Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive (AZ-89A)
AZ-89A north of Sedona is the marquee drive of the entire region — a 14-mile climb up the floor of Oak Creek Canyon, past Slide Rock and the West Fork trailhead, ending at the Oak Creek Vista overlook on the rim 2,000 feet above where you started. Allow two to three hours round-trip with pull-offs; in autumn add another hour.
What it is
Oak Creek Canyon is a 12-mile river gorge cut by Oak Creek through the Mogollon Rim — the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau. AZ-89A follows the canyon floor for the first nine miles, then climbs the eastern wall in a series of tight switchbacks to reach the rim at 6,400 feet. The route was carved as a wagon road in 1914, paved in 1938, and is now a designated Arizona Scenic Byway. The canyon walls are sandstone and basalt; the floor is shaded by Arizona sycamore, Fremont cottonwood, and ponderosa pine.
Why drive it
Because the canyon is genuinely different from the red-rock country south of Sedona — cooler, greener, more forested, and tightly enclosed in a way that surprises first-time visitors who associate Sedona only with open desert. The drive works in every season. Spring brings the sycamores back in pale green. Summer is shady and 10°F cooler than town — the obvious midday escape. Autumn (late October through early November) lights the canyon in bigtooth maple red and cottonwood gold — the single most photogenic two weeks of the Arizona calendar. Winter occasionally dusts the upper canyon in snow against the red rock; January and February drives on a clear morning are deeply quiet.
Best pull-offs (north-bound)
- Midgley Bridge (mile 2) — concrete arch over Wilson Canyon; small lot, big view.
- Encinoso Picnic Area (mile 7) — proper paved parking, picnic tables, easy creek access; our lunch pick.
- Slide Rock State Park (mile 7) — entry fee, but worth a half-day on its own.
- West Fork Trailhead (mile 10) — $11 parking, gateway to the canyon\'s best hike.
- Oak Creek Vista (mile 14) — the iconic overlook back down the canyon; free, paved lot, Native American jewelry vendors, restrooms.
Practical tips
The switchbacks above mile 11 are tight — RVs and trailers should attempt them only with confidence (the climb back is the easier direction). Sunrise drives up the canyon are gorgeous; sunset drives down face directly into the setting sun and are not recommended. Pack water and a layer — the rim is 25°F cooler than the canyon floor in winter.
Stay nearby
The entire canyon is a 5-to-30-minute drive from our properties. Browse Sedona Haven Rentals rentals for a base in West Sedona or Uptown — both put the canyon drive at your doorstep. For the latest Forest Service trailhead status, see Visit Sedona.
