You've probably seen the pictures online. A massive, red rock beagle lying flat on his back, paws up, snout pointed toward the Arizona sky. Honestly, when I first heard about Snoopy Rock, I thought it was some kind of clever AI trick or a very specific camera angle that only worked if you stood on one leg during a leap year.
It isn't. It’s real.
And once you see him, you can’t unsee him. He’s perched right above Uptown, looking like he’s taking the world’s longest nap on top of his giant sandstone doghouse. But finding the snoopy rock sedona location isn't as simple as punching it into GPS and getting out of your car. If you want more than a blurry photo from a parking lot, you need to know which trails actually get you close and where the best "sightlines" are.
Where Exactly Is the Snoopy Rock Sedona Location?
Basically, Snoopy lives in the Munds Mountain Wilderness, just east of Uptown Sedona. If you’re standing in the middle of the tourist shops on Highway 89A, look up and east. You'll see a long, flat-topped ridge. That’s the "doghouse." On top of that ridge, the formation mimics a head (complete with a white rock "Woodstock" on the nose), a round belly, and feet sticking up.
Most people just squint from the patio of a restaurant and call it a day. That’s fine, but the real magic happens when you get onto the red dirt.
The coordinates for the formation itself are roughly 34.86006° N, 111.75256° W.
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Don’t try to drive to those coordinates. You'll end up in a ditch or a bush. Instead, you have three main ways to "find" him depending on how much you feel like sweating.
1. The "I Just Want a Photo" Spot
If you aren't a hiker, head to Uptown Sedona. Specifically, the area around the Shops at Hyatt Pinon Pointe or even the parking lots along Highway 179 near the "Y" intersection. From here, Snoopy is visible against the skyline. Use a zoom lens.
2. The Marg’s Draw Trail (The Smart Way)
This is the most common approach for people who actually want to feel the scale of the rocks. You’ll want the Sombart Lane Trailhead.
- The Drive: From the Highway 179 and 89A intersection (The Y), go south on 179 for about 0.7 miles.
- The Turn: Look for Sombart Lane on your left.
- The Park: Drive about 0.1 miles to a small gravel lot. It only holds about 10–12 cars. Honestly, if it’s a Saturday at 10:00 AM, you’re probably out of luck.
3. The Schnebly Hill Road Approach
You can also access the back side of the trail system from Schnebly Hill Road, but let’s be real: that road is a nightmare unless you have a high-clearance 4WD. Most hikers stick to Marg’s Draw because it’s easier on the transmission.
Hiking to the Belly: What Nobody Tells You
There is a big difference between the Marg’s Draw Trail and the "social trail" that actually leads up to Snoopy’s belly. Marg’s Draw is a relatively easy, flat-ish 2-mile round trip. It’s great. You see the rock. You take a selfie. You go home.
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But if you want to stand on the formation? That’s a different beast.
About half a mile in from Sombart Lane, the trail hits a junction. If you go straight (leaving the official Forest Service trail), you start a steep, unofficial scramble toward the "saddle" near Snoopy’s head.
It’s steep. It’s rocky. It’s easy to lose.
I've seen people in flip-flops trying this. Please don’t. The dirt is "slickrock" or loose scree. One slip and you’re getting a very intimate look at Sedona’s geology with your knees. The elevation gain is only about 550 feet, but it’s concentrated in a short, vertical burst.
The Woodstock Mystery
One of the coolest details about the snoopy rock sedona location is the little white bird on his nose. Geologically, it’s a bit of an outlier. While most of the formation is the deep, rusted red of the Schnebly Hill Formation (Permian-age sandstone), the "bird" on the nose is often a lighter, almost white-capped rock.
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Some locals call it Woodstock. Others think it looks more like Lucy. Whatever you see, it’s a perfect example of how different layers of sandstone—like the Coconino Sandstone that caps many Sedona peaks—erode at different rates to create these weirdly specific shapes.
Timing Your Visit (Avoid the Shadows)
Sedona is all about the "glow." If you show up at noon, the rocks look flat. Boring.
For the best view of Snoopy, you want late afternoon or sunset.
The sun sets in the west (behind you if you're looking at Snoopy), which means the light hits the formation directly. Around 45 minutes before sunset, the red rocks turn a deep, fiery orange that looks like it’s being lit from the inside.
Sunrise is also cool, but because Snoopy sits below the Mogollon Rim to the east, he stays in the shadow for a bit while the rest of the valley lights up.
Real-World Tips for Your Trip
- Parking Hack: If Sombart Lane is full, try the Broken Arrow Trailhead at the end of Morgan Road. You can hike Marg’s Draw from the south end. It adds some distance (about 3–4 miles total), but the parking lot is larger.
- The "Vortex" Factor: While Snoopy isn't officially listed as one of the "Big Four" Sedona vortexes (like Airport Mesa or Cathedral Rock), many people find the stillness at the base of Munds Mountain just as powerful.
- Don't Trust Google Maps Blindly: If you type in "Snoopy Rock," it might try to take you to a private neighborhood. Use the Sombart Lane Trailhead as your anchor point.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re planning to visit the snoopy rock sedona location this week, here is your immediate checklist:
- Check the weather: Sedona can flash flood. If it's raining, those red dirt trails turn into slippery clay that will ruin your shoes and your day.
- Download an offline map: Cell service is spotty once you get into the draw. Use AllTrails or Gaia GPS to mark the Sombart Lane/Marg’s Draw junction so you don't miss the turnoff for the scramble.
- Buy a Red Rock Pass: While some trailheads (like Sombart) are currently "no fee" zones, most of Sedona requires a $5 daily pass. Just grab one at a kiosk in town to be safe.
- Go early or late: 8:00 AM or 4:00 PM. Anything in between is a struggle for parking and a recipe for sunburn.
The view from the top—looking back at the Chapel of the Holy Cross and the sprawl of Uptown—is one of the best "bang for your buck" vistas in the Verde Valley. Just keep your eyes on the trail and your camera ready for the beagle.