Pictures courtesy of the Coconino National Forest -Manzanita Campground.
Campground Overview:
Manzanita Campground is located along the shores of the Oak Creek, north of Sedona, AZ on the Coconino National Forest. Add spectacular scenery, clear water swimming holes, picturesque hiking trails and excellent wildlife watching (in other words the standard amenities of Oak Creek Canyon) and it should come as no surprise that these pieces of recreational real estate are in high demand. The decor at Manzanita Campground is Arizona ash and box elders, gravel beaches and stream-bed boulders. The creek is regularly stocked with trout. Colorful songbirds add a flash of brilliance to the trees.
Campsites:
The campground is very easy to access and has paved parking. It is made up of 18 single-family campsites that are fairly close together. Each site has a picnic table, campfire ring and grill. A campground host is available for visitor assistance. Firewood can be purchased on-site. Manzanita Campground and the surrounding Oak Creek Canyon is a very crowded and popular recreation area, especially on weekends and holidays. Plan on reserving a campsite months in advance or plan your trip during the week.
From Phoenix, take I-17 north to Exit 298 for Highway 179. Take 179 north to Sedona. Turn right (north) onto Highway 89A in Oak Creek Canyon and travel 6 miles to the campground.
From Flagstaff, take I-17 south and exit for Highway 89A toward Sedona. Travel 23 miles south on 89A (a winding mountain road) into Oak Creek Canyon. The campground is located just south of Slide Rock State Park.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Developed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Flagstaff |
Fishing: |
Oak Creek |
Campground Website: |
Manzanita Campground |
Campground Map: |
Click Here |
Reservations: |
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Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
Oak Creek Canyon and Red Rock Country is one of the most popular tourists’ sites in the United States. Home to some of the most photographed natural formations, like Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock, and featured in numerous movies, Red Rock Country is bound to leave you amazed and in awe. Numerous buttes and mesas dot the area.
Part of the Coconino National Forest, one of most popular recreational activities in Red Rock Country is Hiking. This collection of cliffs, buttes, and canyons has to rank as one of nature’s most magnificent masterpieces.
It certainly is one of the most colorful. Red is the predominant hue here among these 43,950 acres of wind and water sculpted pinnacles, windows, arches, and slot canyons. The area is criss-crossed with trails that take you everywhere from the deepest gorges to the most prominent panoramas. Along these pleasant paths you’ll discover wonders made both by nature and by some of the area’s earliest human inhabitants. The Honanki and Palatki Heritage Sites or the Tuzigoot or Montezuma Castle National Monuments to name a few. Explore the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness right from your campsite. Watch the canyon walls and high cliffs for rock art and abandoned dwellings as diligently you keep an eye to the horizons for vistas and breathtaking overlooks. (Click here for Red Rock Country Recreation Maps)
Red Rock State Park is a 286 acre nature preserve and environmental education center with stunning scenery. Trails throughout the park wind through manzanita and juniper to reach the rich banks of Oak Creek. Green meadows are framed by native vegetation and hills of red rock. The creek meanders through the park, creating a diverse riparian habitat abounding with plants and wildlife. This riparian habitat provides the setting and the opportunity for the park to offer a focus on environmental education.
Slide Rock State Park, originally the Pendley Homestead, is a 43-acre historic apple farm located in Oak Creek Canyon. Frank L. Pendley, having arrived in the canyon in 1907, formally acquired the land under the Homestead Act in 1910. Due to his pioneering innovation, he succeeded where others failed by establishing a unique irrigation system still in use by the park today. This allowed Pendley to plant his first apple orchard in 1912, beginning the pattern of agricultural development that has dominated the site since that time. Pendley also grew garden produce and kept some livestock. Todays visitors can still enjoy the fruits of Pendley’s labor. Historic cabins are available for viewing, and the creek offers the park’s namesake slide for adventures seekers and those looking for a place to cool off.
Sedona, AZ once nicknamed “Arizona’s Little Hollywood”, was very popular among filmmakers in the golden era of western movies. The town was frequented by John Wayne, Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford and even Elvis Presley. Today, Sedona is a vibrant city offering all urban amenities in the midst of scenic wilderness that surrounds it, and is home to several annual cultural events. There are several art galleries with unique art pieces, ranging from Native American art to modern ones. All these combine with mild climate to make Sedona a very popular tourist destination.
Nearby Campgrounds:
Campground full or want to see what’s around? Try one of these campgrounds located nearby
