About Slide Rock
Slide Rock was one of those waterfalling excursions that probably stretched the definition of what a waterfall was in our experience. It was really a series of small cascades (the tallest one was probably no more than 10-15ft) on Oak Creek surrounded by the signature red rocks that were typical of the neighboring Sedona just to the south. But it was this contrast between the red rocks and cliffs against the refreshing waters of Oak Creek that gave this place its scenic allure. On top of that, there were numerous areas along Oak Creek amongst these cascades that made for one of the most fun natural swimming holes to be found anywhere in the United States. The fun culminated in the namesake section where a series of cascades (pictured at the top of this page) allowed people to slide their way down to a deep pool going from one cascade to another in succession. Even our daughter found a spot where she could enjoy playing in the water making me realize that this was definitely one of those rare places where people of all ages could come and enjoy this miracle of Nature. Given all these factors working for the Slide Rock State Park, I had no problems including this entry on the website despite there not being an obvious drop that would befit the classic definition of a bonafide waterfall.
Our visit began from a very busy parking lot (see directions below) surrounded by tall red cliffs. Given the height of these cliffs, it was clear that Oak Creek had much to do with carving out the deep canyon in which the Slide Rock State Park was located. We then walked on a paved path past some signage (saying that large-looking water snakes inhabiting this area were not poisonous and should not be killed) then onto a more open paved path where there were relics of old cabins, a restroom facility, and some shops. At the far end of this paved walkway, there were more historical buildings before the path veered right past some interpretive signage and down some steps leading to the banks of Oak Creek. This section of the walk (from the parking area to the end of the concrete) alone was probably on the order of a quarter-mile long each way.
It was down at the banks of Oak Creek that the path was now pretty much red-rock scrambling on wide ledges on the left side of Oak Creek. This was where we now had our pick of where along the creek we wanted to relax or play at. The lowermost sections of the creek (closer to the highway bridge) contained some attractive cascades. That said, there were far fewer people down here as the more kid-friendly and happening parts of Oak Creek were further upstream. Roughly another 5- to 10-minute walk upstream was where the majority of the visitors were gathered as there was a bridge leading to a real calm part of Oak Creek as well as access to a spot where it was possible to do a short cliff jump into a deep part of Oak Creek. Just upstream from this deep section was the namesake Slide Rock, where people sat and scooted their way down the series of waterfalls from the top to the deeper waters below.
Further upstream of the Slide Rock, Oak Creek mostly calmed down and the crowds thinned out some more while the hiking became a little rougher with higher concentrations of cacti. There was a short cascade that served as my turnaround point. Even though the overall round-trip distance of the hiking was on the order of 0.8 miles (probably taking us around 30 minutes or less on the walking alone), it was very easy to spend more time here just enjoying the fun ambience and feeling refreshed from the cold waters of Oak Creek offsetting the desert heat of this part of Arizona. Indeed, we wound up spending around 90 minutes away from the car, and our daughter certainly wasn’t eager to leave.
Related Trip Reports
Related Top 10 Lists
No Posts Found
Related Itineraries
Trip Planning Resources
Nearby Accommodations
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Featured Images and Nearby Attractions
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Visitor Comments:
Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...No users have replied to the content on this page
Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...No users have submitted a write-up/review of this waterfall
Nearest Waterfalls
