I know sharing a map of shortcuts is going to make them less effective and I apologize to those that are impacted by the publishing of this map. If these shortcuts become more popular and clogged-up, thus impacting the tourism industry, the Chamber of Commerce may push the city of Sedona to tackle the traffic problem in a big way. At the time of writing this, there does not seem to be any consensus to tackle the issue at the city, county, or state level. These “alternate routes” are used by Jeep tour companies, public safety and local residents.
While this little burg is bustling year-round, the busiest season in Sedona is from the end of February through early May and September through November. I suggest you use Google Traffic Maps if you have flexibility. Highway 179 from the Village of Oak Creek to Uptown Sedona and Cooks Hill driving east out of West Sedona to the roundabouts at the bottom of the hill can be very congested.
Moving around Sedona early in the morning or in the evening is the best choice if you are looking to avoid traffic back-ups.