Oak Creek Picnic Areas: Banjo Bill, Halfway & Encinoso

Few places offer a more scenic setting for a picnic than Oak Creek Canyon. Home of a bubbling brook that flows through a lush green oasis framed by towering red rock cliffs and buttes, this canyonscape is known around the world for its unmatchedbeauty.

Two easily accessible picnic areas enable you to enjoy a snack or a banquet surrounded by this magnificent scenery. Each of these areas has its own unique character. Each has hiking trails and the shimmering clear water pools of Oak Creek nearby. If you've an appetite for beauty, here's a place to indulge it.

Location: 20 miles south of Flagstaff, 5 miles north of Sedona on a paved road in scenic oak Creek Canyon. Elevation is 4,500 feet.

GPS for Banjo Bill: N34° 57' 41.148", W-111° 45' 11.16"
GPS For Encinoso: N34° 55' 30.1794", W-111° 44' 8.0514"
GPS for Halfway: N34° 57' 22.6794", W-111° 45' 17.2074"

Access: Drive south from Flagstaff about 20 miles or north from Sedona for about 5 miles on US 89A. Watch for signs, these two picnic areas are both marked with roadside signs.

Season: Year-'round, hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day; rest of year, 8 a.m. to dusk.

Attractions: Picnicking, Waterplay, Hiking, Fishing, Wildlife watching, Photography

Facilities: Picnic Tables & Cooking grills - 12 sites at Banjo Bill, 12 at Encinoso, 8 at Halfway, Vault Toilets (Barrier free), No drinking water at Halfway.

Fee for Banjo Bill: $8 per car (up to 5 people), walk-ins per day per person: $1, or the Red Rock WEEKLY or Grand Annual Pass. (Holders of the America-the-Beautiful Senior or Access pass, or the Golden AGE or Golden ACCESS passes will receive a 50% discount).

Fee for Encinoso and Halfway: Red Rock Pass (minimum $5.00) or any America The Beautiful or valid Golden Pass.

Notes:

• No camping is permitted.
• Red Rock Passes are available at several places but NOT at Halfway. Pick one up prior to getting to Halfway Picnic Area.
• The photos above are of Encinoso Picnic Area taken in April, 2005. Click on image to view enlargement.

For more information contact:
Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 20249, Sedona AZ 86341, (928) 282-4119