Sedona in November: Weather, Crowds, Fall Color and What to Do

Sedona in November is one of our favorite months of the whole year: sunny afternoons in the 60s, cold clear nights, the last of the fall color along Oak Creek, and noticeably thinner crowds once October’s rush winds down. If you can only remember one thing, pack layers and plan your outdoor time for the middle of the day, because the sun sets early and the temperature drops fast when it does.

We’ve been guiding guests around Sedona and the Verde Valley since 2004, and November is the month we tell our own friends and family to come. Here’s what it’s actually like, what’s open, what it costs, and how we’d put the days together.

Sedona weather in November: what to expect

Sedona sits at about 4,350 feet, so November feels like real autumn, not desert heat. Afternoon highs typically land in the low to mid 60s, and overnight lows usually fall into the mid to upper 30s. Early November runs warmer; by Thanksgiving week a frosty morning is normal.

It’s also one of the drier, sunnier stretches of the year. Monsoon season is long over, and winter storms are only beginning to show up. When one does roll through, it usually means a day of rain in town and snow up in Flagstaff, which is only about 30 miles north but nearly 2,700 feet higher. A dusting of snow on the red rocks in late November happens some years and it’s gone by lunch.

Two practical notes:

Arizona doesn’t change its clocks, so sunset comes early: around 5:35 p.m. at the start of the month and about 5:15 p.m. by the end. Plan to be off the trail, or settled in for sunset, by 5.
Forecasts for Sedona come out of the National Weather Service office in Flagstaff. Check it the week of your trip rather than relying on averages.

Where to find fall color in November

Most people assume they’ve missed the leaves by November. Not quite. The color in this part of Arizona moves downhill as the season goes on.

Oak Creek Canyon and West Fork. The maples at West Fork of Oak Creek are usually at their best in mid to late October, and good color often hangs on through the first week or so of November. The trail starts at the Forest Service’s Call of the Canyon day-use area, about 10 miles north of Uptown on 89A. It’s $15 per vehicle (up to five people) or $4 per person for walk-ins, and from October 1 through March 31 it opens at 8 a.m. and closes at dusk. The Red Rock Pass and America the Beautiful pass are not accepted there. Leashed dogs are welcome, and on a November weekday you’ll have a far easier time parking than you would have three weeks earlier.

Lower Oak Creek and the Verde Valley. This is the November show. The cottonwoods and sycamores along lower Oak Creek around Page Springs and Cornville, and along the Verde River near Cottonwood and Clarkdale, turn gold well after the high country is bare, often peaking in mid-November. Several of the wineries we visit sit right on that stretch of creek, which makes a tasting-room patio one of the better leaf-peeping seats in the state.

In town. Red Rock State Park has easy trails along Oak Creek with big sycamores and red rock views in the same frame. It’s open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4:30, and admission is $10 for adults and $5 for ages 7 to 13. Note that it closes at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and pets are not allowed (service animals only), so plan a different stop if the dog is along.

Crowds, traffic and prices

October is Sedona’s busiest fall month. November eases off in a way you’ll feel on the roads: shorter backups on 179 and at the roundabouts, easier parking at trailheads, and dinner reservations that don’t need to be made weeks out.

The exception is Thanksgiving week. From the Wednesday before through the following Sunday (Thanksgiving is November 26 this year), Sedona is as busy as any spring weekend. If that’s your week, book lodging and dinners now, start hikes early, and do your driving before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

For the best mix of weather, color and elbow room, we’d pick the first two weeks of the month, Monday through Thursday.

Things to do in Sedona in November

Hike in the middle of the day. Summer rules are reversed. Mornings are cold, so there’s no need for a dawn start; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is the comfortable window. Most popular trailheads on the Coconino National Forest require a Red Rock Pass to park ($5 for a day, $15 for a week, $20 for the year), and the America the Beautiful pass is honored at those same Red Rock Pass sites.

Visit Slide Rock without the summer scene. Nobody’s swimming in November, and that’s the point. Slide Rock State Park drops its entry fee to $10 per vehicle from November through February, and the old apple orchard and creekside walk are peaceful in the off season. Check the park page for current hours before you drive up the canyon.

Stay out after dark. Sedona is a certified International Dark Sky Community, and long, crisp November nights are ideal for stargazing. You don’t need to go far. Any pullout away from Uptown’s lights will do, with a warm coat and ten minutes for your eyes to adjust.

Taste your way through the Verde Valley. Harvest is finished by November, the cellars are full, and tasting rooms are relaxed. The creekside wineries around Page Springs and the walkable tasting rooms of Old Town Cottonwood, about 20 minutes from West Sedona, are both at their best this time of year. Our guide to Sedona wineries and vineyards covers who’s where, and if you’d rather not be the one driving between pours, that’s exactly what our Wine Tours of Sedona days are for. Many of the patios are dog friendly, too; just ask when you book.

Browse the galleries. Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village and the galleries along 179 are a good plan for a cold morning or the rare rainy day.

November 2026 events worth planning around

Dates below are from the official calendars as of early October. Details can shift, so confirm before you build a trip around one.

Dia de los Muertos Celebration, November 1. Listed on Visit Sedona’s annual events calendar, following the Marigold Mural Project on October 29 to 31.
Veterans Day Tribute, November 11. Also on the Visit Sedona calendar.
Walkin’ on Main, November 14. Old Town Cottonwood closes Main Street for local wine, art, a car show and live music from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free; wine tasting tickets are sold separately. Details are at azwom.com.
Thanksgiving, November 26. Many Sedona restaurants and resorts serve a holiday meal, and they do sell out.
Sedona Turkey Trot, November 27, per the Visit Sedona calendar.
Sedona Tree Lighting, December 4. If your trip runs into early December, the tree lighting at Tlaquepaque North runs 5 to 6:30 p.m. with Santa’s arrival and free hot chocolate, and admission is free.

What to book, what to bring, when to go

Book ahead:

Lodging for Thanksgiving week, as early as you can.
Thanksgiving dinner, and any weekend dinner with a view.
Wine tasting days and anything else with a guide or a fixed start time, especially for groups. Our pricing and policies page lays out how our days work.

Bring:

Layers: a T-shirt for the afternoon, a fleece for the morning, and a proper jacket for sunset and stargazing.
Sun protection. The sun is lower but the air is thin and dry, and you’ll still burn.
Water and lip balm. Humidity is very low, and people drink less when it’s cool.
Shoes with real tread. Shaded trail sections can stay damp or icy after a storm.
A headlamp if you’re anywhere near a trail in the late afternoon.

When to go: November 1 to 15 for the last canyon color, gold cottonwoods in the Verde Valley and the lightest crowds. Thanksgiving week for a festive, busy town. The last few days of the month for holiday lights going up and the chance of a little snow on the rocks.

A simple three-day plan

Day one, drive up Oak Creek Canyon mid-morning, walk the first couple of miles of West Fork, and stop at Slide Rock on the way back down. Day two, hike a red rock trail late morning, wander the galleries in the afternoon, and stay out for the stars. Day three, head down to the Verde Valley for a long, unhurried afternoon among the cottonwoods and tasting rooms, then dinner in Old Town Cottonwood.

That last day is our specialty, and if you’d like help matching it to your group, our Tour Chooser will point you to the right fit in about a minute.