Last updated: August 17, 2026
Sedona’s Best Quick Answer
Slide Rock State Park remains open for sightseeing, hiking and picnicking, but its swimming and sliding area is closed through September 30, 2026. Grasshopper Point and several other Oak Creek Canyon recreation areas are also closed because of increased flash-flood danger following the Pocket Fire. Crescent Moon at Red Rock Crossing is currently open and offers another beautiful way to enjoy Oak Creek when weather and creek conditions are safe.
Is Slide Rock State Park Open?
Yes, Slide Rock State Park remains open, but visitors cannot currently swim or use its famous natural rockslide.
The swimming and sliding area is closed through September 30, 2026. Visitors can still enjoy the historic park, picnic areas, scenery and other open portions of Slide Rock.
What Other Oak Creek Canyon Swimming Areas Are Closed?
Visitors should not assume they can simply drive farther into Oak Creek Canyon to find another swimming hole.
The current Coconino National Forest Oak Creek Temporary Area Closure runs through September 30, 2026 and includes:
- Grasshopper Point Swimming and Picnic Area
- Banjo Bill Picnic Site
- Bootlegger Picnic Site
- Call of the Canyon Picnic Site
- Encinoso Picnic Site
- Halfway Picnic Site
- Manzanita Campground
- West Fork Trail No. 108
The closure also restricts portions of Oak Creek and West Fork within the affected area. The Forest Service says the order is intended to protect public health and safety during and following precipitation events in the watershed affected by the Pocket Fire. Check the current Coconino National Forest alerts before leaving.
Where Can You Go Instead? Crescent Moon at Red Rock Crossing
A beautiful alternative is Crescent Moon Picnic Site at Red Rock Crossing, often called Crescent Moon Ranch.
Located southwest of West Sedona beneath Cathedral Rock, Crescent Moon is one of Sedona’s classic creekside destinations. Visitors come for picnicking, photography, fishing, wading and water play, and the reflection of Cathedral Rock in Oak Creek is one of Sedona’s most recognizable views.
Unlike Slide Rock, Crescent Moon does not have a natural water slide. Think of it as a more relaxed Oak Creek experience with shady picnic areas, creek access, easy walking and spectacular views.
Crescent Moon Logistics
Current day-use information:
- Day-use fee: $15 per vehicle
- Standard reservations: Not required for regular day use
- April 1 through September 30 hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- October 1 through November 30 hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- December 1 through March 31 hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Activities include picnicking, water play, fishing, wildlife watching and photography. Arriving early is recommended because Crescent Moon is popular and can become crowded. See Recreation.gov’s Crescent Moon details before your visit.
Do You Need a Red Rock Pass at Crescent Moon?
Crescent Moon is handled differently from the standard Sedona Red Rock Pass trailhead sites.
Visitors should plan on the current $15 day-use vehicle fee unless they have the appropriate pass covering Crescent Moon. The Coconino Annual Pass is currently $50 and is valid at Crescent Moon Ranch as well as Grasshopper Point, Call of the Canyon and West Fork, Beaver Creek and Lower Lake Mary.
In other words, do not purchase a regular Red Rock Pass specifically for Crescent Moon and assume it covers your entrance. Crescent Moon is one of the separately managed day-use fee sites.
Can You Swim at Crescent Moon?
Oak Creek at Crescent Moon is popular for wading and water play, and Recreation.gov identifies swimming among the activities visitors enjoy there. However, there are no guarantees that creek conditions will be safe simply because the recreation site itself is open.
This is particularly important during Sedona’s summer monsoon season. Heavy rain may be falling upstream even when the sky directly above Crescent Moon appears clear. Creek levels and currents can change, and flash flooding is one of northern Arizona’s major monsoon hazards.
Always check current weather and forest alerts before entering Oak Creek. If storms are threatening, stay away from creeks, washes and low-lying areas.
Skip the Creek and See Sedona From the Air
If swimming is not an option, why not experience the red rocks from an entirely different perspective?
Take a scenic helicopter flight with Guidance Air Helicopter Tours. From the air, visitors can see some of Sedona’s most famous formations, including Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, along with Oak Creek Canyon and the surrounding Verde Valley.
A helicopter tour is an especially good alternative when you would like to experience Sedona’s dramatic scenery without spending the day around a swimming hole or on a strenuous trail.
Sedona Monsoon Safety Tips
- Plan hiking and outdoor activities earlier in the day when possible.
- Watch the sky as well as the weather forecast.
- Avoid creeks, washes and low-lying areas when thunderstorms are developing.
- Remember that rain upstream can affect a creek even when it is not raining where you are.
- Never walk or drive through flowing floodwater.
- If you hear thunder, seek shelter in a substantial building or enclosed vehicle.
- Check current Coconino National Forest alerts before heading into recreation areas.
Conditions can change quickly, so today’s plans may need to be different from yesterday’s.
What Else Can You Do If Swimming Is Not an Option?
A change in swimming plans does not have to change your Sedona vacation.
- Visit Crescent Moon and Red Rock Crossing for scenery and photography.
- Take a Guidance Air helicopter tour.
- Explore the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
- Visit Sedona galleries and shops.
- Book a spa or wellness experience.
- Enjoy lunch or dinner with a red-rock view.
- Take an early-morning hike in an open area.
- Plan an evening of stargazing or star bathing.
Sedona offers much more than any single swimming hole.
Sedona’s Best Tip
Crescent Moon at Red Rock Crossing is one of the best alternatives to consider while Slide Rock’s swimming area and the affected Oak Creek Canyon recreation sites are closed.
Go early, expect a $15 vehicle day-use fee unless you have the appropriate Coconino pass, and always check current weather and creek conditions before entering the water.
If monsoon weather changes your plans completely, consider seeing Sedona from above with Guidance Air or let Sedona’s Best help you discover another adventure. Use the Sedona’s Best AI Trip Planner to create a day around current conditions and your interests.
You Dream It. We Plan It.