Photo: Laika ac from UK / CC BY-SA 2.0

Fishing 4,389 ft Bortle 3 Solitude: 90/100 (remote)

The colorful collection of buttes, pinnacles, mesas and canyons surrounding Sedona is famous the world around for its red rock vistas. Over the years, this area has served as the setting of many western novels and movies and has been the subject of uncounted paintings, photographs and other works of art. The remains of ancient wetlands, these crimson cliffs have been carved by the forces of the desert into one of nature's most magnificent masterpieces. No matter what you do in Red Rock Country, you're always sightseeing. Ways to get even closer to all this scenery include: hiking, horseback riding, taking a scenic drive, sliding down a natural waterslide, picnicking, camping, taking lots of photos and fishing in Oak Creek. The Red Rock District includes some 160,000 acres of magnificent splendor. Some areas require a pass to park, so be sure to check out the information about our Red Rock Pass Program . Red Rock Recreation Guide [PDF] Get the scoop on the Red Rock Ranger District! Recreation Guide [PDF] Recreation Maps Red Rock Pass Information and find out where to get a Red Rock Pass Fee-free Days Road Status Forest Orders Red Rock Country Area Map Recreation activities for the Red Rock Ranger District shown in tables: Campgrounds Trails (A-J) Trails (K-Z) Wilderness Areas, Boating/Fishing Sites, Scenic Drives Picnic Areas, Archaeology Sites, Cabin Rentals and Additional Information

Near Sedona, AZ in Arizona

What to Pack for Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

Being properly equipped turns potential hazards into manageable situations.

This packing list is tailored to the Desert environment and Semi-Arid at Red Rock Ranger District.

Essential

Water (minimum 2L) — Dehydration impairs judgment and endurance long before you feel thirsty; 2L is the minimum for a moderate day hike.
Navigation (map/GPS/compass) — Phone batteries die, cell service disappears, and trail signs get vandalized; a paper map and compass always work.
Sun protection (sunglasses, sunscreen) — UV exposure intensifies at elevation and near reflective surfaces like water and snow; sunburn can happen in under 30 minutes.
First aid kit — Blisters, cuts, and sprains happen on even the easiest trails; basic supplies let you treat problems before they force a retreat.
Extra food — A wrong turn or unexpected storm can extend any outing by hours; extra calories prevent fatigue and poor decision-making.
Headlamp with extra batteries — Trails that seem short in daylight can take twice as long with route-finding or elevation; a headlamp keeps you moving safely after dark.
Fire starter — Hypothermia can set in even during summer at higher elevations; a reliable fire starter provides warmth and a signal for rescuers.
Emergency shelter (space blanket) — A space blanket weighs under two ounces and reflects up to 90% of body heat, buying time in an unplanned overnight.
Knife or multi-tool — From cutting cord to preparing food to improvising gear repairs, a knife is the most versatile tool you can carry.
Extra clothing layer — Mountain weather can shift from sunshine to sleet within an hour; an extra layer prevents dangerous heat loss.

Wildlife Gear

Hiking buddy (avoid solo) — Groups of three or more are almost never involved in serious bear incidents; larger groups make more noise and appear more intimidating.
Noise maker — Clapping, whistling, or using an air horn warns wildlife of your approach, preventing surprise encounters on blind corners.
Gaiters — Snake-proof gaiters provide a physical barrier against venomous bites below the knee, where most strikes occur.
First-aid snakebite kit — While evacuation to a hospital is the priority, a snakebite kit helps you stay calm and follow proper first-aid protocols.

Terrain Gear

Wide-brim hat — A wide brim shades your face, ears, and neck simultaneously, reducing UV exposure and lowering heat stroke risk.
Sunscreen SPF50+ — Reflected UV from water, sand, and snow can burn exposed skin even on overcast days; SPF50+ blocks 98% of UVB rays.
Extra water (desert) — Desert water sources are unreliable and often seasonal; carry all the water you need rather than counting on finding more.

Seasonal Gear

Spring: Camera, Wildflower field guide
Fall: Camera, Binoculars (foliage viewing)

Activities & Best Time to Visit Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

The Desert terrain here lends itself to a range of outdoor activities throughout the year.

The terrain here lends itself to backpacking, fishing, glamping — activities that match the Desert environment.

Photographers rate this area 55/100, with Good dark sky (Bortle 3) and 3 excellent meteor showers being a major draw.

Activities

backpacking — Carry your gear into the backcountry for multi-day hiking adventures.
fishing — Cast a line in lakes, rivers, or coastal waters in pursuit of local fish species.
glamping — Enjoy nature with upgraded comforts like furnished tents or cabins.
horseback_riding — Explore trails and open landscapes from the saddle.
ice_fishing — Drill through frozen lakes to fish beneath the ice during winter.
ice_skating — Glide across frozen ponds or maintained outdoor rinks during winter months.
photography — Capture landscapes, wildlife, and changing light across trails, coastlines, and mountain vistas.
picnicking — Spread a blanket, unpack a meal, and enjoy food outdoors surrounded by fresh air and open views.
rv_camping — Travel with the comforts of home while staying in campgrounds or RV parks.
sightseeing — Take in scenic overlooks, landmarks, and natural features at a relaxed pace.
walking — A simple way to explore trails, shorelines, and park paths at your own pace while taking in the scenery.
wildlife_viewing — Observe animals in their natural habitats, from grazing deer to soaring raptors overhead.

Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Terrain: Desert — Desert terrain features sparse vegetation, exposed soils, and wide temperature swings between day and night.

Wildlife Safety at Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

Part of visiting responsibly is understanding the wildlife safety considerations for this area.

The wildlife safety profile at Red Rock Ranger District includes venomous snakes — here's what to know about each.

Danger rating: 30/100 (based on terrain difficulty, wildlife presence, weather exposure, and remoteness) moderate

Mountain lions
Venomous snakes
Remote (100mi from city)

UV risk: extreme (Southern latitude (35N), Desert (exposed))

Photo score: 55/100

Good dark sky (Bortle 3)
3 excellent meteor showers
Fall foliage
Spring wildflowers

Venomous Snakes

Venomous snakes here include . They're most active during warm months.

Watch where you step and place hands
Stay on trails
Wear boots and long pants in snake country
Do not reach under rocks or logs
If bitten: stay calm, immobilize limb, seek medical help immediately
Do NOT: cut wound, suck venom, apply tourniquet, ice, or alcohol

Nature & Wildlife at Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

The Desert terrain here supports a rich ecosystem worth noticing as you explore.

The natural world around Red Rock Ranger District reflects its Desert setting — Southwestern Ponderosa Pine and Gambel Oak overhead, Arizona mariposa lily and Stansbury's Cliffrose at your feet, and wildlife throughout.

Trees (3)

Southwestern Ponderosa Pine — Needles grow in bundles of three and cluster toward branch tips.
Gambel Oak — The bark is gray and furrowed, while acorns develop singly or in small clusters.
white fir — Cones stand upright on upper branches and break apart at maturity.

Wildflowers (2)

Arizona mariposa lily — White to pale pink petals with deep purple markings.
Stansbury's Cliffrose — Evergreen shrub with finely divided gray-green leaves.

Other Plants (5)

Echinocereus bakeri
great mullein
quaking aspen
alligator juniper
western blue flag

Mammals (8)

Abert's Squirrel — A gray tree squirrel with distinctive long ear tufts in winter.
Mule Deer — A large deer with oversized mule-like ears and a black-tipped tail.
Gunnison's Prairie Dog — A stout, burrowing rodent with tan to brown fur and short tail.
Wapiti — Also known as elk, this large deer has a tan body with dark neck and pale rump patch.
Rock Squirrel — A large ground squirrel with mottled gray-brown fur and bushy tail.

Birds (30)

Red-winged Blackbird — Male black with red and yellow shoulder patch
House Sparrow — Male with gray crown and black bib
European Starling — Glossy black with iridescent green and purple sheen
Eurasian Collared-Dove — Pale gray-beige body
Dark-eyed Junco — Slate-gray form with white belly

Reptiles (5)

Plateau Fence Lizard — A medium lizard with spiny scales and gray to brown coloration.
Greater Short-horned Lizard — A stout-bodied lizard with short horns on the back of the head.
Western Terrestrial Garter Snake — A slender snake with longitudinal yellow or cream stripes over a dark brown, gray, or greenish body.
Gopher Snake — A large tan or yellowish snake with dark brown blotches along the back.
Ornate Tree Lizard — A small spiny lizard with gray to brown coloration and subtle patterning.

Amphibians (2)

American Bullfrog
Arizona Tree Frog

Insects (10)

Convergent Lady Beetle
Gray Buckeye
Carolina Grasshopper
White-lined Sphinx
Spotted Pine Sawyer

Fungi (1)

lobster mushroom

Other Wildlife (2)

Common Pill Woodlouse
Virile Crayfish

Nature Bingo at Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

Can you spot them all? Check off each species as you find it on your visit.

Wildlife Challenge

Common Raven (bird)
Abert's Squirrel (mammal)
Plateau Fence Lizard (reptile)
American Bullfrog (amphibian)
Southwestern Ponderosa Pine (plant)

Botany Challenge

Achnatherum Pinetorum
Aquilegia Coerulea Var. Pinetorum
Arabis Holboellii Var. Pinetorum
Asclepias Engelmanniana
Echinocereus Engelmannii
Almutaster

Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino Climate & Sun

Reference data: temperatures, precipitation, and daylight hours by month.

The climate at Red Rock Ranger District peaks for outdoor activity during May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, when temperatures average °F.

Climate type: Semi-Arid

Annual avg temp: 59.2°F

Annual precipitation: 15.4 in

With an average annual temperature of 59.2°F and 15.4 inches of precipitation, Red Rock Ranger District has mild, dry conditions. Summer highs average around 79°F, while winter lows drop to 42°F.

Best months to visit: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct.

Winter 42°

1.7"

Spring 56°

0.7"

Summer 79°

1.6"

Fall 61°

1.3"

Month	Avg Temp	Precip
Jan	42°F	1.7 in
Feb	45°F	1.7 in
Mar	50°F	1.6 in
Apr	56°F	0.7 in
May	64°F	0.5 in
Jun	74°F	0.2 in
Jul	79°F	1.6 in
Aug	77°F	2.3 in
Sep	71°F	1.5 in
Oct	61°F	1.3 in
Nov	50°F	0.9 in
Dec	42°F	1.4 in

Daylight & Sun Times

Daylight ranges from 9.8 hours in winter to 14.5 hours in summer — a difference of 4.7 hours.

Summer: 5:12 AM – 7:41 PM

Winter: 7:27 AM – 5:17 PM

Winter Solstice: Sunrise 7:27 AM, Sunset 5:17 PM Golden hour from 4:38 PM

Summer Solstice: Sunrise 5:12 AM, Sunset 7:41 PM Golden hour from 7:04 PM

Spring Equinox: Sunrise 6:39 AM, Sunset 6:33 PM Golden hour from 6:00 PM

Fall Equinox: Sunrise 6:09 AM, Sunset 6:35 PM Golden hour from 6:02 PM

Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino Trip Planning & Access

Here's the practical side of visiting Red Rock Ranger District.

Whether it's a day trip or weekend getaway from Phoenix, here's what visiting Red Rock Ranger District involves.

Nearest city: Phoenix (100 mi)

Estimated fuel cost: $24.95 (28 mpg, $3.5/gallon)

Carbon footprint: 80.6 kg CO2 (round trip by car)

Visitor Friendliness

This location rates likely_allowed for dogs, excellent for families, and highly_suitable for elderly visitors.

Dogs: likely_allowed — No restrictions found
Families: excellent
Elderly: highly_suitable
Strollers: excellent (100/100)
Beginners: Perfect for beginners (Easy difficulty - perfect for beginners (+20))
Accessibility: Generally accessible to most visitors (100/100)

Places Near Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

The area around Red Rock Ranger District has plenty more to offer.

The proximity of 14 other outdoor spots makes this area ideal for multi-day exploration.

Stargazing & Night Sky at Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

After a day outdoors, the evening sky here is worth a look.

Under the Bortle class 3 skies at Red Rock Ranger District, you can expect to see 2 major constellations and constellations and bright planets.

Bortle 3 Rural sky

Constellations

From Red Rock Ranger District, you can trace Ursa Minor, Cepheus across the sky on clear nights.

Ursa Minor — Home to Polaris, the North Star, Ursa Minor forms a small dipper shape that circles the northern sky year-round.
Cepheus — Cepheus appears as a faint house-shaped pattern near Polaris in the northern sky.

Meteor Showers

Time your visit around December 13-14 for the Geminids, the strongest meteor shower visible from this latitude.

Geminids — peaks December 13-14 (excellent)
One of the most reliable and active showers of the year; best viewed after 10 PM when Gemini rises higher in the sky.
Quadrantids — peaks January 3-4 (excellent)
This brief but intense shower peaks before dawn; early morning hours offer the best chance to see multiple meteors.
Perseids — peaks August 11-13 (excellent)
A summer favorite with warm nighttime viewing; look northeast after 10 PM.
Eta Aquariids — peaks May 5-6 (good)
Best seen before dawn in the southeastern sky as Aquarius rises.
Delta Aquariids — peaks July 28-29 (fair)
Best viewed after midnight when Aquarius is higher in the southern sky.

Planets

Planets visible to the naked eye from this location:

Venus — The brightest planet, often called the Morning or Evening Star
Jupiter — The largest planet, bright and steady in the night sky
Saturn — Famous for its rings, visible as a golden steady light
Mars — The Red Planet, recognizable by its reddish-orange hue

Equipment Guide

Naked eye: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Mercury (with care)
Binoculars: Jupiter moons, Uranus, Saturn rings (barely)
Small telescope: Saturn rings, Jupiter bands, Mars surface features, Neptune

Viewing Tips

Check planets rise/set times for your specific date
Planets appear along the ecliptic (zodiac path)
Planets don't twinkle like stars - steady light
Venus and Jupiter are unmistakable - brightest objects after Moon
Use a stargazing app to confirm planet positions
Best viewing: when planet is highest in sky (transit)

Best Viewing Months

Evening: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
Morning: Jul, Aug, Sep

Seasonal Highlights at Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

The time of year you visit changes what you'll see and do.

Knowing what each season brings helps you plan the best possible visit to Red Rock Ranger District.

Spring Wildflowers

Peak bloom: March - April

Check local park websites for bloom reports

Fall Foliage

Peak color: October 15 – November 5

Best trees for color: Maple, Oak, Aspen

Higher elevations peak 1-2 weeks earlier

Bird Migration

Spring peak: March - April

Fall peak: October - November

Best spots: Wetlands, coastlines, mountain ridges

Indigenous Land at Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino

Before planning your trip, it's worth recognizing the Indigenous peoples connected to this land.

For thousands of years, this land has been cared for by Hopitutskwa, Pueblos, Ndee/Nnēē: (Western Apache) and their ancestors.

Territories

Languages

Indigenous languages connected to this territory include Dilzhę́’é (North), Hopilavayi.

Data from Native Land Digital

Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino Geology & Natural History

Beyond the trails and wildlife, Red Rock Ranger District sits within a landscape shaped by millions of years of geological processes. Here's what researchers and surveys have documented about this area.

Bedrock Geology

Rock Type: Pliocene to late Miocene basaltic rocks
Lithology: Major:{basalt}
Age: Neogene

Fossils

Fossil Occurrences: 5
Unique Species: 5
Oldest: 283.3 million years ago

Mineral Deposits

Deposit Sites: 26
Richness: Moderate
Minerals Found: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Volcanic Materials, Pumice, Stone, Crushed/Broken

Endangered Species

Species at Risk: 1478
ESA Endangered: 29
ESA Threatened: 16
Conservation Score: 100/100

Temperature Records

Record High: 114°F (2005-07-18)
Record Low: -35°F (1979-01-30)

Wildfire History

This area has a relatively low wildfire risk, but always follow posted fire regulations.

Recorded Fires: 100
Largest Fire: Snake Ridge (15,333.3 acres)
Most Recent: 2024
Fire Risk: Extreme

Watershed

Watershed: Lower Woods Canyon
Water Quality (Good): 0%
Impaired: 0%

Reported Phenomena

UFO Sightings: 63 (NUFORC)
Bigfoot Reports: 2 (BFRO)
Eeriness Score: 46/100

Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino Safety & Conditions

The weather data above tells you what's typical — these links tell you what's happening right now.

Safety starts with current information. These resources cover real-time conditions near Red Rock Ranger District.

Flood zone: Not in a flood zone

Nearest weather station: SEDONA 0.4 SSW, AZ US (1 mi)