Slide Rock State Park was originally the Pendley Homestead, a 43-acre historic apple farm in Oak Creek Canyon. There are a few easy hiking trails within the park that will fit the bill for your family to explore nature and wildlife in this unique part of the country.
This trail, roughly 0.25 miles, makes for an easy walk. It takes visitors through a portion of the Pendley Homestead, where you can see apple orchards, an apple-packing barn, and beautiful views of Oak Creek Canyon.
The Slide Rock Route, slightly more difficult, traverses 0.30 miles along Oak Creek. Hikers can stop to swim at the natural water slide or bask in the sun on the flat, open rocks.
For scenic views of the Slide Rock swim area, follow the Clifftop Nature Trail, which extends for about 0.25 miles beginning near the apple barn. It's another excellent way to get close to nature and take in the stunning scenery.
After you've had the chance to hike the trails and swim in one of America's top ten swimming holes, you and your family will find plenty of other activities in and around your Slide Rock State Park cabins. Add fishing, exploring scenic Sedona, and learning about the area's cliff dwellings to your family's vacation agenda.
Oak Creek is stocked with rainbow trout, any fisherman's dream! If you enjoy angling, head on over to the creek during fishing season to try your hand at catching one of these beauties. Be sure to get the appropriate license before you go.
A trip to this area wouldn't be complete without checking out all that Sedona has to offer. Visit Bell Rock, go shopping at one of many boutique stores downtown or in Oak Creek, and tour the Chapel of the Holy Cross perched above the city.
Finally, take an exciting off-road Jeep tour into the backcountry to explore red rock butte formations and local flora. Stop at the 700-year-old Honanki Heritage Site, where the Sinagua people once resided in fascinating cliff dwellings built into the rock.