Hike Ruin Butte, Sky Island, Boynton Island Loop Coconino National Forest, AZ

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Ruin Butte, Sky Island, Boynton Island Loop GPX Track

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Feb 14, 2026 — This hike links three Sedona summits with just enough route-finding to keep things engaging all day, paired with nonstop, classic Sedona scenery. It’s rare to land even one standout desert peak, going three for three in a single outing feels exceptional. While Sedona summits often come with a fair amount of bushwhacking, this route largely avoids it thanks to social trails and stretches of slickrock. What remains is the best of Sedona peakbagging: fun, ledgy scrambling on unique, winding lines, all with constant, expansive views.

Boynton Canyon is a wildly popular trail that winds through beautiful scenery beneath steep sandstone walls, eventually passing through forest before ending at an imposing sheer face. Today, it served as our gateway to the peaks on either side of the canyon. With it being a busy Saturday, we were happy to treat it as a highway, using it for access, then quickly leaving the Valentine’s Day crowds behind. Much like Matt and I had done ourselves, leaving our valentines back home and choosing each other for the day instead.

We started up the Boynton Canyon Trail with Ruin Butte looming above, immediately scanning for a weakness through the cliffs. Once we spotted it, we left the trail and headed up slickrock toward a Class 3 break via social trail, through a gully and above the first major band. From there, we contoured north beneath the next wall until a large gully allowed us to continue upward.

A convenient ledge let us escape the gully, and just around the corner we hit the first real obstacle, a short Class 5 headwall with a few moves up a seam. Normally, Matt is the one to scramble up scary things without a single care and then drop me a line, but for some reason this one spooked him and I was thrilled to be our little hero for once. Above it, the terrain eased briefly before forcing a decision at a steep slab. Other reports suggested heading right and ascending using exposed sandstone, but that didn’t sound appealing, so we opted for a sneak chute on the left. It went at Class 4 with exposure, but felt far more reasonable. It was back on Matt to drop me a line, my heroism not lasting long. A few more Class 3 slabs led us to the summit of Ruin Butte, with big views stretching toward Deadman’s Peak and its surrounding amphitheater of cliffs.

After dropping back to the Boynton Canyon Trail, we picked up a well-defined social trail heading toward Sky Island. This was surprisingly well-defined, a not-so-secret side trail leading to a feature known as Mushroom Rock. The trail wrapped beneath a cliff band along an extended finger before reaching the layered walls guarding the summit. The route wound its way left across a wide sandstone ledge, then up a gully up to Mushroom Rock.

Above Mushroom Rock, we worked through ledges with idyllic Sedona subway-like overhangs, contouring northwest with amazing views. The ledge narrowed into slabby terrain, and we had to keep traversing until a weakness appeared. There was one Class 3 move, apparently more airy than I realized at the time. From there, we pushed all the way to the west ridge and followed it along fun Class 3/4 terrain to the summit of Sky Island. More direct options up the slope to gain the crest (Class 2/3) were available, and is what I included on my attached map/track.

Back on the Boynton Canyon Trail, we turned our attention to Boynton Island, heading up a drainage on its southeast side. A faint social trail helped, though it came and went. Just below a saddle, we picked up a key ledge, and unexpectedly found a series of well-preserved ruins tucked along it.

From there, the route steepened. We climbed a Class 4/5 section aided by a fixed line, then continued up a steep Class 3 slab before entering a brushy slope. At the top of the slope, a tree-assisted move led to another ledge, which opened onto a broad slickrock slope that we ascended for 100+ feet to gain the south ridge. The ridge itself was a mix of Class 2 and 3, with one small cliff easily bypassed, plus a variety of other interesting obstacles. Before long we were standing on the summit of Boynton Island, looking out over the canyon and back toward our earlier climbs. We could see and hear hikers on their way to the head of Boynton Canyon below.

Rather than return to the busy main trail, we chose a quieter exit, which allowed us to form a loop. We headed back past the ruins and ascended briefly to a saddle to the west. A social trail continued west and then south, contouring for a few miles above cliffs with constant ups and downs. It was definitely less efficient than taking Boynton Canyon, but the solitude made it worth it, and neither of us had been this way. We wondered who built/maintained this trail. We passed another ruin as we neared the road. Eventually the trail faded, or maybe we just lost it, shortly before reaching the road.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Ruin Butte

5634 ft

474 rise

Sky Island

5848 ft

368 rise

Boynton Island

5598 ft

438 rise

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Starting along the Boynton Canyon Trail. Ruin Butte seen above.

We looked for the weakness (seen center), then headed up on slickrock to start up to Ruin Butte.

Class 3 weakness.

A social trail led us up above the first major cliff.

Contouring north below the next cliff band.

A major gully led us above the next cliff band.

A convenient ledge wrapped got us to escape the gully. Around the corner was the first crux.

A short Class 5 headwall with some moves up a seam.

View down at Matt starting up.

Above the first crux was a short slope walk leading to the base of this sandstone slab. You can see Matt left of center (photo taken on the way back). Other sources had mentioned the route leads to the right on the very exposed, steep sandstone slab. I certainly wasn't interested, so we tried the chute on the left of Matt. It was only a Class 4 move with some exposure, but far easier than the alternative.

Close-up of Matt on the Class 4.

View down at the Class 4, the sneak chute below on the right.

Some Class 3 slabs continued above.

Ruin Butte summit, view north toward Deadman's Peak.

Close-up toward the impressive sheer cliff bands and amphitheater beneath Deadman's Peak.

We backtracked to the Boynton Canyon Trail and took it until reaching a clear social trail, out next goal Sky Island (seen above). This social trail is likely primarily used to reach some ruins above, as well as a feature called Mushroom Rock.

The trail led beneath a cliff band along a finger of Sky Island.

Class 2 along this well-established social trail.

Sky Island seen above. To get to the summit would require lots of wiggling around to locate a weakness through the many layers of cliff bands. First, the route wraps left on the wide sandstone ledge in the center.

Looking back down at the finger.

Along the wide sandstone ledge, headed west.

A wide gully with a good social trail ascends east.

At the top of the gully, the trail apparently led to this cool rock feature called Mushroom Rock. This is a known destination, and we even saw another party here. Matt had been here before, but never ventured farther to the peak.

Above Mushroom Rock, we ascended a short slope and then navigated a few ledges, heading northwest.

View back, Deadman's Peak seen center.

This was a very cool route, with great views and nice overhangs over the ledges we were hiking along.

The ledge narrows and transitions into a more slabby section. Above was steep sandstone, so we had to continue contouring until locating a way up. There was one Class 3 move that could feel a bit exposed, though I didn’t get a photo of it. I must not have been paying much attention at the time. I somehow didn’t notice the exposure (which is unusual for me, since I’m typically not a fan of it), but Matt pointed it out afterward.

There are a few options to reach the crest. On the ascent we headed all the way to the west ridge of Sky Island, and followed it (Class 3/4), with awesome views and interesting rock. On the descent we used the Class 2/3 less interesting sandy slope just before the ridge.

Looking back at the ridge crest route.

Along the ridgeline, reached via slope or crest.

Class 3 up a gully to gain the summit.

Sky Island summit, view west.

Sky Island summit, view east.

We backtracked to the Boynton Canyon Trail and headed up a drainage on the southeast side of Boynton Island, our last peak of the loop. Fortunately there was a social trail, though it wasn't always clear.

Approaching the saddle on the south side of Boynton Island (left). Just below it we located a key ledge (seen right).

Along the key ledge. Our ascent drainage seen on the left. Later, we ascended to the saddle (top).

We were surprised to see some ruins!

More ruins, still mostly standing.

View back at the ruins along the ledge.

A close-up of Ruin Butte (our first summit). The route we took headed up the narrow crack in the center, escaped it onto the red sandstone, then continued from there. If we'd seen the peak from here initially we would not have thought a reasonable route was possible.

We found the Class 4 section (maybe low 5th?), which had a fixed line in place.

Looking down at the Class 4/5 crux, made much easier with the line.

Above the crux was a Class 3 sloped slab. Matt and I thought this spot was the best to overcome the obstacle.

Above the Class 3 move was a wide, brushy slope, heading west. We kept to the right, then cut left, where a social trail assisted.

Class 3 using a tree at the top of the slope.

Hairpin turn at the top of the Class 3 tree move, where we followed the ledge seen right.

The ledge opened up to this wide, steep Class 2/3 slickrock slope.

View back down.

The slickrock slope led us to the south ridge of Boynton Island.

Class 3 along the crest.

We reached this sketchy small cliff. However, a Class 2 wrap-around led safely around it. Matt seen below after doing the wrap.

Some more Class 2 and Class 3 along the crest led to the summit.

Boynton Island summit, view south.

Boynton Island summit, view west into Boynton Canyon. We could hear the hikers below on that popular trail.

Boynton Island summit, view east. Sky Island seen left, but it blends into the background too much to really make it out. Deadman's Peak on the right.

Close-up toward Deadman's Peak (left) and Ruin Butte (right).

After backtracking, we headed up to the saddle mentioned previously, following a social trail. We could have dropped back down to the Boynton Canyon Trail, but it was a Saturday and there were crowds, plus we were interested in checking out an alternative route.

The social trail led south, contouring for a few miles with some ups and downs. It was less efficient, but we didn't see a soul, and got to check out a new area. Plus I love loops.

View back, Boynton Island seen right.

The social trail leads above some cliffs before eventually starting to descend.

Descending back to our parking spot on the side of the road.

More ruins along the way. The social trail petered out toward the end, or we just had trouble following it.

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