Wilson Mountain was named for Richaard Wilson, who was mauled and killed by a grizzly bear in 1885. The Wilson Moutain Trail begins by Midgley Bridge at the mouth of Wilson Canyon. The trail climbs the southeast face of the mountain to the First Bench. The bench, stretching along the east side of the mountain, is a down-faulted chuck of land 700 feet below the summit that was originally part of the moutaintop. The trail provides fine vieews of the Red Rock Country and across Verde Valley. The path intersects with the North Wilson Trail and continues to the top of Wilson Mountain.
The Hike House Sedona Trail Rating System provides actual hiker feedback and ratings of each of the Sedona hiking trails. The cumulative trail ratings for the Wilson Mountain Trail to First Bench submitted by fellow hikers is located above with the Trail Data. Your trail feedback and ratings are an important resource for fellow hikers and provide a personal account of your trail experience from which others may learn. So please hike Sedona, help others, and rate a trail today!
Took the family, wife and two girls (13,15) on Sunday 10/23/11. We hiked the North route which starts at the Encinosa park in Oak Creek Canyon. 2 1/2 hours to the convergence of the Wilson and N. Wilson trails and back. Good view but next time we will leave a little earlier and go to the top of Wilson. The top is another 800 feet of gain, but is worth the extra effort.
Definitely one of my top ’10’ Sedona hikes. North Wilson is much preferred than South Wilson. South is longer with more really long switchbacks hear the rim. Watch for ice on North during cold periods. Quite an incline but worth it. Will repeat this one often.