Arizona · Rock climbing · Oak Creek Canyon · Near Kachina Village

Oak Creek Canyon

Oak Creek CanyonPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
15 routes
5.8- – 5.13b
Trad · Sport
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 21 h ago

Is Oak Creek Canyon open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Coconino National Forest. It doesn't name Oak Creek Canyon, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Coconino National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Oak Creek Canyon is a climbing area in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness, part of the Red Rock Ranger District of Coconino National Forest in Arizona. The Forest Service manages the land, and the canyon sits within designated wilderness, which sets it apart as a backcountry destination rather than a developed recreation area. The climbing here is a mix of trad and sport routes, with 15 routes in total. The grades run from 5.8- up to 5.13b, and the median is 5.11+. Among the named routes are Jason and the Astronauts (5.8- trad), The Golden Sweater (5.11 trad) and The Center of Singularity (5.13b sport). The Coke Wall Area lies about a mile away for more climbing. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show May highs around 78°F and October highs around 74°F, while July highs reach about 90°F. Several other destinations sit close by. Sterling Pass #46 is a hike about 0.3 miles away, and Slide Rock Trail is about 0.6 miles off. Manzanita campground is about 0.7 miles away, and Oak Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 1.1 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Manzanita.

    Campground

    Sites open the weekend of Dec 4 on Recreation.gov
  • Eat after

    Chipotle

    Fast food

    Open after 6

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Kachina Village
  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit Oak Creek Canyon

    Best months: March–May and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      54° / 30°

    2. Feb

      57° / 31°

    3. Mar

      64° / 35°

    4. Apr

      70° / 39°

    5. May

      78° / 46°

    6. Jun

      88° / 54°

    7. Jul

      90° / 61°

    8. Aug

      88° / 60°

    9. Sep

      84° / 54°

    10. Oct

      74° / 44°

    11. Nov

      63° / 36°

    12. Dec

      53° / 30°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Oak Creek Canyon, AZ, 1.5 mi away at 5,118 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Oak Creek Temporary Area Closure

      Coconino National Forest · Order dated July 31, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 25, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Sedona/ Oak Creek Canyon Camping and Campfire Restrictions

      Red Rock Ranger District · Order dated January 24, 2023; seen Aug 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

Routes (15)

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Sterling PassPhoto: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sterling Pass

Next door

Sterling Pass in Arizona has 13 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades, offering sport and trad styles.

The Coke Wall AreaPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Coke Wall Area

~2 min drive

Coke Wall Area, The in Arizona has 1 climbing route with mixed protection.

The Left WallPhoto: Joe Stringer; Coconino National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Left Wall

~2 min drive

The Left Wall in Arizona has 51 climbing routes on 18 difficulty grades.

The Main Amphitheater- Fall WallPhoto: Joe Stringer; Coconino National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Main Amphitheater- Fall Wall

~2 min drive

29 trad routes in Arizona ranging across 15 difficulty grades.

The Right WallPhoto: Annemari Romero; Coconino National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Right Wall

~2 min drive

The Right Wall in Arizona has 43 climbing routes with sport and trad options.

The Double Clutching WallPhoto: Joe Stringer; Coconino National Forest, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Double Clutching Wall

~2 min drive

The Double Clutching Wall in Arizona has 17 routes with 9 difficulty grades.

Tomahawk TowerPhoto: Coconino NF Photography, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tomahawk Tower

~4 min drive

Tomahawk Tower in Arizona has 5 climbing routes across 4 grades, offering mixed and traditional climbing.

Mormon CanyonPhoto: Coconino NF Photography, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mormon Canyon

~4 min drive

Mormon Canyon in Arizona has 25 trad routes across 13 difficulty grades.

Wilson CavePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Wilson Cave

~4 min drive

Wilson Cave in Arizona has 5 sport climbing routes across 4 difficulty grades.

Super Crack TowerPhoto: On^ste82, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Super Crack Tower

~4 min drive

Super Crack Tower in Arizona has 19 climbing routes across 14 grades.