How to Have a Merry Go Round Rock Elopement in Sedona, Arizona

We are so stoked to be sharing Taylor and Connor’s epic elopement experience at Merry Go Round Rock in Sedona, Arizona! When we first spoke on the phone about their elopement we immediately clicked over our love for our dogs, adventuring, and off-roading! It was so much fun to help them plan an elopement experience that was filled with everything they valued. Adventure, family, and intimate time together were their top values for the day so that is exactly what they got!

Getting Married at Merry Go Round Rock

Merry Go Round Rock has become a popular elopement location in Sedona, Arizona due to the accessible jaw-dropping views that it offers. I’ve been lucky enough to plan and photograph dozens of elopements at this location. With that being said, it’s a unique location that has some things couples need to be aware of before choosing it as their wedding location. This guide will have my tips and tricks for eloping at Merry Go Round as well as a real elopement story to give you inspiration for your own adventure.

When is the best time to elope at Merry Go Round Rock?

One of the best reasons to elope in Sedona, Arizona is because we have gorgeous weather for weddings almost year around! Merry Go Round is at a higher elevation than the rest of Sedona so the temperatures vary slightly. In general, the best times to elope at this location are spring and autumn. We highly advise against eloping there during the summer due to extreme heat. This is a location that does not have flattering lighting during sunrise so that isn’t a great option during the summertime. Winter is a tricky time to visit MGR due to the dirt road being closed by the forest service occasionally due to winter weather. Besides the rare winter storm causing closures, January and February are a great time to elope there to have less people also visiting the iconic location! It’s important to have a good backup plan in case of closures all year around but especially in the winter.

How to get to Merry Go Round Rock

In order to get to the picturesque spot at MGR you will need to either off-road in a 4×4 high clearance vehicle for about 45 minutes on Schnebly Hill Road or you can hike around 6 miles. Please be aware that this road is EXTREMELY bumpy. If you or one of your guests gets the slightest bit carseat on a normal road we do not recommend this adventure. We also do not recommend this drive for elderly or very young kids.

If you do not own your own 4×4 high clearance vehicle then you have a couple of options for getting there.

1.You can rent your own off-roading Jeep from Barlow Adventures in town. You can NOT use a regular rental Jeep or all wheel drive car on this road. It is important to have non-highway tires, specific for off-roading due to the rocks on this trail.

2. Go on a guided Jeep tour with Pink Jeep! Pink Jeep offers specific Merry Go Round Wedding packages so they can drop you and your guests off at the location. This is a great option if no one in your group feels comfortable driving themselves or if you want to spend more time with all of your guests.

Pro Tip: I have a partnership with Pink Jeeps so you can book your tour for your group all through me!

How much do I have to hike to get to Merry Go Round Rock?

If you decide to off-road 5 miles up Schnebly Hill Road to the Merry Go Round Rock lookout then you will only need to hike less than half a mile to the gorgeous spot. The half mile trail is mostly flat but I do still recommend to avoid wearing heels. Most brides choose to hike in shoes with more traction and then change once they arrive at the spot they choose to have their ceremony.

Do you need a permit to get married at Merry Go Round Rock?

As of 2025 you do NOT need a special use permit to get Merry Go Round Rock in Sedona if you have less than 25 people in attendance. It is not an appropriate location to have more than 25 guests due to there not being bathrooms at the location, per the Coconino National Forest. Make sure you plan accordingly with your guests to Leave No Trace!

Meet Your Dream Sedona Elopement & Micro-wedding Photo, Video, & Planning Team

Hello!! We are the Wilder West Team! We are a husband and wife photo video team based in sunny Sedona, Arizona. Caitlyn is the lead photographer and your personal elopement guide aka elopement wizard, question-answerer, location scouter, and designated hype woman. Chad is the lead videographer who you can expect to supply all the dad jokes, carrier of the Mary Poppins backpack, and mountain goat to get all the rad shots! We’ve been lucky enough to call this place our home for the past 5 years, going on 100+ adventures with couples from all over the world.

We’d love to show you around our home & help you plan your dream Sedona elopement experience.

We believe that all couples deserve to have an adventurous and meaningful wedding experience that reflects them and their love. We work together to design your “best day” from start to finish. We can’t wait to hear all about what you are dreaming for your elopement experience so we can work together to make it happen seamlessly and care free.

Learn More About Us

Wedding Ceremony Locations for Your MGR Elopement

While Merry Go Round Rock is a beautiful spot it may not be ideal to hold your actual wedding ceremony there. This location is one of the busiest in Sedona with jeep tours as well as other weddings. It’s also a smaller location without a ton of different spots that would allow for privacy for your wedding ceremony. With all that being said, I do not recommend wedding ceremonies at Merry Go Round, especially if you have guests. 

I would suggest having your wedding ceremony at a nearby location before embarking on your adventure to Merry Go Round! 

We have a handful of locations that we love to suggest to couples that are nearby and just as gorgeous! You won’t have to give up privacy for beautiful views. 

If you are determined to have your ceremony at Merry Go Round make sure you have an open mind and flexibility. We may have to do it closer to sunset when other tourists have left, or at a spot that isn’t the iconic overlook. 

Tips & Tricks for Eloping at Merry Go Round Rock

•Pack snacks and drinks for the ride! With the drive taking 45 minutes each direction you can expect your adventure to take a minimum of 3 hours! 

•Try to book an Airbnb or hotel that is on the same side of town. Schnebly Hill road is close to the Tlaquepaque shopping area and uptown Sedona.

•Always plan for sunset and staying afterwards! Merry Go Round is known for having the best view of sunset in town! 

•Hire a photo and video team that knows all the best photo spots at Merry Go Round (oh, hey!)

•If you hire an officiant make sure you plan for their transportation!

Merry Go Round Rock Elopement Packages

• Offering 4 hour, 6 hour, 8 hour, and 2 day Packages
• Unlimited planning assistance including help with locations, timeline building, permits, wedding licenses, & more.
• Exclusive list of location ideas for your elopement
• Custom day of timeline & itinerary
• Online gallery with your epic photos with personal printing rights
• The option to have me sign off as your ordained officiant if you want to a completely private, just the two of you elopement.
• The option to add on my awesome, adventurous ordained officiant to your package.
• No travel fees since I’m a local!!
• Off-roading Transportation for Couple

Photo Only Packages Beginning at $5000

Photo & Video Packages Beginning at $6000

All Inclusive Packages including hair and makeup, flowers, custom wedding ceremony, and more Beginning at $9000

Want to chat with us about your elopement? Let’s plan a phone consult! Fill out our contact form here!

Real Elopement at Merry Go Round Rock

Taylor and Connor’s Elopement Story

Their day began getting ready at their beautiful vacation rental right in the heart of Sedona. Taylor and Connor were able to spend their morning with their family, leisurely getting ready, with the most incredible views of all of the scenery just outside their window. Talk about the ideal getting ready experience!! We love when our couples rent vacation homes for getting ready because there is plenty of space and usually great lighting which makes for great photos and video! Sedona is filled with tons of incredible rentals so be sure to check them out when planning your elopement!

Planning Their Elopement Experience at Merry Go Round Rock

While helping Taylor and Connor plan their elopement experience we talked about all of what Sedona, Arizona has to offer. They had never visited before so I got to show them all of my favorite spots and experiences that this area has to bring. Off-roading is one of their favorite activities so it only seemed perfect for them to go on a 4×4 road to their elopement location.

Merry Go Round Rock is one of our all time favorite locations in Sedona. It’s quite the adventure to get there and the views are out of this world! You need to rent a 4×4 Jeep or use your own off-roading car for this location or you can hike 6.4 miles! We personally think off-roading adds to the entire experience so we always recommend that.

Pro Tip: If you or your guests aren’t comfortable off-roading we highly recommend going through a Jeep tour company. We recommend checking out Pink Jeep Tours because they are familiar with weddings at this location.

Wanna know more about having an off-roading elopement experience? Check out our Off-Roading Elopement Guide!

Ceremony near Merry Go Round Rock

All of the wedding guests packed up in their own Jeeps and followed Taylor and Connor to their epic ceremony spot. It’s quite the long and rocky road but every single guest was blown away by the scenery when they arrived. Believe it or not, we only had to hike half a mile to their secluded ceremony spot. That is one of the perks of choosing an off-roading adventure for your elopement experience! We can typically get to super beautiful places with less hiking involved.

One of our favorite parts of Taylor and Connor’s day was their sand mixing ceremony! We joked about how mixed up it will surely be after their iff-roading excursion! We also loved how they broke away from their family for a private adventure session at sunset so they could have time for just them two. We watched as the stormy sky turned from dark blue. clouds, to the most intense golden hour, and then to cotton candy and it was pure magic! Talk about the perfect ending to the perfect day!

Want to start planning your own elopement in Sedona? Check out our free Sedona Elopement Planning Guide!

Want to chat with us about your elopement? Let’s plan a phone consult! Fill out our contact form here!

Be sure to check out Taylor and Connor’s Film from their epic elopement day