There is no kayaking or paddleboarding in Sedona itself. Oak Creek is a shallow, tree-choked creek most of the year. The trips sold as “Sedona kayaking” happen on the Verde River in Clarkdale and Cottonwood, 20 to 30 minutes southwest of town, where three outfitters run guided floats and self-guided rentals year round. For a lake, the closest rentals are at Lynx, Watson and Willow lakes near Prescott, roughly 90 minutes away, and at Lake Pleasant north of Phoenix. Plan on half a day and check Sedona weather by month first.
Where to Paddle
Verde River Greenway, Clarkdale to Cottonwood
This is the stretch every local outfitter uses. The Verde River Greenway State Natural Area, a unit of Dead Horse Ranch State Park, protects 35 river miles of cottonwood and willow forest, and Friends of the Verde River publishes paddle maps of the access points between Lower TAPCO in Clarkdale and Beasley Flat below Camp Verde. The standard commercial run is Lower TAPCO to the Tuzigoot access point, about 3.5 miles and two hours of Class I and II riffles between calm pools. There is no real whitewater, so outfitters take kids as young as 5. The Tuzigoot River Access Point charges $10 per vehicle if you bring your own boat.
Dead Horse Ranch State Park lagoons
The park in Cottonwood has three fishing lagoons; the two at the Los Alamos day use area cover about 16 surface acres and have a dock and boat ramp. Rules are strict: no motors, Coast Guard approved boats only, life jackets worn, and no swimming, wading or stand-up paddleboards. The park rents nothing. Entry is $10 per vehicle for one person or $20 for two to four, and gates close at dark.
Camp Verde: White Bridge to Beasley Flat
The Prescott National Forest calls White Bridge, across Highway 260 from the Verde Ranger Station, the most popular launch for a nine-mile float to Beasley Flat; Black Canyon to Bignotti is a shorter smooth-water option. Below Beasley Flat the river turns Wild and Scenic and is recommended only for experienced boaters. No outfitter serves this section; bring your own boats and a second car.
Oak Creek
Oak Creek is a whitewater creek, not a rental river. American Whitewater rates the Sedona to Red Rock Crossing run Class II to III+, runnable only between roughly 300 and 1,000 cfs, which happens for a few days after big storms or snowmelt. Strainers and log jams line the whole run and private driveway culverts act as low-head dams. Red Rock State Park, which some older guides list as a launch, has no reservoir and prohibits swimming.
Lakes within about 90 minutes
- Lynx Lake, Prescott National Forest. Electric or 10 hp motors only, $5 per vehicle, free Wednesdays, open year round. Lynx Lake Store and Marina rents boats seasonally, and Prescott Outdoors now rents exclusively here: solo kayak $25 first hour or $80 a day, tandem or canoe $35 or $95, paddleboard $20 or $80.
- Watson and Willow lakes, Prescott. City lakes in the Granite Dells with boat launches, $5 parking and no swimming; Willow bans gasoline motors. Born To Be Wild Adventures delivers kayaks, paddleboards and canoes to both lakes year round, weather permitting.
- Lake Pleasant, Peoria. Entry is $10 per vehicle plus $3 for a non-motorized boat. Scorpion Bay Marina rents kayaks by the half or full day. Go Paddle AZ at Pleasant Harbor closed August 31, 2026.
Outfitters and Rentals
OAC Tours (Outdoor Adventure Centers), 551 N Main Street, Cottonwood, (602) 834-5034. Guided inflatable kayak tours run year round from $91 for two hours on the Lower TAPCO to Tuzigoot stretch, ages 5 and up. Self-guided kayak rentals with shuttle start at $75 single or $120 tandem, paddleboard tours from $95 (ages 13 and up), tubes from $20, and Kayak to Cocktails with wine tasting in Old Town Cottonwood is $120 (21 and up). A Polar Bear Float with wetsuits runs November through February. Four people are needed to launch.
Clarkdale Kayak Company, 900 Main Street, Clarkdale, 928-634-0334. Trips begin and end in downtown Clarkdale and run about 2.5 hours. The self-guided kayak adventure and the scenic guided tour are each $74.50, and Paddles to Pints ($117, 21 and up) adds two pints or a flight at Smelter Town Brewing. Hours are not posted; check the site.
Verde Adventures by Sedona Adventure Tours, 3445 S Grapevine Way, Cottonwood, (610) 421-9878, next to Alcantara Vineyard. Its signature Water to Wine tour is a guided inflatable kayak float that ends at the vineyard for a tasting; the company also books tubing, rafting and self-guided river trips. Prices appear only in its online booking calendar.
Season and Safety
- Water levels. Check the USGS gauge Verde River near Clarkdale (09504000) before any self-guided trip. Friends of the Verde River warns that flow, obstacles and overgrowth change daily, and the Forest Service says never paddle during flood events.
- Monsoon. July through September storms can raise the river in minutes and bring lightning; outfitters float rain or shine but cancel for unsafe flows.
- Heat. Verde Valley summers top 100 degrees and the launches have little shade. Take the earliest departure, carry extra water and cover up.
- Cold. Winter floats run, but the water is cold; OAC supplies wetsuits, booties and gloves on its winter trips.
- Life jackets. Every outfitter includes one, and Dead Horse Ranch requires them worn in the lagoons.
- Shuttles. Outfitter trips include the shuttle. On your own, leave a car at the takeout.
Good to Know
- Allow about three hours from check in to return shuttle for a two-hour float.
- Paddleboards are fine on the river (OAC runs SUP tours) but banned in the Dead Horse Ranch lagoons.
- Tuzigoot National Monument sits above the takeout; entry is $10 per adult.
- Pair a morning paddle with one of the best Sedona hikes or browse more things to do in Sedona for the afternoon.
Facts checked October 2026.
Keep exploring: best hikes in Sedona · Sedona, Arizona guide
