Marg's Draw Trail: The Family Escape Cathedral Rock Crowds Miss

4 miles round trip (2 miles one-way), easy, about 100 feet of gain. Three trailheads -- Broken Arrow, Sombart Lane, or Huckaby off Schnebly Hill Road. A dry waterfall at mile 0.75 and views near Camel Head and Snoopy Rock at mile 1.25. The trail's namesake is genuinely uncertain -- local historians document several competing folklore theories, not one confirmed story.

By The Lowdown Guide Editorial Team · Visited Spring 2026 · Updated May 2026

Trail Stats

  • Distance4 mi RT (2 mi one-way)
  • DifficultyEasy
  • Elevation Gain~100 ft
  • Trail TypeOut-and-back or point-to-point
  • Parking3 trailheads; capacity varies by access
  • Pass RequiredYes at Huckaby TH — Red Rock Pass
  • TrailheadBroken Arrow, Sombart Ln, or Huckaby TH
  • Best Pick ForFamilies, easy red-rock walk
The Lowdown Verdict: Marg's Draw is a genuinely easy 4-mile round trip (the Coconino National Forest rates it easy, with only about 100 feet of gain) that delivers real Sedona red rock scenery — a dry waterfall crossing around mile 0.75, views near the Camel Head formation and Snoopy Rock around mile 1.25 — without the Cathedral Rock parking scramble or the Devil's Bridge queue. Three trailheads serve it: Broken Arrow, Sombart Lane, and Huckaby off Schnebly Hill Road (Red Rock Pass required at Huckaby). The trail's name has several competing local origin stories rather than one settled history, so treat any single "named for..." claim, including ones you'll find elsewhere online, with some skepticism. For a guided jeep perspective on the Schnebly Hill area, see Schnebly Hill jeep tours on Viator.
What Marg's Draw Trail Is Not:
  • Not a summit hike. There is no dramatic high point. The payoff is the dry waterfall crossing and the views near Camel Head and Snoopy Rock -- not elevation.
  • Not a single fixed trailhead. Marg's Draw connects three separate access points (Broken Arrow, Sombart Lane, and Huckaby off Schnebly Hill Road), so confirm which one you're using before you start, since only Huckaby is a confirmed Red Rock Pass fee site.
  • Not a loop by default. Walking between two of the trailheads makes it point-to-point; from a single trailhead it's an out-and-back unless you arrange a shuttle or return the same way.
  • Not a settled naming story. Despite what some sources claim, no single confirmed person or animal the trail is named after has been documented -- treat any specific story as local folklore.

Trailhead and Parking

Marg's Draw Trail has three official access points, per the Coconino National Forest. Broken Arrow Trailhead and Sombart Lane Trailhead are both reached from AZ-179 south of the 89A/179 junction. The Huckaby Trailhead is reached via Schnebly Hill Road, about 0.8 miles from the junction. Because the trail runs point-to-point between these access points (2 miles one-way, 4 miles round trip from a single trailhead), you can start from whichever is closest to where you're staying.

A Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful annual interagency pass is confirmed required at the Huckaby Trailhead. The Forest Service's own trail page does not specify a fee requirement at Broken Arrow or Sombart Lane, though both sit within the broader Coconino National Forest fee area -- check current signage at whichever trailhead you use.

From Broken Arrow, the trail crosses the wash just north of the parking area and enters the Munds Mountain Wilderness, with red rock views opening as it winds north across a nearly flat expanse of juniper, pinyon pine, and Arizona cypress.

Trail Breakdown: Mile by Mile

0–0.75 mi

Wash Crossing to Dry Waterfall

From Broken Arrow Trailhead, the trail crosses the wash just north of the parking area and enters the Munds Mountain Wilderness. Red rock views open as the path winds north across a nearly flat expanse of juniper, pinyon pine, and Arizona cypress. The trail crosses the draw at a scenic dry waterfall around the 0.75-mile mark.

0.75–1.25 mi

Toward Camel Head

The trail continues north, gaining most of the route's modest 100 feet of total elevation change gradually. Around mile 1.25, the path curves around the base of the Camel Head formation, with a good view of Camel Head itself and Snoopy Rock above and to the right.

1.25–2.0 mi

Toward Sombart Lane or Huckaby

The trail continues to its far end at either Sombart Lane Trailhead or the Huckaby Trailhead on Schnebly Hill Road, depending on which fork you follow. Out-and-back hikers from Broken Arrow typically turn around before this point for the 4-mile round trip; point-to-point hikers with a shuttle continue to the far trailhead.

Best Time to Hike

March through November works for Marg's Draw, with some timing considerations. In summer (June through September), start before 9 AM to complete the hike before open-sky heat builds. The juniper, pinyon pine, and Arizona cypress along the wash provide more shade than open slickrock trails, but it is not a creek-canyon level refuge.

Spring (March through May) is the best window overall: pleasant temperatures, possible wildflower spots in the wash section, and good parking availability on weekday mornings. Fall offers warm light on the red rock formations near Camel Head and Snoopy Rock as the sun angle drops lower.

For families with young children, mid-morning spring and fall visits hit the sweet spot: full light on the rock and temperatures under 75°F. Compare timing and conditions against the broader Sedona May 2026 trail conditions update before your trip.

Guided Jeep Tours: Schnebly Hill Corridor

Pink Jeep and other Sedona operators run guided off-road tours through the Schnebly Hill area. A vehicle-based excursion covers terrain near Marg's Draw without the footwork and includes geological narration on the red rock formations you see from the trail.

Find Schnebly Hill Jeep Tours on Viator →

Affiliate link — we earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Editorial note: Trail distance (4 mi RT / 2 mi one-way), elevation gain (100 ft), difficulty (easy), trailhead options (Broken Arrow, Sombart Lane, Huckaby), and route landmarks (dry waterfall, Camel Head, Snoopy Rock) verified 2026-08-16 against the Coconino National Forest's official Margs Draw Trail No. 163 page (fs.usda.gov). This page previously understated distance (1.7 mi) and overstated gain (200 ft), named a nonexistent "Crimson Cliffs Trailhead," and asserted an unconfirmed naming story ("Marg Crandall") not supported by any primary source; those claims have been corrected or softened. The naming-origin claim was checked against Jean Kindig's "Sedona Places and Names," which documents multiple competing folklore theories and no single confirmed origin.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is Marg's Draw Trail in Sedona? +
The Coconino National Forest rates Marg's Draw Trail easy. The trail covers 4 miles round trip (2 miles one-way) with approximately 100 feet of elevation gain from a trailhead elevation of 4,280 feet. The terrain is mostly packed dirt and sandy wash, crossing a scenic dry waterfall around mile 0.75 and curving near the Camel Head formation around mile 1.25. Appropriate for older children and adults of average fitness.
Where do you park for Marg's Draw Trail in Sedona? +
Marg's Draw Trail has three official access points. Broken Arrow Trailhead and Sombart Lane Trailhead are both reached via AZ-179 south of the 89A/179 junction. The Huckaby Trailhead is reached via Schnebly Hill Road, about 0.8 miles from the junction, where a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful annual interagency pass is required. Broken Arrow and Sombart Lane are not confirmed Red Rock Pass fee sites on the Forest Service's own trail page, so check current signage at whichever trailhead you use.
Who was Marg's Draw Trail named after? +
The origin of the name is genuinely uncertain. Local historian Jean Kindig's book "Sedona Places and Names" documents several competing folklore theories -- a mare named Marg that ranged the draw from 1879 to 1881, a Morgan horse owned by early Sedona rancher John Munds, or a settler named George Morgrietch who wintered livestock there -- but no single origin is confirmed. Treat any specific naming story, including this one, as local lore rather than settled history.
What connects to Marg's Draw Trail in Sedona? +
Marg's Draw Trail links its three trailheads -- Broken Arrow, Sombart Lane, and Huckaby (via Schnebly Hill Road) -- so hikers can walk it point-to-point or as an out-and-back from any of the three. Along the way it passes a dry waterfall around mile 0.75 and curves near the Camel Head formation around mile 1.25, with views of Snoopy Rock. It sits within the Munds Mountain Wilderness for part of its length.
What is the best time to hike Marg's Draw Trail for sunset? +
Marg's Draw Trail delivers good sunset light on the red rock formations near Camel Head and Snoopy Rock along its route. Because the full trail is 4 miles round trip, plan for at least 2 hours if you want to reach the dry waterfall or Camel Head sections and return before dark, or turn back earlier for a shorter sunset walk. In spring and fall, warm alpenglow lights up the surrounding sandstone. Bring a headlamp for the return -- Sedona trailheads have no lighting after sundown.