Red Rock State Park
Hiking at Red Rock State Park offers magnificent views of the Sedona area.
Red Rock State Park is a 286 acre nature preserve and environmental education center. The park, which operates both as a nature reserve and an environmental center, offers beautiful scenery. Trails throughout the park wind through manzanita and juniper to reach the rich banks of Oak Creek. Green meadows are framed by native vegetation and hills of red rock.
The park offers a variety of special programs for school groups and private groups. Additionally the picnic area and classrooms may be reserved for public or private functions. There are also a number of daily and weekly Park Events.
Park facilities include a visitors center, classroom, theater, gift shop, picnic tables, 10 developed trails, restrooms, and group area with Ramada and facilities. The restrooms are handicapped accessible. Camping facilities are not available at this park.
The Red Rock State Park property was acquired by the Arizona State Parks Board in 1986 and the park was opened to the public in 1991. The park's 286 acres were originally part of the Smoke Trail Ranch, owned by Jack and Helen Frye. Arizona's famous Oak Creek meanders through this scenic park, creating a diverse riparian habitat abounding with plants and wildlife. This riparian habitat, the land-based ecosystem closely associated with Oak Creek, provides the setting and the opportunity for the park to offer a focus on environmental education.
Upcoming Events
June 6 & 7: Moonlight Hike
7 pm at the Visitor Center, please arrive 30 minutes early. An unforgettable experience, the hike includes a naturalist-led interpretive presentation along the park’s beautiful trails. Enjoy the sunset and moonrise from an overlook and return by the light of the moon. The hike lasts 2 to 2 ½ hours, has an elevation climb of 200-250 feet and covers approximately 2 miles. No late arrivals are allowed to join once the hike has commenced. Wear appropriate hiking shoes (no sandals) and bring water, a flashlight and insect spray. Reservations are required, please call (928) 282-6907.
June 7: “Close Encounters of the Reptilian Kind”
2 pm in the theater. Dennis Jex will present. Enjoy a fun and educational presentation with Dennis Jex about snakes. See a slide presentation and live snake display! Learn how to treat or (better yet) avoid snakebite. Find out how to safely relocate a snake, if necessary. Live snakes will be used to enhance your “up close and personal” educational experience. Do you know that there are snakes that are specialists at eating termites? Other snakes eat scorpions, centipedes, cockroaches and other insects. Are Mohave Green Rattlesnakes really common around Sedona? Do you know the very first thing to do if bitten by a rattlesnake? Find out the answer to these and many other questions during this fun presentation. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907.
July 6 & 7: Moonlight Hike
7 pm at the Visitor Center, please arrive 30 minutes early. An unforgettable experience, the hike includes a naturalist-led interpretive presentation along the park’s beautiful trails. Enjoy the sunset and moonrise from an overlook and return by the light of the moon. The hike lasts 2 to 2 ½ hours, has an elevation climb of 200-250 feet and covers approximately 2 miles. No late arrivals are allowed to join once the hike has commenced. Wear appropriate hiking shoes (no sandals) and bring water, a flashlight and insect spray. Reservations are required, please call (928) 282-6907.
July 12: “Peru: It’s Majestic Past and Vibrant Present”
2 pm in the theater. Brenda Robinson will present. Peru is a paradox of 21st century technology and prehistoric grandeur. Even as the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is imagined as a site of the majestic past, the urban capital, Lima, is described as “the capital of South America” present. Here world treasures abound: some of the highest mountains, deepest canyons, and the highest lake. It is one of the cradles of civilization in the ancient world. Peru is also a racial melting pot, with a mixture of indigenous people, mestizos, as well as African, Chinese and Japanese migrants who contribute to the culture. Take a journey to Peru’s past, as well as its present, with July’s First Sunday Program. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907.
August 2: “The Native American Rock Art of the Sedona and Verde Valley Region”
Donald E. Weaver, Jr. will present. The Sedona and Verde Valley area contains one of the largest and most complex concentrations of prehistoric and early historic period rock art in the United States. Spanning more than 6,000 years, the rock art was produced by a number of distinctive Native American cultural groups. In order to gain a reasonable understanding of the origins and meanings of the various rock art traditions, it is imperative to connect the identified rock art traditions to the appropriate cultural tradition. This presentation outlines the presenter’s latest attempt to do just that. The talk will be illustrated with numerous color slides of the rock art under consideration. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907.
August 5 & 6: Moonlight Hike
7 pm at the Visitor Center, please arrive 30 minutes early. An unforgettable experience, the hike includes a naturalist-led interpretive presentation along the park’s beautiful trails. Enjoy the sunset and moonrise from an overlook and return by the light of the moon. The hike lasts 2 to 2 ½ hours, has an elevation climb of 200-250 feet and covers approximately 2 miles. No late arrivals are allowed to join once the hike has commenced. Wear appropriate hiking shoes (no sandals) and bring water, a flashlight and insect spray. Reservations are required, please call (928) 282-6907.
All of the below hikes and walks may require reservations. Please contact the park at (928) 282-6907 for additional information or to make reservations.
First Sunday Programs
First Sunday of each month @ 2 pm. On the First Sunday of each month, except those that fall on a holiday weekend, presentations by a variety of speakers are given in the park theater. Subjects range from scientific, such as geology, archaeology and archaeoastronomy, to historical and wildlife presentations. These programs are well attended and reservations are recommended. The programs begin promptly at 2 pm. Please call (928) 282-6907 for additional information.
Aldo Leopold Centennial Event
September 20
2 pm. Kim Stone will be portraying Aldo Leopold at this event, as the speaker in their First Sunday Speaker series. Reservations are required. Call (928) 282-6907. Learn more about the Aldo Leopold Centennial Celebration and Events.
2 O’Clock Program
Daily @ 2:00 pm. A guest speaker or a ranger/naturalist led activity of approximately 45 minutes. Programs may include a nature-hike, a special presentation or an educational/nature video.
Video Presentation
Daily, upon request. The parks movie theater shows “The Natural Wonders of Sedona-Timeless Beauty”. The movie reveals why USA Weekend voted Sedona & Oak Creek Canyon “the most Beautiful Place in America”.
Hikes and Walks
Red Rock State Park offers a variety of hikes throughout the year. Arizona’s famous Oak Creek meanders through Red Rock State Park creating a diverse riparian habitat for plants and wildlife. It provides the backdrop for our special hikes and walks that are a regular part of the park’s environmental program.
Guided Nature Walk
Daily @ 10 am. Visitors can join a naturalist on a guided nature walk, lasting one-and-a-half to two hours, which will introduce them to the riparian ecosystem of Oak Creek and other aspects of the park. Plants, wildlife, geology, history and archaeology are some of the subjects that may be discussed.
Bird Hikes
Saturdays and Wednesdays. (Start times vary by season please contact the park for current times.) Birding enthusiasts of all experience levels join a naturalist on a guided bird walk along Oak Creek’s riparian habitat. Visitors are asked to bring their own binoculars, although some binoculars and bird lists are available at the Visitor Center.
Download Printable Bird List (
896 KB PDF)
Sunset Walk
June – August; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays @ 6 pm. During summer months, visitors can enjoy a naturalist guided Sunset Walk that concludes with a view of the sunset. Archaeology, plants and other aspects of nature will be discussed.
Geology Hike
Second Sunday of each month (excluding June-August) @ 2 pm. Why are the rocks red? Where do the rocks come from? Where are they going? On one of our most popular hikes, a park volunteer will escort visitors on a guided hike discussing the geology of the area. This hike includes the Eagle's Nest trail for a great view of the park and the surrounding area. More than just a guided hike, this is an interpretive experience for the beginner as well as advanced geologist. The hike lasts for 2-2½ hours and has a 250-foot elevation climb. Enjoy an afternoon with a knowledgeable volunteer guide who will explain the rock formations that create the scenic backdrop of Red Rock State Park.
Moonlight Hike
April – October. (Dates and start times vary, contact the park for information.) An unforgettable experience, Red Rock State Park’s very popular Moonlight Hike includes a naturalist-led interpretive hike on the park’s beautiful trails. Enjoy the sunset and moonrise from an overlook and return by the light of the moon. The hike lasts for approximately 2 to 2-2½ hours, has an elevation climb of 200-250 feet and covers 2 miles. Dress comfortably, wear appropriate hiking shoes, and bring water, a flashlight and insect spray. This hike is held only one night each month from April through October and requires reservations. Start times vary. Please contact the park.
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