Swimming & Cliff Jumping
Welcome to Sedona!
We’ve featured our TOP 3 favorite swimming holes in the Sedona area on the following criteria:
Natural beauty - We definitely wouldn’t send you to an ugly place ;)
High adventure factor - All three spots are fairly remote, require a short hike in to find the location and feature both swimming and cliff jumping.
Usually not too overrun with tourists - Screaming kids and loud families kill the vibe—we’re going to steer you away from those places (hint: stay away from Slide Rock State Park).
Without further ado, here’s our list below!
#1 - Fossil Creek
You Definitely Want to See This Place
With a half day’s block of time and some advance preparation, you can find a crystal clear swimming and cliff jumping paradise roughly 50 mi. south of Sedona (120 mi. north of Phoenix). We’ll let the pictures do the talking…
Trip Prep—Reserving Your Permit and Making the Journey
Reserving your permit is the most important part of your Fossil Creek trip prep. Between April 1 - October 1, rangers check permits at the entrance to the parking lot area—you won’t be able to pass through without one.
What’s with the Permits?
Be thankful for the permit system. It was introduced to cut down on heavy overcrowding and trash buildup at this beautiful site. With small parking areas, it also ensures that you’ll be guaranteed a parking spot when you set a full day aside to head out there. Your former odds would have been a coin flip’s chance of either turning around or making a long, dangerous hike in the heat.
Photo: Courtesy via Recreation.gov | A screenshot of available permits, taken in early July. Weekend spots fill quickly and require some diligence; mid-week spots are much easier to come by.
How Do I Apply?
Log on to Recreation.gov to reserve your permit online—it’s an easy first-come, first-serve system.
Reservations become available on the 1st of each month for all dates in the following month. For example, you can book your permit starting June 1st for all dates in the month of July.
Permits are given out as parking spots (1 permit = 1 vehicle). That said, the permit holder can have as many guests as he has seatbelts in his car.
Is It Hard to Get a Reservation?
It’s not as hard as you’d think.
Of course weekend passes go quickly, so if that’s the only time you can visit, you’ll want to lock one down early on the first day it becomes available.
If you have any flexibility to visit during the week itself, you shouldn’t have any problems reserving a spot, even on last-minute basis.
Selecting the Right Parking Lot
For either of the two cliff jumping areas featured below, you’ll want to get a spot at 1) the Waterfall Trailhead lot, 2) the Irving/Flume lot or 3) the Tonto Bench lot. The Waterfall Trailhead lot is the closest—select that option if it’s available.
If you’re going to the Upper Springs/Toilet Bowl area, the Fossil Springs parking lot is closest, but can only be accessed from the town of Strawberry, east of the springs.
Bring a High-Clearance Vehicle
The road from Hwy 260 down to the Fossil Creek permit area is an uneven gravel road. A passenger car can navigate it successfully, but it’s a rough journey. Take a high-clearance vehicle if you have one.
Location - Google Maps
Resources
Recreation.gov - Fossil Creek Permits & Season Information
National Forest Service - Fossil Creek Recreation Area
AZSwimmingHoles - Fossil Creek (photos & info)
YouTube - Fossil Creek: All the Basic Info You Need to Know (excellent video)
Photo: Courtesy via Recreation.gov
Photo: Fossil Creek, relative to Sedona
Fossil Creek Cliff Jumping Area #1: The Fossil Creek Waterfall
This irresistible waterfall feature is a flat one-mile hike from the Waterfall Trailhead parking lot. Most of it runs along the creek and has several great swimming holes to jump in along the way.
The main waterfall itself features a 25 ft. cliff jump straight off the top of the falls. The clearance is easy and the water is plenty deep.
This is a popular spot, especially on the weekends. Expect a lot of people unless you’re going on a Tuesday.
Fossil Creek Cliff Jumping Area #2: The Fossil Springs Waterfall & the Toilet Bowl
The Hike In
You have to earn the payoff of this area. The Fossil Springs Waterfall area is a 10 mile hike round-trip from the Waterfall Trailhead parking lot (west of the falls) and an 8 mile round-trip journey from the Fossil Springs Trailhead (southeast of the falls). Factor in Arizona’s 100°F summer days, and you’re going to need a lot of water and sunblock with this route.
Is It Safe to Jump in the Toilet Bowl Waterfall?
Hell no. But people do it anyway. You’ll see the toilet bowl feature below. It’s a waterfall that pours into a bowl with only one way out through an underwater archway. It looks like a blast, but be EXTREMELY careful...
Last year (2019) was especially dangerous. Heavy currents from high snow levels combined with a log jam at the swim-through arch have created an aggressive obstacle that already caused one man’s death in May. Three people total have died in this feature since 2016.
We advise against jumping into the Toilet Bowl, especially early in the season when the current is strongest. Assume your own level of risk. If the current looks heavy, stay away.
Can You Drink the Water?
From everything I’ve read, this is clean, drinkable spring water, however the forest service warns against it. There’s an easy way to eliminate your risk—just bring a water filter.
Resources
YouTube - Fossil Creek Toilet Bowl & Waterfalls (cliff jumping)
SummittheStars - Fossil Springs Waterfall Cliff Diving Guide
GoLiveWild - Backpacking Fossil Springs (great post)
Photo: Courtesy via BookofKuells
#2 - "The Crack" at Wet Beaver Creek
Courtesy via: The Oddyssey Online
Swimming & Cliff Jumping
Summary - Just 20 miles south of Sedona, a 7 mile round-trip hike into a rugged, beautiful canyon rewards adventure seekers with an Arizona cliff jumping paradise.
This area is hot and remote, so come prepared—especially with water. You’ll find this adventure is completely worth the time and effort to get out there.
Location - Google Maps ; see Resources below for hiking directions from the trailhead.
Distance - 3.3 miles each way
Elevation Gain - Roughly 550 ft.
Pros & Cons - The Crack is known to be crowded on weekends during the summer months; don’t expect cell reception anywhere on the hike.
Plenty of jumps between roughly 8-30ft., making it a great spot for beginning and intermediate level cliff jumpers, but not a great spot for anyone looking for a true high-dive.
Resources
AZSwimmingHoles - The Crack - Wet Beaver Creek
AZWonders - When Temperatures Rise, Locals Flock to The Crack Swimming Hole near Sedona
TripstoDiscover - The Crack at Wet Beaver Creek in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert
ToddsHikingGuide - Wet Beaver Creek (backpacking trip + day hike option)
Courtesy via: Trips to Discover
#3 - The "Bull Pen" at West Clear Creek
Swimming, Cliff Jumping, Hiking and Backpacking
Summary - With a short approach hike and plenty of shade at the swimming hole, West Clear Creek’s Bull Pen might be your best spot to hang out on a mellow, scorching hot day.
This swimming hole is conducive to both fun and relaxation. Non cliff jumpers can find separate shallow creek area to hang out and sunbathe. It’s much better for families and low-key audiences than The Crack.
Bring a hammock—you’ll find no lack of trees to hang it from. The rope swing was reportedly removed, unfortunately.
Location - Google Maps ; see thorough turn-by-turn directions here. Parking area is accessible by passenger vehicles.
Distance - The Bull Pen swimming hole is less than a mile from the parking lot.
Elevation Gain - Minimal within the first mile.
Pros & Cons - The water isn’t quite as chilly as some of the other local swimming holes.
With just one jumping rock at a max height of 20 ft., Bull Pen’s adrenaline rush isn’t quite as impressive as its competition at The Crack or Fossil Creek. If cliff jumping is your primary focus, this might not be your top option.
Hiking, Fishing and Backpacking - If it isn’t scorching hot, you can hike the entire West Clear Creek trail as an 8.8 mile out-and-back, or as a five-day backpacking thru hike, with an unending selection of heavenly swimming holes throughout the entire trek. Seriously though, this looks amazing.
Resources
AZSwimmingHoles - Bull Pen at West Clear Creek
JournalAZ - Cliff Jump, fish, relax at Bull Pen in Camp Verde
TrekSW - West Clear Creek: One of Arizona’s Finest Canyons (for longer hiking and backpacking trips)
Additional Resources
Family Friendly Swimming Holes
The swimming holes featured above do not rank high on the family friendly list. if you’re looking for convenience, chlorinated water or a family-friendly environment, check out the Resources below for a full list of other natural swimming areas in the Sedona Area.
Slide Rock State Park is a good place to start. It’s close to town and easy to find, but gets crowded on hot days. Sedona also has a community pool.
Swimming Holes in AZ
TheOddyssey - The Best Cliff Jumping Spots In Northern Arizona
AZSwimmingHoles - Arizona’s Best Swimming Holes
AZCentral - Seven Swimming Hole and Stream Hikes Near Sedona
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