Slide Rock State Park

Slide Rock State Park Review

A good place for a picnic, Slide Rock is 7 mi north of Sedona. On a hot day you can plunge down a natural rock slide into a swimming hole (bring an extra pair of jeans or a sturdy bathing suit and river shoes to wear on the slide). The site started as an early-20th-century apple orchard, and the natural beauty attracted Hollywood—a number of John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart movies were filmed here.

A few easy hikes run along the rim of the gorge. Fly-fishing for trout is possible when it's too cold for swimming. One downside is the traffic, particularly on summer weekends; you might have to wait to get into the park after mid-morning. Unfortunately, the popularity of the stream has led to the occasional midsummer closing due to E. coli-bacteria infestations; the water is tested daily and there is a water-quality hotline at 602/542-0202.