Chapel Area — The Iconic Hilltop & Hidden Trails
The Chapel area refers to the residential hillside east of State Route 179, between the "Y" and the Village of Oak Creek, anchored by the 1956 Chapel of the Holy Cross rising 200 feet out of the Twin Buttes. It is one of Sedona's most discreet and view-saturated neighborhoods — winding streets, custom desert-modern homes, and trail access that lets you sidestep the worst of the Uptown crowds without driving far.
What defines the Chapel area
The Chapel neighborhood is the residential hillside east of SR-179, roughly between Back O\' Beyond Road and Chapel Road, anchored by the Chapel of the Holy Cross — the 1956 Marguerite Brunswig Staude landmark that rises 200 feet straight out of the Twin Buttes. It is one of Sedona\'s most view-saturated neighborhoods: custom desert-modern homes on winding streets, ridge-line lots that look straight across at Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, and Cathedral Rock.
What to do
The Chapel itself is a must — free, non-denominational, open 9am-5pm daily, with one of the most cinematic interior spaces in Arizona. From Chapel Road you can walk the short Chapel Trail into the formations. Just south, the Little Horse trailhead opens onto the Chicken Point trail system — a quieter approach to the Broken Arrow / Submarine Rock area than the Pink Jeep route. The Cathedral Rock trailhead is a 5-minute drive west via Back O\' Beyond Road.
Where to eat
The Chapel area is residential — there is no dining inside the neighborhood itself. Drive 5 minutes south to Mariposa for sunset patio dining, or 5 minutes north to Uptown for the bulk of the restaurant scene. Hilltop Deli on the way to the Chapel makes a great trail-lunch stop.
Stay nearby
Several of our rentals sit in or just below the Chapel hillside, with patios looking onto the same formations the Chapel does. Browse all properties to find your view.
