Oak Creek Canyon Sedona
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View of Mogollon Rim from Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon changes with the seasons presenting an awesome display 365 days a year. Winter brings the red rock cliffs into stark perspective and every dent and crease seem close enough to touch.
Spring creeps slowly up the canyon as the oaks take on a pale green hue and apple trees at Slide Rock blossom out in pink and white. Summer is shady green with Oak Creek in full flow, a profusion of wild flowers and bird song. Fall turns the oaks into a ribbon of gold cascading down the canyon.
Heading north out of Uptown Sedona you cross scenic Midgley Bridge (good place to stop for photos or hiking). About 3.2 miles from town Rainbow Trout Farm is on the right.
Soon you come to Indian Gardens on the left where there is plenty of parking, a deli and grocery store and the famous Garland’s Trading Post. There is a small Visitor Center where you can purchase a fishing license and Red Rock Pass and also rent a fishing pole. If the Center is closed you can obtain a Red Rock Pass from an automated machine. There is a nice close-up view of Oak Creek directly across the road.
Next stop, about 4.3 miles from Uptown Sedona, offers Native American craft tables and a Dairy Queen. We enjoy a cup of coffee or a soft-serve cone as we ogle the jewelry and chat with the artisans (a good stop when there are children aboard).
Slide Rock State Park, 7 miles north of Sedona, is a "must see" in Oak Creek Canyon. The Park is popular all year round but especially in the summer when folks like to cool off with a dip in Oak Creek. There is plenty of parking, a picnic area and a small grocery store. It is a fine place for a leisurely stroll past the original apple orchard and a good place to hook up to other trails. Fee is charged to enter the Park. The park is handicap friendly offering a paved walk that travels through an apple orchard and gets close to historic buildings.
Watch for Call of the Canyon/West Fork Trailhead on the left 10.2 miles from Uptown Sedona. Novelist Zane Grey wrote his famous Call of the Canyon after a visit to this area. Walking/hiking in West Fork is enjoyed by locals as well as visitors and is considered an Oak Creek treasure. You can hip hop across the creek or hike up the canyon which goes a further 12 miles. Fee is charged.
Next comes the fun part- several miles of switch-backs as you climb out of the canyon (on hot days turn off the A/C so the car doesn’t overheat). It really isn’t that bad and there is a reward - Oak Creek Vista at the top of the canyon presents a spectacular panorama that curves around the overlook with the canyon spread out before you. The vertical drop to the bottom of the canyon is amazing. There is a Forest Service Information Center (open March-October) at the overlook and also restrooms. The Center is tiny but offers a wonderful selection of books and maps on the Southwest. An added bonus at this stop is the Native American craft tables that are set up year-round weather permitting. There is a wonderful selection of jewelry, pottery, dream catchers and knives. The gate to the overlook opens at 8am and is closed at 5:30pm. If you wish to continue north on Hwy 89 A, Flagstaff is 12 miles away (on a nice straight road).
Tip: The drive from Uptown Sedona on 89A north to Oak Creek Vista Overlook takes about 40 minutes. If there are two people who can drive we suggest having one drive up and the other drive back so you can take in all of the beautiful scenery. It can be hard to ooh and aah over the towering red rock cliffs and meandering creek while driving a two-lane road.
Tip: Oak Creek Canyon is full of recreational and sightseeing opportunities. If you plan to hike or stop at viewpoints we suggest looking at a map ahead of time so as not to miss a turnoff. Stop by the Uptown Gateway Visitor Center (Sedona-Oak Creek Chamber of Commerce) on Hwy 89A in Uptown Sedona for a full selection of free maps/brochures plus knowledgeable folks to answer questions.
A Red Rock Pass is required for parking on the National Forest and some areas charge additional fees. Other information centers are located at Indian Gardens in Oak Creek Canyon and at Oak Creek Vista.
Oak Creek Canyon Points of Interest
Slide Rock State Park, best known for its creek
area of sculpted rocks, cascading water and natural rock slides, Slide
Rock is a unique and fascinating natural area. Get an early start in
the summer as this is a major canyon destination. A stroll around the
Park will take you through peaceful meadows, past historical buildings
and by a producing apple orchard (apples are sold in the fall). Walking
areas are suitable for all including handicap. Slide Rock Store is on
the premises and is open every day in the summer and Saturday and
Sunday in the winter. Get a hot dog in the summer, purchase picnic
supplies and use the ATM.
Look for West Fork on the West side of the road just North of Canyon
Market. Even though
there is a $5 fee to park it is well worth a stop. The parking lot is large, the restrooms are clean, plus there is picnicking in a charming old apple orchard. West Fork is a great place for kids to explore the creek. It is also the trailhead for the West Fork trail.
This popular trail winds through West Fork Canyon and crosses and
re-crosses Oak Creek (some folks use a walking stick for crossing the creek but we have had no problems without one). We have seen all age groups on the trail which winds for miles through the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. There are stunning views of red rock cliffs and
Oak Creek's unique riparian habitat. West Fork is a "must see" any season of the year.
Oak Creek Canyon makes a wonderful get-a-way destination every season of the year. Consider this: a snowy evening in winter by the fire, a romantic interlude. Or autumn when the Canyon is transformed into a ribbon of gold. Think spring when a light green haze slowly creeps north and apple blossoms explode at Slide Rock scenting the spring air. Summer at Slide Rock, a land of water and shady trees and ecstatic children.
Garland's is a well known gallery offering some of the finest Native American art and jewelry in Sedona and specializing in the work of Northern Arizona and Pueblo Indian tribes. Garland's also features antique Native American jewelry which is marked by the patina associated with age. National Geographic Traveller Magazine was quoted as saying, "Garland's has the finest collection of Indian jewelry in all Indian country."
Next to Garland's is a deli and store where you can enjoy good sandwiches and a drink in a pleasant outdoor dining area. Directly across the street is a close up view of Oak Creek.
Dairy Queen, a good place for a cup of coffee or a quick meal, has plenty of parking and a kiosk with maps and brochures of local attractions. An added bonus while you enjoy an ice cream cone is the tables filled with native American arts and crafts just like those found at the Oak Creek Canyon Overlook.
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