Crescent Moon Picnic Area and Red Rock Crossing

The Crescent Moon Picnic Area, 7 miles southwest of Sedona, provides a spot for picnicing, hiking and swimming in Oak Creek, at the foot of Cathedral Rock. This area is on the opposite side from the side I climbed a couple pages ago.

The waterwheel, at left above, and closeup, below, was built in the 1930's to run an electric generator, providing power for the Crescent Moon Ranch.



Above, a look at a typical swimmin' hole at the Crescent Moon area of Oak Creek. On that tree across the creek is a rope, from which kids were swinging and dropping off into the water. The other thing of note here is the numerous piles of small rocks on the nearby shore. There were dozens of these foot-high mounds. But why?

You can either take off your shoes and wade about knee-deep in the creek, or follow a trail along the side. Either way, this was a great day to be outdoors taking pictures.

If Cathedral Rock looks familiar, it may be because you've seen it in one of the many westerns or other films shot in this very location. This general area, where Oak Creek lies below Cathedral Rock, is known as Red Rock Crossing.

All that's missing in the picture below is some buffalo.


Go to the next page for a bit more of the Sedona scene.

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