area. There is a railing, but many rocks, so be careful not to slip! The bridge, creek below and red rock views are beautiful! There's also a trailhead you can take if you feel like hiking. This was a quick stop for us, but totally worth it! There are restrooms available as well.

I've been to Sedona so many times and this is the first time I've had a chance to actually stop because the parking lot is so small and always so hard to even attempt a stop without blocking traffic trying g to find a way in. We went early in the morning and found the last space. They have a machine to purchase day passes so it was great. We walked down the hiking path and under the bridge to the scenic view. Now I know why it's so busy. Beautiful views all around and can see and hear the creek. It is a very rocky walk down. Stones cut for stairs in most spot, but may be very hard for people with any knee or other physical issues. If you stay up top there are still a few places to see a pretty decent view. I'm giving the four stars for the parking situation. Everything else was awesome.

I was surprised that a bridge would be on the National Register of Historic Places but having been built in 1938 is a qualifier I guess. It joins the two sides of Wilson Canyon, which is right at the base of Oak Creek Canyon just north of Sedona on 89A. You cannot take pictures while you're on the bridge because it is very short (dangerous, I know, I tried it) and there is a mesh over the two sides which would ruin any photo. However, there is a little stop where you can park (sorry, paid parking) and walk down the stone steps to some gorgeous views and miraculous photographic opportunities for very little effort. It is definitely worth it! The parking is on the north side of the bridge so if you are traveling north, slow down before you exit the north side or you will miss it and there are only scary turnaround opportunities farther up the road. I guess Midgley was a supportive rancher so this bridge is his epitat.

I had picked up a trail guide from the concierge at the hotel I was staying at (Ridge on Sedona Golf Course, part of Diamond Resorts), and saw Midgley Bridge marked on the map. I'm a fan of bridges, so I figured, why not stop by and see it real quick. So after a quick bite at Wildflower (highly recommended), we headed north to the bridge. Once we got there, I realized I had driven on the bridge from a previous trip. It's the bridge you take to get to Slide Rock and Flagstaff. I mean, it's a big man made bridge, but being in Sedona, I'm looking more for natural formations, not man made things. We walked on the Huckaby Trail for a little bit, it overlooks a stream, it's pretty. There's a little bit of barbed wire on this trail, and it follows the highway a little as well. Not really a fan of either being on a trail. Parking lot is small and you have to pay for a permit.

Midgley bridge is a marvelous sight. A stunning structure posted between some beautiful terrain. The trail to the "slide rocks"/ ice cold stream below was much longer than expected. Signs indicated it was a half mile, though it certainly seemed further. Unbeknownst to us (and our kids), the trail was a little hazardous at parts, and narrow (ended up with a nasty case of poison ivy rash), so be prepared for that! The natural waterslides are amazing, and refreshing on a scorching hot day, but keep in mind, also extremely slippery and dangerous too. Midgley Bridge and the trail are a worthy adventure, but just be sure to go prepared for the aforementioned things.

Abu J has FTRed a gem. Located on the 89A highway leading into town from the north, Midgley Bridge has a nice viewpoint of Oak Creek and its valley but also provides a car park area to access a few trails. You will need a permit to park here but you can buy a permit from a machine in the car park. You can get some great pictures of the surrounding red rocks from the car park A few steps down from the car park will take you to a viewing area with guardrails from which you can admire the view of the river and valley leading into town. The bridge itself isn't that photogenic, being a simple iron arch but I can imagine it being quite fun to bungee jump from! I have walked part of Huckaby Trail which follows the river and ultimately ends up in the Schnebly Hill area - I turned back once I lost sight of the river. It's quite an easy hike with some nice river views.

This was me and my boyfriend's first stop on our way to Sedona! Really beautiful views and nice easy walk. The bridge was enormous!

So disclaimer. I'm writing this review following my review on the Bright Angel hike at the Grand Canyon, nuff said. The bridge itself is pretty cool, although it's right off the highway and once you get out of the car, it's still just a really huge bridge. The Oak Creek trail from the Midgley Bridge was pretty short, easy and low key. It takes you down to a nice stream with lots of overhanging trees, with a couple of good views along the way. I describe this as a Cliff's Notes version of a real hike- decent, but if you have to pay for parking, might as well do a real hike.

If you are in Sedona and taking the scenic drive down 89A towards Flagstaff you can't miss this bridge. It is just right out of Sedona. The parking area is limited so it's a 50-50 chance depending on time and day if a spot is available. The parking lot holds only about 15 vehicles safely. If you are just getting out to take in the views then bring a camera. There are steps that take you to a ledge to look out over Oak Creek below. If you have small kids please watch them as there is a safety railing but it's not fool proof. If you plan to hike, this spot has 4 trails you can start from. Wilson Mountain Trail, Wilson Canyon Trail, Jim Thompson Trail and Huckaby Trail. The pay station for parking is off to the west and also is your start to either Wilson Trail. There is a covered picnic area and small bathroom facility. Primitive but functional. Take the stairs to the viewing area and follow to the start of Huckaby Trail. If you want high elevation views take the Wilson Mountain Trail. If you want to descend to Oak Creek, take the Huckaby Trail. There are thousands of breathtaking views in Sedona and this is just one of them. I won't go in depth about the trails, but plenty of information to be found on them to plan your day trip.

The bridge itself is beautiful. There wasn't any water flowing when we visited this week, but we followed one of the trails and decided to walk up the ravine, which was enjoyable.

We were driving up Highway 89 and was totally surprised to find a bridge. Not only was there an area to explore under the bridge, but there is also a trail that leads down to the creek. It is a true hidden gem! It's one of the best hikes ever, with incredible views of the bridge above. (I love bridges!)