Oak Creek Canyon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oak Creek Canyon |
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South view, from above north terminus (Coconino Plateau)
Coconino Sandstone cliffs above Hermit Formation, on west canyon wall |
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 Oak Creek Canyon
Location in Arizona
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| Length | 12 miles (19 km) North–South |
| Width | 0.8 to 2.5 miles (1.3 to 4.0 km) |
| Geography | |
| Traversed by | Arizona State Route 89A |
| Rivers | Oak Creek |
Oak Creek Canyon is a beautiful river gorge found in northern Arizona. It sits between the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona. Many people say it's like a smaller, but still amazing, version of the Grand Canyon because it's so pretty. A road called State Route 89A goes into the canyon from the north. It has lots of curvy turns, then follows the bottom of the canyon for about 13 miles (21 km) until it reaches the town of Sedona.
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Exploring Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon is about 12 miles (19 km) long. Its width changes from about 0.8 to 2.5 miles (1.3 to 4.0 km). The canyon is also quite deep, ranging from 800 to 2,000 feet (240 to 610 m). Imagine a tall building; this canyon is much deeper! Interestingly, one side of the canyon is higher than the other. The west rim is about 700 feet (210 m) taller than the east rim. This happened because of something called a fault, which is like a crack in the Earth's crust. The west rim is usually around 7,200 feet (2,200 m) high, while the east rim is about 6,500 feet (2,000 m).
The Oak Creek Stream
Oak Creek is a stream that flows at the bottom of the canyon. It's special because it's one of the few streams that flows all year long in the high desert area of northern Arizona. Oak Creek helped carve out the canyon we see today. Also, a long crack in the Earth, called the Oak Creek Fault, played a big part in shaping it. This fault is about 30-mile (48 km) long.
Oak Creek continues past Sedona into more open land. It winds through towns like Page Springs and Cornville. Finally, it joins the Verde River about 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Cottonwood. In 2006, a wildfire called the "Brins Fire" affected the southern part of the canyon near Slide Rock State Park.
How Oak Creek Canyon Formed
Scientists believe that an older version of Oak Creek Canyon started forming about eight to ten million years ago. This happened along the Oak Creek Fault. Later, this old canyon filled up with gravel and layers of lava from volcanoes. This was about 6 to 8 million years ago.
Then, the Oak Creek Fault became active again. The modern Oak Creek Canyon began to form as the Oak Creek stream slowly carved away the land. Because of how the fault moved, the west rim of the canyon ended up being about 700 feet (210 meters) higher than the east rim.
The amazing walls of the canyon are mostly made of old sedimentary rocks. These are rocks formed from layers of sand and mud over millions of years. You can see different types of rock layers. For example, the red sandstone of the Schnebly Hill Formation is very common in the southern part of the canyon. The youngest rocks you can see are layers of basalt lava, which formed the east rim. The newest of these lava layers is about 6 million years old.
Fun Things to Do
Oak Creek Canyon is part of the Coconino National Forest. Some areas of the canyon are protected as part of the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness. The United States Forest Service has places for camping, picnics, and other fun activities in the canyon.
Slide Rock State Park is a popular spot with a natural water slide in Oak Creek. You can also go swimming and fishing in Oak Creek. There are 49 miles of the creek where you can fish for different types of trout, bass, and catfish.
Hiking is another popular activity. Many trails lead into smaller side canyons or up to the canyon rim. The trail that goes about 3 miles (4.8 km) up the West Fork of Oak Creek is the most popular trail in the Coconino National Forest. This side canyon is about 14-mile (23 km) long and very narrow.
The 2014 Slide Fire
On May 20, 2014, a wildfire started just north of Slide Rock State Park. This fire was called the "Slide Fire." Firefighters worked hard, and the fire was completely put out by June 4, 2014. It had burned about 21,227 acres of land. Over 1,230 firefighters, 50 crews, 29 engines, and 9 helicopters helped fight the blaze.
After the fire, the Sedona Fire District put up nine outdoor warning sirens throughout the canyon. These sirens are used to warn people about emergencies like wildfires, flash floods, or severe weather. The siren system is tested every year during the summer months.
