No matter what you do in Red Rock Country, you're always sightseeing. Ways to get even closer to all this scenery include: hiking, horseback riding, taking a scenic drive, sliding down a natural waterslide, picnicking, camping, taking lots of photos and fishing in Oak Creek.

Scenic Drives

The splendor of Red Rock Country is obvious, even through the windshield of a quickly moving car. Many routes are "must-see" drives, including Highway 89A into Oak Creek Canyon from Flagstaff, Highway 89A to Sedona from Cottonwood, and Highway 179 to Sedona from I-17. Entering Sedona from the east, via the Schnebly Hill Road, is an exciting experience; spectacular views along 11 miles of narrow, twisting, bumpy road, built in 1904. All routes feature scenery unequaled anywhere else in the country. Also read about more scenic drives in the Recreation Guide - Free at all Gateway Visitor Centers, Red Rock Ranger District and many local businesses.

Please click the link above for more information on Scenic Drives.

Trails

The Sedona community and the Forest Service are partners in building and maintaining trails both on and off the National Forest. Hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, and mountain biking opportunities in Red Rock Country are virtually unlimited, with over 200 miles of trail. Visitors may enjoy short and easy trips on urban trails or long and challenging adventures through remote backcountry areas. Please click the link above for a list of trails on the Red Rock District.

Wilderness

Red Rock Country boasts three federally designated wilderness areas, totaling over 124,000 acres. The Red Rock-Secret Mountain, Sycamore Canyon, and Munds Mountain Wilderness Areas are marked by colorful cliffs and soaring pinnacles, dry desert, thick pinon-juniper forests, and lush riparian areas. Please click the link above for more on our wilderness areas.

Camping Picnicking and Day-Use Cabin Rentals

Camping and picnicking are inviting ways to experience the splendor of Red Rock Country. Within a short drive of Sedona, several Forest Service campgrounds and picnic areas provide recreational opportunities for the whole family.

Rent-a-cabin: "Rooms With A View" - Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin is a beautiful ranch house located in Sedona, Arizona adjacent to Oak Creek and near the base of Cathedral Rock! Enjoy hiking, photography, and beautiful Oak Creek, or just relax and take in the breath-taking view from the living room.

Dispersed Camping: Because of intense use of red rock country, the area around Sedona is closed to camping except in developed campgrounds. Specific boundaries for dispersed camping are show on the Red Rock Country Map.

Please click the three links above for information on Camping, Day-use Picnic, Swimming areas, and Cabin Rentals.

Cultural Sites

Towering red cliffs and cool waters have drawn people to Red Rock Country for generations. The natural beauty and splendor found here has made this region a stopping place - for a day or a lifetime - for millions of people, from the first inhabitants many centuries ago to visitors and residents today. In Red Rock Country, we see in remarkable form and color how the natural world appeared millions of years ago. Monumental buttes, soaring multi-hued cliffs, fantastic towering spires and rugged canyons assail the eye and the senses. Vast sweeps of greenery refresh and inspire our spirit and fill us with anticipation. Unified by Oak Creek, the vital riparian link between the Mogollon Rim and the Verde Valley, the landscape is a museum of life, a living crossroads connecting us in time and space.

Oak Creek

Wading and fishing the cool waters of Oak Creek are the most popular forms of recreation in Oak Creek Canyon. Water is essential to life in and around the creek and to life far downstream. This high desert riparian ecosystem is very sensitive to contamination and disturbance. Human activity can have a significant effect on water quality, so please help protect this oasis in the desert: Don't Pollute The Creek!

Shoreline vegetation provides an important buffer to water sources, protecting water quality by absorbing and slowing runoff and holding soil in place. Damage to this shoreline vegetation can result in soil erosion, changing watercourses over time, contaminating water, and damaging riparian ecosystems. Protect Oak Creek: Avoid Trampling Vegetation!

Wildfire Warning

The warmer months bring high temperatures and strong, drying winds to Red Rock Country. Rain is rare, days are hot, and fire conditions are often "Very High" or "Extreme." Wildfires under these conditions can be disastrous, destroying valuable forest resources and endangering lives and property. During this time of the year, special fire restrictions and closures may be imposed to reduce the likelihood of wildfire. Fore more information and current fire conditions, call the Red Rock Ranger District: (928) 282-4119. Protect your National Forest: Observe Posted Fire Restrictions and Closures! Get the latest news and updates on the Coconino National Forest.