Slide Rock State Park, State park and historic district in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona.
Slide Rock State Park is a state park in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona, known for its natural water slide carved through red sandstone bedrock. The creek flows over these smooth rocks, forming a series of pools and chutes surrounded by tall canyon walls and cottonwood trees.
Frank Pendley claimed the land as a homestead in 1910 and planted apple trees along the creek. His family built an irrigation system and several structures, some of which remain standing today as a historic district.
The site takes its name from the smooth red sandstone slabs where visitors slide down through the flowing creek water. Families spend warm afternoons here, wading in the natural pools and sunbathing on the flat rock ledges along the banks.
Access is via Highway 89A, which winds through the canyon and provides parking near the entrance. The best months for swimming are May through September, when the water is warm enough and shade under the trees offers relief on hot days.
The apple trees in the historic orchard still bear fruit each year, harvested in autumn and sold on-site. The old irrigation ditches from the early 1900s continue to function, channeling water to the trees along the valley floor.
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