Red Rock State Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, featuring a red sandstone canyon outside the city of Sedona. The main mission of this day-use park is the preservation of the riparian habitat along Oak Creek.
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's Miller Visitor Center includes exhibits and a park store. Inquire about the Junior Ranger program available for children ages 4–12. Movies in the Theater play on a continuous loop. These movies focus on the Sedona area and are titled "The natural wonders of Sedona" and "Oak Creek Loved to Death." These films include tons of area information including Sedona history and wildlife and take visitors on a flying tour of the red rocks providing them with some phenomenal aerial scenes. Movie presentations are occasionally preempted by special events so check with poark staff upon your arrival.
A gift shop is located inside the Visitor Center and offers a wide selection of souvenirs, including t-shirts, magnets, walking sticks, books, maps, and postcards that highlight the Sedona area. Beverages and snacks are also for sale.
Exhibits
There are a variety of educational opportunities found in the Miller Visitor Center. Hands-on exhibits are based on the theme of localized biotic communities and really help visitors understand the area before they experience it. The intreprative panels in the exhibit area bring the variety of habitats found within the park to life right before your eyes. You will also find information on the early human inhabitants of the area as well as roving displays showing a wide selection of the park’s wildlife.
Group: Day Use Areas
All group areas are available for public use on a first-come, first served basis, when not currently reserved. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance, except for wedding reservations, which can be made up to 12 months in advance. All reservations require a non-refundable $25.00 reservation fee.
Picnic Areas/Shelters
Picnic tables and shelters are located in all of our group day use areas, and can be reserved by contacting the park. If not reserved these areas are open to the public on a first-come, first serve basis. Several uncovered picnic tables and barbecues are located sporadically throughout the open regions of the Twin Cypress area and are available for use even when the ramada areas are reserved.
Restrooms
This park has modern, accessible restrooms located at the Visitor Center and the Twin Cypress group use area.
Activities and Experiences
Hiking
Some of Sedona's most beautiful hiking trails are located right here at Red Rock State Park! Enjoy a variety of scenery from high juniper desert, to the Oak Creek riparian zone. Every trail comes complete with gorgeous rust colored views of red rock escarpments like Cathedral Rock and the Seven Warriors. A variety of wildlife and birds can be encountered during your hike here as well! Mule deer, javelina, coyotes, skunks, and numerous other park inhabitants may show up and make your experience unforgettable. During winter months, you hike will be filled with even more color and song than it is during the rest of the year. Tons of migratory birds winter here at the park for your viewing pleasure.
Red Rock Rules
Red Rock State Park offers limited equestrian trails in the park, however it does provide access to several Forest Service trails located nearby. The Lime Kiln Trail is located near the park entrance and the Turkey Creek trail is located at the park’s east gate. Horses should follow the painted horse tracks on paved roads. There is a hitching post located near the Visitor Center.
While most trails in the park are off-limits to bicycles, there is access to several popular Forest Service trails from within the park. The Lime Kiln Trail is located right outside the entrance to the park and there are various trails located outside the park’s east gate. A common route taken by bikers is the 6.2-mile Cathedral Bike Loop, which takes you out of the park via the east gate, down Verde Valley School Road, across Oak Creek (no bridge) and back to the park’s entrance on the Upper Loop Road.
