Classic Red Rock Beauty
This campground is a gem. Stunning beauty and fun adventures right outside your tent flaps!
photo: starting out on the Sterling Pass trail
Rating: 9/10
Getting there: This campground is about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Tempe, AZ, located in the Coconico National Forest. From the Phoenix area, head up I-17, then take 179 west to Sedona. At the “T” turn right toward Flagstaff on 89A, which takes you through the stunning Oak Creek Canyon. In about 15 minutes, you’ll be at Manzanita Campground. It’s easy to miss. If you are coming from Sedona, at about 6 miles out of town, look for the small Manzanita Campground sign on the left and the entrance on the right.
Amenities: 19 sites, picnic tables, fire rings, toilets, drinking water, camp host sells firewood for $6/bundle.
photo, below: many of the sites (esp. #11-16) are right next to the creek
What I like most: Oak Creek is a stone’s throw away. There are beautiful and easy to use wading & splashing areas right at the campground. Also, there is a great diversity of nature here—all different kinds of trees, bushes, dirt, sand, rocks, boulders, etc. That means hours of fun for the little explorers, and it is a delight for parents and adults, too. The campground is small and RVs are not permitted, giving it a more rustic feel, which I like. Finally, several fantastic hikes and day trips are very close by (see “Excursions and Hikes” below). This is simply a wonderful place to be—sitting and staring at the sky or taking a hike.
Photo: I can’t imagine a more perfect place to splash and play. Depths from ankles to belly button make it fun for everyone.
Shortcomings: Hwy 89A runs right past the campground. There is a steady stream (no pun intended…) of cars and trucks all day, which can be loud at times. Also, close traffic is always a concern for parents (this is more of an issue for the campsites on the west half of the campground (sites #1-7).
My favorite sites: # 11 & 12 seemed the best to me, as they are the absolute closest to the creek, and at the edge of the campground, therefore a bit more spacious.
Notes: You can reserve sites 9 – 19 (the creekside sites) at ReserveAmerica.com. Do it far in advance, as they fill up fast for most of the year. (See link below.) Sites 1-7 are first come, first serve (“walk in”). (Camp host takes site #8.) As you may imagine, you need to get there mid-week to get a walk in site in the peak season (May-Oct). Cost is a bit steep at $18/night
photo: Lots of big rocks and this excellent boulder (behind site #7) for climbing.
Excursions and hikes: West Fork Trail and Slide Rock State Park are both within a few minutes drive (see links below), are fantastically beautiful, and are good for little kids.
There is abundant information and opinions about Slide Rock. It is unbelievably crowded on weekends in the summer, so get there right when the park opens if that’s when you have to go. Despite the crowds, I still find it beautiful. The “slide” part of Slide rock is great fun too, but don’t wear your best swimsuit–all swimwear gets trashed from scraping on the rocks. Also, it’s super slippery where sheets of the water run over the flat rocks (great for sliding, not for walking). Step lightly, wear water shoes if you can.
Sterling Pass Trail (to Vultee Arch) starts right at the campground and I’d say it’s ok for five y.o. kids and up.
For Sterling Pass trail, follow the path between sites #7 and 19, at the north end of the campground. You soon come to a “Y”, veer left up to the road (89). Across the road, and north a bit, you’ll see a little trailhead sign and the trail picks up. Crossing the road is a bit dicey as there is no shoulder, so use caution. Immediately on the other side of hwy 89 the trail starts to climb. It continues up and there are a few places where one slip could result in serious injury–no big deal for an adult, but I was a bit nervous with my five year old. After about 5-10 minutes, though, the climbing mellows and so does the cliff. Sterling Pass trail is very beautiful and striking–definitely worth doing even if you can’t go the whole way.
Sterling Pass trail info: http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/sedona/vultee_arch_trail.html
West Fork trail info: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/westfork-tr.shtml
Slide Rock State Park info: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/slide-rock-pic.shtml
Good webpages for more info: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/manzanita-camp.shtml
and http://www.camparizona.com/Campsites/FlagstaffCampsites/Manzanita.htm
For Manzanita campground reservations: http://www.reserveamerica.com/?topTabIndex=Home
