Sedona & Oak Creek Travel Guide

The Sedona-Oak Creek Travel Guide is a resource for those planning to tour the famed red rock country of northern Arizona. This guide includes coverage of Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Prescott, and the Verde Valley including the historic town of Jerome. The area features diverse outdoor recreation, spectacular sightseeing, shopping and culture, Indian ruins, historic sites, even wine tasting.

(Right: Thumb Butte, Prescott)

Using the Interactive Map

Place your mouse pointer on any purple KEY item or place name on the map. A brief description will appear. Click on the box for a link to detailed information. For easiest use, scroll map to top. Detailed Sedona, Oak Creek, & Verde Valley Map in separate window. (Index at bottom of this page.)

Prescott, Arizona

Prescott was originally settled by prospectors searching for gold. Because of the presence of gold, the town bcame the first capitol of the Arizona Territory in 1863. The honor was short-lived with the capitol moving to Tucson in 1867 after the Civil War.

Today, Prescott is a popular resort community for outdoor enthusiasts. It is surrounded by mountain ranges and the Prescott National Forest. The mile-high elevation provides an ideal southwest climate: generally low humidity, mild winters, and not overly warm summers. Outdoor recreation is possible most of the year. Camping, boating, fishing, hiking, and equestrian are readily accessible. Prescott National Forest offers ample and convenient campgrounds, picnic areas, and 450 miles of trails.

There are ample opportunities to experience Prescott's territorial past. The Sharlot Hall Museum preserves several downtown buildings from the 19th century, including the first Governor's Mansion, dating from 1864. The Whiskey Row/Courthouse Square block downtown, now a shopping area featuring restaurants, bars, and shops, still maintains the look and feel of an earlier era when it was a block of saloons and other baudy enterprises. The Smoki Museum presents the history of Native Americans in the Prescott area.

Visitor Center

 Prescott Chamber of Commerce. Located at 117 W. Goodwin Street, Prescott, AZ 86303. Phone: 928-445-2000 or 1-800-266-7534

Prescott National Forest Campgrounds Near Prescott

 Hilltop. April to October. Campground near Lynx Lake, shaded, at 5,500 feet elevation. 5 miles east of Prescott on AZ-69, then south on FR197. 38 sites, first come, first served.

 Lynx Lake. April to October. Campground on shore of Lynx Lake, shaded, at 5,500 feet elevation. 5 miles east of Prescott on AZ-69, then south on FR197. 36 sites, first come, first served.

 White Spar. May to October. Very close to Prescott, 3 miles north on AZ-89, at 5,700 feet elevation. 60 sites, first come, first served.

 Lower Wolf Creek. May to October. At 6,000 feet elevation, 6 miles north of Prescott on AZ-899, then west on FR97. 20 sites, first come, first served. No drinking water.

 Yavapai. Open all year. Very close to Prescott, 8 miles north via Grove, Iron Springs, and FR374, at 5,600 feet elevation. Scenic campground part of Granite Mountain Recreation Area. Access to Granite Basin Lake and Granite Mountain Wilderness. 25 sites, first come, first served. Also, Granite Basin Group Campground.

Other Prescott Campgrounds

 Point of Rocks RV Campground. Scenic hillside location at junction of AZ-89 and AZ-69. 928-445-9018

 Orchard RV Park. Very large RV park with trees and gravel sites. Located on AZ-69 in Dewey. 928-772-8266

Prescott Food and Lodging

Lodging

  Best Western Prescottonian
1317 E Gurley Street US Prescott, Arizona, 86301-3313
Phone: 928-445-3096
The Best Western Prescottonian is ideally situated in the center of Prescott with easy access for day trips to the beautiful red rocks of Sedona and breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. Hotel guests will appreciate the nearby attractions including famous Whiskey Row and Smoki Museum.
121 Guest Rooms on two-three floors (no elevator).
Hotel Rating: AAA-2 Diamonds
Heated Outdoor Pool and Hot Tub, Complimentary hot buffet breakfast.

  Quality Inn & Suites & Conference Center
4499 Highway 69, Prescott, AZ, US, 86301
Phone: (928) 777-0770
This motel is conveniently located in the foothills of the nation's largest contiguous forest of Ponderosa Pines. Close to Whiskey Row, downtown Courthouse Plaza, and the territorial governor's residence.
82 units on 2 floors.
Hotel Rating: AAA-3 Diamonds
Exercise room, game room, indoor heated pool and hot tub with outdoor sundeck, beauty salon and massage therapist. Free: deluxe continental breakfast, evening cocktail, local calls, coffee, weekday newspaper.

  Comfort Inn Ponderosa Pines
1290 White Spar Rd., Prescott, Arizona, 86303-7230
Phone: (928) 778-5770
Ideally located in Prescott, bordering the Prescott National Forest and only two miles from downtown, this motel is close to local attractions including Whiskey Row, Sharlot Hall Museum, Bucky's Casino, the Governor's Mansion, and the Annual Rodeo.
61 units on 2 floors, no elevator.
Hotel Rating: AAA-2 Diamonds
Free continental breakfast, free weekday newspaper, free coffee, free Internet, and an outdoor hot tub.

  Holiday Inn Express Prescott
3454 Ranch Drive, Prescott, Arizona 86303
Phone: 928-445-8900
The Award Winning Holiday Inn Express Hotel of Prescott, just 96 miles north of Phoenix, is conveniently located near the entrance to Prescott's Gateway Mall, and only four miles from the historic Courthouse Plaza and Whiskey Row.
76 units, all with refrigerators and microwaves, on 3 floors.
Hotel Rating: AAA-3 Diamonds
Non-smoking hotel, Internet, free Expanded Continental Breakfast, heated indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool, exercise room.

  More Hotels in Prescott, Arizona.

 Prescott Chamber of Commerce. Lodging.

Food

 Prescott Chamber of Commerce. Restaurants.

Things to Do and See

 Sharlot Hall Museum. The museum in downtown Prescott contains galleries, gardens, and numerous historic 19th and early 20th century structures. The Museum Center offers a library and ongoing and changing exhibits. The territorial Governor's Mansion dates to 1864. Be sure to check out the Calendar of Events. One of top attractions in Prescott.

 Smoki Museum. The museum presents interpretation of historic and pre-historic Native Americans emphasizing the Prescott area. Many artifacts, paintings, and arts and crafts are displayed. The gift shop has a large selection of arts andcrafts for sale. The architecture of the museum's building is patterned after early Pueblo buildings.

 The Phippen Museum. Focuses on art of the American west. Ongoing and changing exhibits by noted Western artists. The museum hosts a popular Western Art Show and Sale each year in May.

 Whiskey Row. The 100 block of South Montezuma Street in Prescott is called Whiskey Row due to the many saloons in its territorial past. The block maintains the look and feel of its past but now boasts a wide variety of restaurants, galleries, and other specialty shops.

 Prescott Frontier Days. An annual event since 1888, Prescott Frontier Days bills itself as the world's oldest rodeo. Held on the week of July 4th.

 Prescott Jazz Summit. Popular jazz weekend held annually in late August. Concerts, workshops, dinners, and more.

 Granite Creek Vineyards. Chino Valley's entry into Northern Arizona's fledging wine industry. Features a variety of high quality estate-grown wines using organic grapes. High elevation promotes a unique microclimate conducive for growing wine grapes and comfortable for visitors. Special events and picnicking during the spring and summer.

 Prescott Calendar of Events.

 Prescott Golf Courses.

 Prescott National Forest Recreation Home Page. Information on camping, fishing, trails, cabins, wilderness, and more.

 Prescott National Forest Hiking Trails.

 Mile-High Trail System. The city of Prescott maintains a popular 28 mile network of hiking trails in and around the city. These include urban trails as well as trails encircling the city. Most are fairly short and easy to access.

 Prescott Parks System. The city of Prescott maintains a number of excellent parks in and around the city. Of particular note is Watson Lake Park, four miles north on AZ-89. The full-service park allows access to the lake and the rugged Granite Dells (Point of Rocks), sheer granite rock formations which are very photogenic and popular with rock climbers.

 Granite Mountain Wilderness. Part of the highly popular Granite Mountain Recreation Area which is very convenient to Prescott, 8 miles north via Grove, Iron Springs, and FR374. Trail into wilderness start in Granite Basin where there are also a campground and a lake.

Note: Some of the links in this guide are to publications in PDF format. The PDF's can only be viewed or printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader (available free, online).

Sedona & Oak Creek Travel Guide Index

• Introduction & Index to
  Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Verde Valley, Prescott
  
  
• Sedona, Arizona
  • Visitor Services
  • Outdoor Attractions
  • Cultural Attractions/Shopping
  • Guided Recreational Activities
  
  
• Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona
  
  
• Verde Valley & Jerome, Arizona
  • Visitor Services
  • Attractions
  • Indian Ruins / Cultural Sites
  
  
• Prescott, Arizona
• Camping in Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Verde Valley, & Prescott
• Lodging & Travel Services in Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Verde Valley, & Prescott
  
  
• Northern Arizona Travel Guide
• Grand Canyon Area Travel Guide
• Las Vegas Travel Guide

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