From picnic benches to river dips, seemingly endless hiking trails to iconic landscape photo locations, Sedona's Crescent Moon State Park is a must-visit spot while traveling to Sedona, AZ. Why? You can do every outdoor activity here while visually feasting on Cathedral Rocks. If you don't believe me, keep reading and you'll understand.
Photography, Sunset Is Best
If you are a photographer or just love snapping iPhone photos in pretty places to show your friends later, make sure to visit Crescent Moon State Park around sunset. If you have an evening with minimal cloud coverage, from the river located in the middle of the park, you can watch the nightly light show on Cathedral Rocks. This natural display of light changes the rock from red to a glowing orange, sometimes pink with the right conditions.
Hiking
Few know that Crescent Moon State Park has great hiking because most come for the river and rarely explore beyond the riverbank. However, this trailhead is a great place to start several hikes, all with stellar views of Cathedral Rocks. The most popular hike is a 2-mile out-and-back called Crescent Moon Ranch. You can bring your dog on this trail and it is also a perfect beginner trail running route as it only gains 50 vertical feet.
Riverside Picnic
Crescent Moon State Park is most known for being the perfect picnic spot in Sedona. Why? If you want to spend all day in a kid-friendly location, this is your spot. With picnic benches and large grass areas, you can let the kids run free while keeping a close eye on them. If the temperatures are hot, you walk as a group to the water and take a dip. Looking to stay riverside all day? Not a problem, there are tons of places where you can set out chairs and blankets for a full day at the river.
Swimming In The River On Hot Days
Sedona can get hot, especially on summer days. So, it's paramount that you know where to cool down. If you didn't already know, Crescent Moon State Park is your answer to that. While you do need to pay, between $5-15 to access the park, you can enjoy this swimming hole on hot days. Since Sedona is a desert, there are few places you can access water, so Crescent Moon State Park will be your best spot.