Is Slide Rock Open? Oak Creek Closures and Where to Go Instead

Last updated: November 2, 2026

Sedona’s Best Quick Answer

Oak Creek flooded on November 1 and 2, 2026 after a major storm, and the canyon is largely shut as of the morning of November 2. ADOT has closed State Route 89A between Sedona and Kachina Village (mileposts 375 to 397) with no estimated reopening time, so there is no road through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Slide Rock State Park posted that it is closed on November 2 because of the highway closure. The Coconino National Forest says parts of the Red Rock Ranger District, including Oak Creek Canyon, are affected by severe flooding, with the Red Rock Ranger Visitor Center and many recreation sites closed. Sedona issued evacuation orders on November 1 for zones 8, 9 and 10 along the creek. West Fork Trail and the West Fork drainage, which were due to reopen November 1, are now closed through February 27, 2027. Stay out of Oak Creek: it ran above flood stage on November 1 and a 2,700 gallon sewage spill entered it near Bear Wallow Lane the same day. Check ADOT’s az511.gov, the park’s website and the forest alerts page before driving up, and read the section below for the detail.

Flooding Update: November 1 and 2, 2026

A regional storm on October 31 and November 1 put Oak Creek at Sedona above flood stage by the morning of November 1, according to the National Weather Service gauge, and the water did not begin to fall until that evening. Creekside streets, Rancho Sedona RV Park and the Villas at Poco Diablo were evacuated under orders for Sedona zones 8, 9 and 10, there were water rescues, and an emergency shelter opened. Yavapai County’s evacuation alert was still posted on the morning of November 2.

ADOT closed SR 89A through Oak Creek Canyon on the morning of November 1, between Sedona and Kachina Village, mileposts 375 to 397, and its 8:26 a.m. update on November 2 still listed it closed with no estimated reopening time. Parts of Interstate 17 closed the same day and reopened by mid-afternoon on November 1. With 89A shut there is no access to Slide Rock, Grasshopper Point, Manzanita, Call of the Canyon or any canyon site from Sedona; the drive to Flagstaff is by I-17 only.

Slide Rock State Park’s website says: “Due to flooding closing State Route 89A, Slide Rock State Park is closed today, November 2, 2026.” The park’s apple packing shed open houses for November 1 were cancelled. Call (928) 282-3034 before any visit this week.

The Coconino National Forest posted a November 2 alert that parts of the Red Rock Ranger District, including Oak Creek Canyon, are affected by severe flooding, that the Red Rock Ranger Visitor Center and many recreation sites are closed, and that visitors should avoid closed areas and use caution elsewhere. It has not listed the individual sites. On November 1 it also extended the West Fork closure through February 27, 2027 (Forest Order 03-04-00-26-09), for rockfall and flood debris hazards in the watershed burned by the Pocket Fire.

Water quality: heavy rain overwhelmed the Bear Wallow Pump Station on November 1 and an estimated 2,700 gallons of untreated sewage entered Oak Creek near 135 Bear Wallow Lane; the city said the station returned to normal around 11:15 a.m. and that sampling was not possible while the creek was high. This follows a separate spill on October 25 whose initial tests met recreational standards. Treat the creek as unsafe for wading or swimming until the city and the park say otherwise.

This page will be updated as the highway, the park and the forest sites reopen. The sections below describe the normal status of each site as of October and apply once the flooding closures are lifted.

Is Slide Rock State Park Open?

Not on November 2, 2026: the park is closed because flooding has closed State Route 89A, and it will reopen once ADOT reopens the highway and the park says so. Before the flood it was fully open; the swimming and sliding area reopened on September 17, 2026, in coordination with the revised Forest Service closure order for Oak Creek after the Pocket Fire.

In late September the park was not recommending swimming. Michelle Thompson, spokeswoman for Arizona State Parks and Trails, told the Sedona Red Rock News on September 24 that rain on September 16 had left “a lot of ash, some tree limbs, some just churned up dirt and remains from the Pocket Fire in the water,” and that water quality might not return to normal until spring. As of October 9 that caution is no longer posted on the park’s website, and its water quality page, which promises an alert at the top of the site after any exceedance, shows none. Use your own judgment after storms, when the creek runs cloudy.

Fall pricing is in effect through April 2027: $20 per vehicle for up to four people, plus $5 per additional person, children under 6 free, card strongly preferred. Park hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through November 20, with entry and the swim area closing at 5 p.m.; from November 21 the park runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pets are not allowed in the creek. Admission is by vehicle only through the entry station; no walk-ins, drop-offs or bicycles. There is no apple picking this fall.

Which Oak Creek Canyon Areas Are Still Closed?

Until the November 2026 flooding alert is lifted, assume every canyon recreation site is closed; the Forest Service has not published a site-by-site list. Before the flood, the Coconino National Forest had lifted its Oak Creek Temporary Area Closure on September 17, 2026. Grasshopper Point, Bootlegger, Encinoso, Halfway, Manzanita Campground and the creek itself are open. Grasshopper Point runs 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October 31 and 9 to 6 from November 1, $15 per vehicle.

What is still closed, and what just reopened:

• West Fork Trail No. 108 and the West Fork drainage: all forest land within 100 feet of the West Fork of Oak Creek, from Forest Road 231 east to the wilderness boundary, was closed through October 31, 2026 under Forest Order 03-04-00-26-007, and on November 1, 2026 the Forest Service extended the closure through February 27, 2027 under Forest Order 03-04-00-26-09, because of rockfall and flood debris hazards after the Pocket Fire. The order covers the trail and the drainage; it does not say whether the Call of the Canyon picnic site and parking lot are operating, so call the concessionaire, Coconino Hospitality, at (928) 203-0624 before driving up.
• Banjo Bill Picnic Site: closed under a separate rockfall and flooding order (03-04-06-25-01) that runs through January 27, 2027. This predates the fire.
• Pocket Fire trails: the closure order for Bear Sign, David Miller, Dry Creek, HS Canyon and Secret Canyon trails expired on September 30, 2026, and the Forest Service no longer lists them as closed. It has not announced a reopening, and it warns that trails in the burn area may be washed out and hard to follow. Forest Road 152 to the trailheads is rough, needs high clearance and four-wheel drive, and is not recommended in wet weather.

The Forest Service asks visitors to check the weather before swimming or recreating in the creek and warns that trails in the burn area may be washed out and hard to follow. 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.

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