Red Rock State Park

Five Day Schedule: This park is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The park is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, & Mondays. Read Press Release about this Park's five day schedule.

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

October 11: Geology Hike
2 pm. Park volunteers will escort visitors on a guided hike through the park, discussing the geology of the area. This hike includes the Eagles 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 to 2.5 hours and has a 250-foot elevation climb. Enjoy an afternoon with our knowledgeable volunteer guides as they explain the rock formations that create the scenic backdrop of Red Rock State Park. Bring water and wear suitable shoes or boots. Reservations may be required. For additional information please call (928) 282-6907.

November 1: "Life Behind the Fence: Indian Workers at Navajo Ordnance Depot, World War II”
2 pm in the park theater. John Westerlund, a retired U.S. Army field artillery officer, will present. When 8,000 workers were needed immediately for the army’s massive construction project ten miles west of Flagstaff, almost 4,000 Navajo and Hopi workers and their families signed on and left the reservations for good-paying jobs. Conditions were deplorable for the first Indian workers. Bootleggers lurked in the shadows. The commander faced a myriad of organizational and employee problems and quickly decided to invite the Navajo and Hopi laborers and families to build an “Indian Village” on the military base. Tribal representatives accepted the invitation and soon a community of about 3,750 Native Americans voluntarily settled onto a military installation behind barbed wire fences and guard stations. Working Indian women were part of this cultural experiment. This story illustrates how regular wages heightened expectations for both Navajo and Hopis, creating an image of Navajo Tribal leadership, yet contributed to unwanted social and cultural problems. For many Indian families, Navajo Depot was just a stopping point on their migration from the reservations into nearby Flagstaff. The war exposed thousands to a life beyond the reservation, and today the word “Bellemont” remains a part of Navajo and Hopi family history. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907.

November 8: Geology Hike
2 pm. Park volunteers will escort visitors on a guided hike through the park, discussing the geology of the area. This hike includes the Eagles 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 to 2.5 hours and has a 250-foot elevation climb. Enjoy an afternoon with our knowledgeable volunteer guides as they explain the rock formations that create the scenic backdrop of Red Rock State Park. Bring water and wear suitable shoes or boots. Reservations may be required. For additional information please call (928) 282-6907.

December 6: “First Sunday at Red Rock”
2 pm in the theater. On Sunday, December 6, 2009, at 2:00 pm in the park theater, Richard and Sherry Mangum will present “The Grand Canyon-Flagstaff Stagecoach Line. Although we take the fame of the Grand Canyon for granted today, it was a little-known and seldom-visited attraction until 1892, when the Flagstaff Board of Trade and the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company teamed together to advertise it and make it accessible. This illustrated presentation explores the exciting beginnings of the Grand Canyon-Flagstaff Stagecoach Line. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Please call (928) 282-6907. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. Call 282-6907 for additional information or restrictions. Program is free with admission to the park.

December 13: Geology Hike
2 pm. A park volunteer will escort visitors on a guided hike through the park, 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 2-2 1/2 hours and has a 250-foot elevation climb. Enjoy an afternoon with our knowledgeable volunteer guide as he explains the rock formations that create the scenic backdrop of Red Rock State Park. Bring water and wear suitable shoes or boots. Reservations maybe required. Please call 928-282-6907 for additional information.

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.

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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