Oak Creek Canyon – Sedona, Arizona

About Oak Creek Canyon

Oak Creek Canyon cuts through the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau just north of Sedona, Arizona, carved over millions of years by Oak Creek and the geological forces that shaped the entire Colorado Plateau region. The canyon runs roughly twelve miles along State Route 89A between Flagstaff to the north and Sedona to the south, dropping nearly 2,500 feet in elevation as it descends from the rim to the valley floor. The walls on either side rise several hundred feet, layered in the red and orange sandstone that defines the landscape of central Arizona.

The canyon sits within the Coconino National Forest and is managed as a combination of forest land, state park, and private property. Slide Rock State Park occupies a well-known stretch of the canyon floor where Oak Creek flows over a natural sandstone water slide, drawing visitors in summer from across the state. Beyond the park boundaries the canyon offers pullouts, trailheads, swimming holes, and overlooks spread along the length of the drive.

The road through the canyon, Arizona 89A, is one of the more scenic drives in the state. It is a two-lane highway that winds along the canyon floor before climbing the switchbacks of Oak Creek Canyon Vista at the north end, where the views back down into the canyon and out across the plateau are some of the best in the region. The drive itself is the experience. Most of what the canyon has to offer is visible from the road or a short walk from it.

Know Before You Go

• Region: American Southwest / Central Arizona / Coconino Plateau
• Location: Arizona State Route 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona
• Coordinates: 34.9617° N, 111.7424° W
• Cost: Free to drive through. Slide Rock State Park charges a separate day use fee.
• Hours: The road is open at all times. Slide Rock State Park hours vary by season.
• Managed By: Coconino National Forest / Arizona State Parks
• Attraction Type: Scenic Drive / Natural Area
• Activities: Scenic driving, hiking, swimming, fishing, picnicking, photography
• Notes:
  • The pullouts along the canyon floor fill quickly on summer weekends. Earlier in the day is better.
  • The Oak Creek Canyon Vista pullout at the top of the switchbacks on the north end is worth the stop for the views alone.
  • If you are coming from Flagstaff heading south, the descent into the canyon on the switchbacks is the more dramatic approach. Coming from Sedona heading north you climb out rather than drop in, which is a different experience entirely.
  • Cell service is limited through much of the canyon. Download maps before you go.
• Additional Resources: Coconino National Forest | Slide Rock State Park

My Visit

It was the first morning of the trip. We left Prescott early, pointed south, and the road took us into Oak Creek Canyon before I had any idea what was coming. Growing up in northwest Missouri, my picture of Arizona was flat, hot, and brown. Phoenix from the air. The shuttle ride to Tucson once. Nothing that suggested any of this existed.

The road drops down into the canyon and the walls come up on both sides and it happens fast. Red rock. Green trees along the creek. Water you can hear before you can see it. We stopped at a few of the pullouts along the canyon floor and walked down to the stream and stood there for a while. The signs along the road point you toward the water and the overlooks and they are all worth following.

I did not know Arizona had high desert country like this. I did not know it had canyons with trees and running water and walls that color. That morning on that road changed the way I thought about the whole state, and I spent the next seven years proving myself right about it. The Mogollon Rim, the Prescott valley, trips back through Sedona with friends. It all started coming through Oak Creek Canyon for the first time in 2006.

I only have photos from that one visit. The canyon deserves more than that and it is on the list to go back.

Worth the Stop

If you are driving between Flagstaff and Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon is the route. There is no reason to take the highway when the canyon road exists. Stop at the pullouts, walk down to the creek, and take the Vista overlook at the top of the switchbacks. The drive alone is worth it. Give yourself an hour minimum and more if you have it.