Visiting Slide Rock State Park

Slide Rock State Park, located north of Sedona, Arizona, is a summer paradise named after a natural slide formed by Oak Creek’s slippery water bed.

In addition to the remarkably unique and fun water slide, Slide Rock features red rock cliffs, desert, vast open fields, and one of the best combinations of hiking and swimming in the entire country.

I cannot overstate how much I love this place. It is unlike any other park I have ever seen (and this includes comparisons to other parks in the Grand Circle^[1]). There’s so much fun in such an easily-accessed and easily-navigable area.

[1]: The Grand Circle is a beautiful and vast region located in southwestern United States. Encompassing portions of five states—Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada—the Grand Circle contains America’s largest concentration of national parks and monuments (Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend, among others).

Slide Rock State Park: Important Information
Difficulty	Easy to Medium (depending on how far you venture inward)
Time	Spending 2 to 3 hours in the park would be ideal.
Water Slide Dimensions	80 feet (24 meters) long and 2.5 to 4 feet (.76 to 1.2 meters) with a 7 percent decline top to bottom
Peak Season	Summer (June to August) is naturally the best time to visit a water slide. Arizona’s climate is relatively hot in general, often measuring record high temperatures. The winters can get cold, but anytime between March and October is good as well.
Ideal Arrival Time	The park is less crowded during the mornings (8 am to 10 am) and evenings (5 to 6:30 pm). It closes at 7:00 pm, but the main area (with all the water) actually closes at 6:30. If you time it right. You can get shots when no one was there.
Cost and Parking	The entry fee is $20 per vehicle, and there is a large parking lot right next to the park.
Gear Recommendation: Sandals or secure footwear are highly recommended. Slippers and other non-secure footwear can drift away with the current. If you plan to hike deeper into the park where there are many rocks and obstacles alongside varying depths of water, knee pads and elbow pads would also be helpful.

Fun in the Sun

You can hike, slide, swim, play sports, or have a picnic. In addition to the natural water slide, nature surrounds you on all sides in the form of rivers, red rock cliffs, lush vegetation, and trees.

The way natured elegantly shaped this park is nothing short of breathtaking. You can easily notice the varying beautiful scenery the deeper you hike in, and you have the option to walk along the water the whole time.

A Nature Adventure

The park is incredibly straightforward. The best part of the park is essentially a line that runs along the water.

The most popular hike is about a one-mile round trip. A time estimate is too difficult due to the various paths you can take. Note that hiking deep into the park can be slightly dangerous if you slip on the rocks. You can also see some ruins along the way.

If I had sandals, I would have gone further into the national park. My hike here was easily one of the most fun hikes I’ve ever been on. There is plenty of shade to cool you off, scenery to draw your attention, and water to keep you abundantly entertained.

In theory, you can venture much further than the half-mile or so. The park extends for miles into the distance. However, there is an easily-recognized stopping point—a large pile of rocks blocking your way. Past that point and you’ll be dealing with mostly fast-flowing water, sharp rocks, and heavy vegetation.

To start off, simply follow the river upstream. The initial terrain will consist mostly of water and red rocks. As you venture further in the park, the terrain will change to mostly water and trees.

There are multiple ways to navigate. You can choose to remain on land as you maneuver along the cliff walls or you could simply enter the water and have a great time. Although there will be places where you can swim, most of the trail is along a shallow river full of ricks. This is where those sandals will make all the difference.

As you venture further and further into the park, the river will become larger as the land recedes so your only option will be to wade through the water.

In theory, you can venture much further than the half-mile or so. The park extends for miles into the distance. However, there is an easily-recognized stopping point—a large pile of rocks blocking your way. Past that point and you’ll be dealing with mostly fast-flowing water, sharp rocks, and heavy vegetation.

If I had sandals, I would have gone further into the national park. My hike here was easily one of the most fun hikes I’ve ever been on. There is plenty of shade to cool you off, scenery to draw your attention, and water to keep you abundantly entertained.

Slide Rock State Park offers an incredible amount of fun within a relative compact, diverse, carefree, and beautiful landscape. Compared to the typical arid and hot landscape across Arizona, this park is a delightful oasis with plenty of surprises. If you are ever in the Phoenix or Sedona area—and especially if you are heading down to visit the Grand Canyon—Slide Rock State Park is a top destination to consider.