Frequently Asked Questions About Red Rock
Q: Why are the rocks red?A: Because they contain a bit of iron they are rusting!
Q: What is the house up on the hill?A: It is the House of Apache Fires, built in 1947 by Jack and Helen Frye.
Q: Why dont you allow dogs and other pets in the park?A: Red Rock State Park is a Center for Environmental Education and as a nature preserve it is our mission to protect the environment and the wildlife that live here. Pets may leave droppings or intrude on others enjoyment of the park.
Q: What should we do if we see a snake?A: Stop and observe them. They will move slowly from the trail, giving you ample time to snap a picture.
Q: Which is the best hiking trail in your park? A: All our trails are special and beautiful and range from easy flat walks along Oak Creek to higher trails that take you up to our scenic vistas.
Q: Will we see a cougar on our hike?A: Cougars are very secretive and elusive. Their main prey is mule deer and they tend to hide from humans. If you are lucky, you might see their tracks in the mud under Kingfisher Bridge.
Q: Can I donate to support the park and its projects?A: Yes! You can donate directly to Arizona State Parks and Trails and select Red Rock State Park as the designee for your donation, or you can donate to the Friends Group, Benefactors of Red Rock State Park.
About Red Rock State Park
Red Rock State Park is a 286 acre nature preserve and environmental education center with stunning 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 creek meanders through the park, creating a diverse riparian habitat abounding with plants and wildlife. This riparian habitat provides the setting and the opportunity for the park to offer a focus on environmental education.
Red Rock offers a variety of special programs for school groups and private groups. There are a number of daily and weekly park events. The park offers a visitors center, classroom, theater, park store, ramada and hiking trails.
Red Rock Canyon State Park Overview
Red Rock Canyon State Park Campground has 50 campsites tucked up against the base of dramatic desert cliffs in the high desert and southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada range. The campground is first-come, first-serve and offers a great base camp to explore the desert on foot, horseback or on your OTV. It does fill up quickly during the spring/fall weekends. There are no RV hook-ups or showers. You can have up to 8 people per site. There are no group sites available.
Red Rock Canyon State Park Campground has a visitor center, day use area, potable water and vault toilets. Each campsite has a table, fire ring and grate. Firewood can also be purchased from the ranger at the visitor center .
Red Rock Canyon State Park Area Recreation
The Park features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. Each tributary canyon is unique, with dramatic shapes and vivid colors. Outdoor activities include hiking, mountain biking, OTVing, horseback riding, star gazing and wildlife viewing.
Saddleback Butte State Park is also in the vicinity. Its also in Lancaster area about 37 miles due east.
Reservations:
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Rv Resorts & Campsites In Red Rock State Park
There’s no camping inside Red Rock State Park however, camping options abound in the area for both RVs and tents. Keep in mind that temperature extremes at Red Rock can make camping outside a trying experience . However, camping in an RV will keep you insulated from the cold and heat, and you’ll have all of the comforts of home while you’re surrounded by the beauty of the area.
If RV camping near Red Rock State Park sounds like a treat but you don’t have an RV, then you can rent one quite easily at RVshare. At RVshare, you have the option of choosing from all of the major types of RVs from fifth wheels to Class A motorhomes.
Inside Red Rock State Park
Red Rock State Park has a variety of different attractions and activities. If you’d like a little education with your visit, you can check out the visitor center, which has regularly updated exhibits, programs, and events. There’s also some good hiking to be had as well as great biking opportunities, such as the Cathedral Bike Loop Trail. You can also take a horse out on some of the trails, and when you get hungry, you can lay out a picnic spread on one of the many picnic tables in the area.
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Explore Sedona: Private Guided Hiking Tour Provided By Dynamic Journey Tours
- Learn more
- Instant confirmation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- Entrance fees to Red Rock State Park
- Entry/Admission – Airport Mesa
- Entry/Admission – Red Rock State Park
- 20% Gratuity for private guide.
- 1785 W State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336, USAOur office is located in Suite 2A, large brick building, 2nd floor. Go to south side of building and look for “vanguard execusuites”. Our office is in there.
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Entrance fees to Red Rock State Park
- Entry/Admission – Airport Mesa
- Entry/Admission – Red Rock State Park
- 20% Gratuity for private guide.
- 1785 W State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336, USAOur office is located in Suite 2A, large brick building, 2nd floor. Go to south side of building and look for “vanguard execusuites”. Our office is in there.
- Returns to original departure point
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
The Different Camping Sites
Manzanita Campground is the smallest camp in the area, offering only 18 single-unit sites. Located at the bank of Oak Creek, regularly stocked with trout, this campground offers excellent fishing opportunities and several clear water holes for swimming. There are several hiking trails nearby. Access is very easy, as its just off 89A, with paved pull through. The campground offers drinking water and vault type restrooms. Due to space restrictions, trailers and RVs arent allowed on the campground. Its small size and excellent location make it one of the most contested sites in Coconino, so reservation is a must. Manzanita Campground is opened year round.
Opened from March through November, Cave Springs Campground is also located at Oak Creek, which means trout fishing. Another reason for its popularity is its proximity to both Sedona and Slide Rock Park . The campground offers 82 sites, 11 of which can be reserved. Several scenic hike trails lead up the canyon, offering amazing view of the nearby landscape. Cave Springs Campground offers coin operated showers, vault type restrooms, drinking water, tables, fire pits and grills for cooking. Small RVs and trailers up to 36 are allowed.
Pine Flat Campground is just a mile south from Cave Springs Campground and offers similar conditions. It offers everything Cave Springs offers, except showers, but visitors from Pine Flat Campground are welcomed to use them. RVs and trailers up to 30 are allowed.
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Lime Kiln Trail: Bike Hike Or Horse Ride
The Lime Kiln Trail was completed in 2006. This scenic Sedona area hiking trail connects Dead Horse Ranch State Park with Red Rock State Park . The Lime Kiln Trail traverses a 15-mile section of Arizona’s high desert and is dedicated as a shared-use, non-motorized trail experience.
The Lime Kiln leg follows a portion of the historic Lime Kiln Wagon Road. Originally the Lime Kiln road provided access to a Kiln that was constructed in the 1800s. The Kiln was used to burn limestone to create lime used as an ingredient of the mortar needed to construct fireplaces and chimneys. Soon after the construction of the kiln, the road was extended and used as a route between Sedona and Jerome. The remains of the kiln can still be seen beside the trail.
Slide Rock State Park
Cool off at a natural rock slide in an area so scenic it has been listed by Life Magazine as one of America’s ten most beautiful swimming holes. Many people don’t consider a trip to Arizona complete without a run down Slide Rock. This area has become so popular it was designated a park partially to keep it from being loved to death.
Now it is managed in partnership by the U. S. Forest Service and the Arizona State Parks and Trails . Those two agencies combine to make this popular attraction a great place to have a picnic, slide down the slide, or just catch some rays. Try to pick a time in off-peak-use periods for your visit, but don’t be surprised if you still have lots of company.
And by the way, watch those rocks. They’re slippery!
Attractions: Picnicking, waterplay, hiking, wildlife watching, photography
Facilities: Picnic tables, snack bar, flush toilets with sinks and running water, drinking water
Important Note:
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How To Get There
Don’t let a GPS or online search confuse you. Theres also a Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area about three hours away and just outside Las Vegas. This park is in California, however, just off CA-14, sometimes called the “Aerospace Highway.” Red Rock Canyon is about a 1.5-hour drive north of Los Angeles on CA-14 and past the town of Mojave. After your visit to Red Rock Canyon State Park, head north for a stop at Mammoth Mountain or Death Valley as a side trip.
Camping Red Rock State Park In Arizona
Camping at Red Rock State Park
The Red Rock State Park does not have any camping facilities on site, but does have many exciting attractions for visitors of all ages. Amenities at the park include a Visitors Center, a gift shop and various interesting exhibits. The exhibits are found in the Visitors Center and are educational in nature. They are hands on exhibits that deal with biotic communities. In addition to the parks exhibits, there is also a movie theatre where visitors can watch The Natural Wonders of Sedona: Timeless Beauties. This is a 45 minute film that discusses the wildlife and the history of Sedona. The film includes a flying tour of the parks red rocks.
Five miles worth of hiking trails make Red Rock State Park the perfect way to get some exercise and have fun at the same time. The Coyote Ridge Trail connects the Apache Fire Loop and the Eagles Nest Loop. The parks highest point is the Eagles Nest Loop, with a 300 elevation gain.
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Outside Red Rock State Park
The area around Red Rock State Park is a great destination for those who love the great outdoors. It’s also a fine spot for travelers who appreciate a little bit of comfort and modern amenities. Essentially, it’s a place where you can get rugged and red from the dirt and sun of the natural destinations or enjoy a little pampering, fine food, and modern luxuries in the town of Sedona.
Where To Stay Nearby
The closest hotel to Red Rock Canyon State Park is about 17 miles from the park in California City, California, with a few more lodging options available in Mojave and Ridgecrest, California, approximately 25 miles away.
- Best Western California City Inn & Suites: The Best Western in California City is the closest lodging option to Red Rock Canyon State Park. The property offers basic queen and king rooms, as well as spa suites, complete with a jetted tub. A free hot breakfast and access to their fitness center and outdoor pool come with your stay.
- Hampton Inn & Suites Ridgecrest: The Hampton Inn in Ridgecrest is located just 2 miles from the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, and down the road from the Maturango Museum, giving you additional opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the Upper Mojave Desert. The hotel offers both guest rooms and suites, a free breakfast, and is about a 25-mile drive from the park.
- Comfort Inn & Suites: For a basic hotel option, complete with an outdoor pool, the Comfort Inn in Mojave, California fits the bill. Expect about a half-hour drive to the park, but after a day of hiking, you can enjoy the hotel’s outdoor pool as a reprieve from the desert heat.
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Opened & Dedicated October 19 1991
In the fall of 1980, Governor Bruce Babbitt was hiking with friends along Oak Creek southwest of Sedona. When they reached a certain property, an individual approached the group, advised them they were on private property and requested them to leave. This caused Governor Babbitt to become concerned about Oak Creek and many other hiking areas along waterways that were being closed to public access.
The property where the group was stopped had been part of the Smoke Trail Ranch located along lower Oak Creek southwest of Sedona. Helen and Jack Frye had purchased the Ranch in 1941. Jack Frye was the president of Trans World Airlines and he and his wife used the site as a retreat from the East Coast where they lived. The property has a variety of panoramic views of the Sedona red rock formations. The land is divided by a meandering 1.4 miles of Oak Creek that is lined with lush green riparian habitat.
In the early 1970s, a developer purchased the remaining 330+ acres of the Smoke Trail Ranch from Helen Frye. The developer intended to build a resort complex, but a shortage of funds caused them to lose the property. In 1976 Eckankar, a religious group that Helen Frye was a member of, became owner of the property. Eckankar was developing the property as a religious retreat for their members. Thus, it was Eckankar who had evicted Governor Babbitts hiking group from the property.
Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park
Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park is a beautiful example of nature’s artwork in Oklahoma. Wind, water and natural forces have shaped the natural sculpture of the canyon you see today.
A day trip to Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park can be fun, but an overnight stay is even better. Come stay at the park and watch the colors of the canyon change as the sun rises and sets. RV sites, tent sites and picnic areas are available in the canyon year-round. Three RV sites with water, electric and sewer hookups are available, as well as 44 sites with water and electric hookups and 26 primitive sites. Due to the steep and winding hill leading to the park’s entrance, RVs shorter than 40 feet are recommended. Online booking is available for overnight spots and day-use shelters.
Additional amenities include hiking trails, historical wagon trails, beautiful scenery and monthly family friendly events throughout the year.
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Red Rock Canyon State Park: The Complete Guide
At Red Rock Canyon State Park, striated shades of rock form layers on spires that look like a fancy melted birthday cake. Wind- and water-carved cliffs and buttes dwarf the campers at their base. And, soaring stone pillars conjure up images of ancient civilizations. You might think you’re in Bryce Canyon in Utah, or in Colorado’s famous Red Rocks Amphitheater. However, this state park is situated in the middle of the Mojave Desert, where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada Mountains meets the El Paso Mountains. California’s Red Rock Canyon State Park is a place that few residents know about, and even fewer have visited. It’s a small park that’s seldom crowded. Still, it contains one of the most eye-popping landscapes in Southern California.
TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy
How To Get Tored Rock State Park
Red Rock State Park is best accessed by way of Highway 89A. If you’re driving east on 89A, you’ll take Red Rock Loop Road directly to the park. If you’re driving west on 89A, you’ll take Upper Red Rock Loop Road directly to the park. If you find yourself coming up from the south on 179, you’ll eventually link up with Highway 89 and head east.
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Where To Camp
Red Rock Canyon’s Ricardo Campground has 50 primitive campsites tucked up against the spiring rock cliffs. The campsites are generously spaced, each one has a fire pit and picnic table, and potable water and pit toilets are on site. Trailers and motorhomes up to 30 feet long can camp here, but there are no hookups and the dump station may be closed due to water restrictions.
Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservations. Most of the time, you can grab a campsite at a moment’s notice, but the campground may fill up on spring and fall weekends and during three-day holiday weekends. During those times, park rangers suggest arriving on Thursday evening or early Friday morning. There is a camping fee, which you may need to pay in cash, so plan accordingly.