Sedona photography permits: what the Forest Service, the Red Rock Pass and the state parks each cover
Three authorities govern photography around Sedona, and most small sessions need none of their permits. What each one covers, what it costs, and who to call.
Photography around Sedona is governed by three authorities — the Coconino National Forest, Arizona State Parks and, for parking only, the Red Rock Pass programme — and a portrait session with a couple or a small family usually needs a parking pass rather than any of their permits.
Who governs which ground
| Where | Authority | What a small session needs |
|---|---|---|
| Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock trailhead, Airport Mesa, Devil's Bridge | Coconino National Forest | Usually no permit; a Red Rock Pass to park at fee sites |
| Red Rock Crossing (Crescent Moon picnic site) | Coconino National Forest, run by a concessionaire | The site's own day-use fee; the pass is not accepted |
| Red Rock State Park, Slide Rock State Park | Arizona State Parks | Park entry; no permit for personal photography |
The Forest Service photography rule
The Coconino National Forest permits page (checked September 2026) says no filming or photography permit is needed when five or fewer people are physically on site, counting everyone in front of and behind the camera. Above that, and regardless of numbers, still photography needs a special use permit when it uses models, sets or props that are not part of the natural site, or takes place where the public is not normally allowed. Photographing scenery alone never needs one. A couple with a photographer, or a family of four with a photographer, is inside the five-person line.
The same page lists the forest's commercial permit administrator at 928-527-3471 and asks for requests at least two weeks before the permit is needed.
The federal background is moving. The definition of "content creation" in 36 CFR 251.51, amended in April 2026, treats any still photograph taken for commercial or noncommercial content at a federal land unit as a filming or still photography activity. How that interacts with the forest's five-person exemption is exactly the kind of question to put to the Red Rock Ranger District before a booking rather than after.
The Red Rock Pass
The Red Rock Pass (checked September 2026) costs $5 a day, $15 a week or $20 a year, covers everyone in one vehicle, and lets that vehicle park at Sedona-area fee sites managed by the forest — including the Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock trailheads. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted in its place. It is a parking pass and nothing else: it is not valid at concessionaire-run sites such as Crescent Moon, not valid in Arizona state parks, and it does not stand in for a special use permit where one is required.
Two access notes from the forest's trail pages. The Cathedral Rock trailhead is also served by the free Sedona Shuttle, which the city runs from Thursday to Sunday; its 2025 announcement put the Cathedral Rock route at 7 a.m. to 5:12 p.m., too late for a sunset session. The road to Devil's Bridge needs a high-clearance vehicle, and other cars park at the Dry Creek Road or Mescal trailheads and walk further.
Arizona State Parks
Arizona State Parks' press page (checked September 2026) says personal photography permits are no longer required, and names engagement, family and graduation photos. Commercial photographers apply through the agency's public information office. Entry fees still apply: $10 per adult at Red Rock State Park, and a per-vehicle fee at Slide Rock, which the agency lists at $20 for one to four adults through April 2027 on its Slide Rock page.
What to do before a session
- Count everyone who will be on site, including the photographer and any assistant.
- At five or fewer, with no props or sets, plan on a Red Rock Pass and no permit.
- Above five, or with props, contact the forest two weeks ahead.
- For a wedding, the thresholds are different — see the Sedona elopement guide.
The locations themselves, with their best hours, are on the Sedona city page; the national picture of which agency governs which ground is in the US photography permits guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for a photo session in Sedona?
- Usually not, on the national forest. The Coconino National Forest needs no photography permit when five or fewer people are on site and there are no models, sets or props. Larger groups, props, or restricted areas need a special use permit, requested at least two weeks ahead. Parking at most Sedona trailheads needs a Red Rock Pass.
- How much is a Red Rock Pass in Sedona?
- In September 2026 the Red Rock Pass cost $5 for a day, $15 for a week or $20 for a year, covering everyone in one vehicle at Sedona-area Forest Service fee sites. It is not accepted at the Crescent Moon picnic site at Red Rock Crossing or in Arizona state parks, and it is not a photography permit.
- Do engagement photos at Red Rock State Park need a permit?
- No. Arizona State Parks no longer requires personal photography permits, and names engagement, family and graduation photos among them. Park entry still applies — $10 per adult at Red Rock State Park in September 2026 — and commercial photography applies separately through Arizona State Parks.