Crescent Moon Day Use Site
Munds Park, Arizona · Coconino National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- creek
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $15 per vehicle
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Crescent Moon Day Use Site
Crescent Moon Day Use Site (commonly called Red Rock Crossing) is a Coconino National Forest fee day-use area on Oak Creek near Sedona, Arizona, set on the former Crescent Moon/OK Ranch beneath Cathedral Rock. It is an officially designated swimming, wading, fishing, and picnicking site and one of the better-known places to swim near Sedona, with a swimming hole popular for its reflection views of Cathedral Rock in the creek.
The site sits in a meadow bordered by Arizona sycamore and cottonwood groves along Oak Creek, with red slickrock and the striking Cathedral Rock formation rising above the water; the historic ranch grounds (dating to an 1880 homestead, later the Baldwin family ranch) are part of the walking area, and the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
Swimming at Crescent Moon Day Use Site
Swimming and wading happen directly in Oak Creek, including a deeper pooled section locally nicknamed 'Buddha Beach' as well as shallower areas suited to wading and kids; the water is described as refreshingly cool to cold year-round, with flow and depth varying seasonally from stream-like in low water to knee-deep or higher after monsoons and snowmelt.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Sedona, drive west on State Route 89A and, just outside town, turn south onto Upper Red Rock Loop Road, following signs to Red Rock Crossing/Crescent Moon; all approach roads are paved.
Parking: On-site paved parking lot at the fee station; it fills quickly on weekends and during peak tourist season, so early-morning or weekday arrival is recommended. A separate, more limited free/low-fee parking option exists at the Baldwin Trail trailhead on the opposite side of the creek for those approaching via that trail.
The hike in
Baldwin Trail (alternate access, not required)
- To the water
- ~0.5 mi one-way from the Baldwin trailhead to the Oak Creek crossing
- Time on foot
- about 20 minutes one-way on foot from the Baldwin trailhead
Difficulty: easy - flat, ~16 m (52 ft) total elevation change over the route
Trailhead: End of Verde Valley School Road, about 4.1 miles from where it turns off SR 89A southwest of Sedona; the trailhead/small parking area is on the left side of the road.
Not a through-hike -- the Baldwin Trail segment used for this access is roughly 1 mile round trip and dead-ends at the Red Rock Crossing/Cathedral Rock creek crossing; from the main paid Crescent Moon lot on the other bank, the walk to the water is only a few hundred yards on paved/dirt paths (visitsedona.com describes about 1.5 miles of well-maintained paved walking paths throughout the property, not all of which is required to reach the water).
No hike is required if entering from the main Crescent Moon fee lot (short, flat walk to the creek). Visitors approaching from the Baldwin Trail side do a short, easy, flat walk-in with no scrambles; the creek itself has no bridge at the crossing, so the final few yards involve wading over slippery rock.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Shallow wading areas near the picnic meadow are commonly described as fine for young kids to cool off, but there are no lifeguards, creek rocks get slippery, and the main Cathedral Rock crossing has no bridge, so depth there can run knee-deep or higher after monsoon rain or snowmelt runoff.
Parking
Paid, $15/vehicle (up to 5 people) or $4 per walk-in/cyclist at the main Crescent Moon fee station
Paved on-site lot at the main Crescent Moon entrance fills quickly on weekends and in peak season (arrive early morning or on a weekday); a separate, smaller unpaved lot exists at the Baldwin Trail trailhead on the opposite bank, which visitors report charges roughly $5 to $11 cash (Red Rock Pass accepted) and fills even faster.
Restrooms
Yes
Vault (pit) toilets and a potable water source are provided at the Crescent Moon Day Use Site entrance/picnic area near the paved parking lot, per the Coconino National Forest page; the Baldwin Trail side of the creek has no restroom facilities noted.
Hours
7am-7pm (Apr 1-Sep 30); 8am-6pm (Oct 1-Nov 30); 9am-5pm (Dec 1-Mar 31)
On the water
No official watercraft rules were found on the Coconino National Forest page (it lists fishing, swimming, and wading as the recognized water activities, with no mention of kayaks, canoes, tubes, or paddleboards). One aggregator source (americansouthwest.net) lists 'paddling' among general activities at the site without specifying craft type; given Oak Creek here is a shallow, rocky crossing rather than open water, it is unclear whether this refers to boating or simply wading/playing in the water. Left as no confirmed allowed craft rather than guessing.
Backstory
The land was settled in 1880 as the 'OK Ranch' by cattleman John Lee, later acquired in 1936 by Andrew Baldwin, who built the ranch house and a water-powered mill; the Forest Service purchased the 160-acre Crescent Moon Ranch in 1980 using National Land and Water Conservation Fund grant dollars, and the ranch property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. It has also served as a filming location for Western movies and television shows.
Crescent Moon Day Use Site: FAQ
Does Crescent Moon Day Use Site charge a fee?
$15 per vehicle (up to 5 people) or $4 per walk-in/cyclist at the official Crescent Moon Day Use Site entrance, per the Coconino National Forest page; third-party trip reports describe a separate, lower parking fee ($5-11, cash, Red Rock Pass accepted) at the Baldwin Trail access point on the far side of the creek.
Is Crescent Moon Day Use Site kid friendly?
Shallow wading areas near the picnic meadow are commonly described as fine for young kids to cool off, but there are no lifeguards, creek rocks get slippery, and the main Cathedral Rock crossing has no bridge, so depth there can run knee-deep or higher after monsoon rain or snowmelt runoff.
Do I need to hike to reach Crescent Moon Day Use Site?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Crescent Moon Day Use Site?
Paved on-site lot at the main Crescent Moon entrance fills quickly on weekends and in peak season (arrive early morning or on a weekday); a separate, smaller unpaved lot exists at the Baldwin Trail trailhead on the opposite bank, which visitors report charges roughly $5 to $11 cash (Red Rock Pass accepted) and fills even faster.
When is the best time to visit Crescent Moon Day Use Site?
Summer (June-August) is most popular for swimming due to heat, though crowds are heaviest then; spring and fall offer comfortable hiking/photography weather with colder creek water; winter has the fewest visitors but the coldest water.
What are the rules at Crescent Moon Day Use Site?
Day use only, no camping or overnight stays; pets must be leashed and horses/pack animals are prohibited; soap and shampoo are not allowed in the creek; maximum vehicle length is 24 feet (no RVs, trailers, or buses); seasonal hours are 7am-7pm (Apr 1-Sep 30), 8am-6pm (Oct 1-Nov 30), and 9am-5pm (Dec 1-Mar 31).
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