29 Free Swimming Holes near Fossil Creek Waterfall
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Fossil Creek Rd, Pine, AZ 85544, USA City, Zip, or Address
Fossil Springs Trail No. 18
Pine, Arizona
2.6 miles EA 4.75-mile desert canyon trail to the springs and an old dam in the Fossil Springs Wilderness — little shade and a brutal uphill return make summer visits genuinely dangerous.
Hike, Horseback, Swim 1.1-4.6 mi
Fossil Creek Dam (Toilet Bowl)
Pine, Arizona
2.6 miles EA waterfall over an old Fossil Creek dam with a spinning natural rock slide that launches swimmers into the main pool — plus a shallow cave for shade on hot Arizona days.
Dive, Hike, Swim 3.0 mi
Blodgett Basin Trail No. 31
Camp Verde, Arizona
10.6 miles NWA 3-mile riparian canyon trail through West Clear Creek Wilderness with 1,700 feet of elevation change, fishing, camping, and wading in a desert oasis — expect to get your feet wet.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 8.4 mi
West Clear Creek Trail No. 17
Camp Verde, Arizona
10.8 miles NWWest Clear Creek Trail winds down a shaded canyon to cool creek swimming, fishing, and dispersed camping — bring wading shoes, because wet feet are guaranteed.
Backpack, Hike, Swim
Bullpen Day Use Area
Camp Verde, Arizona
10.8 miles NWA big red jumping rock on West Clear Creek, shaded picnic areas, and trails down a stunning canyon below the Mogollon Rim — a full afternoon of swimming and hiking.
Backpack, Dive, Hike, Swim 0.4 mi
Clear Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
11.6 miles NWA grassy creekside campground shaded by tall cottonwoods on West Clear Creek — ideal for hiking, swimming, fishing for smallmouth bass and sunfish, and wildlife watching in a desert canyon oasis.
Camp, Hike, Swim 0.6-2.9 mi
Tramway Trail No. 32
Happy Jack, Arizona
15.2 miles NEA steep, rock-scrambling descent through the Mogollon Rim to West Clear Creek, with deep fishing and swimming holes waiting at the bottom — not for beginners.
Hike, Rock Climb, Swim 1.0 mi
Maxwell Trail No. 37
Happy Jack, Arizona
16.5 miles NEMaxwell Trail drops from the Mogollon Rim down into West Clear Creek, ending at shaded swimming holes, small caves, and great fishing — water shoes required.
Hike, Swim
Beaver Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
19.1 miles NBeaver Creek is a refreshing creekside oasis in the high desert of central Arizona, where the cool, clear waters of Wet Beaver Creek wind beneath big cottonwoods and sycamores in the Coconino...
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim 0.2-0.6 mi
Ellison Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
19.3 miles EFour waterfalls, multiple swimming holes, and trout fishing along Ellison Creek near Payson — the most popular stop is a short walk from the parking lot.
Dive, Hike, Swim 7.1 mi
The Crack at Wet Beaver Creek
Rimrock, Arizona
19.4 miles NCrystal-clear water and cliffs high enough to jump from, about 3.5 miles down Bell Trail along Wet Beaver Creek — a rewarding desert hike to a stunning red-rock swimming hole.
Dive, Hike, Horseback, Swim
Payson Area
Cornville, Arizona
19.6 miles EThe Payson area northeast of Phoenix offers numerous swimming holes in the Tonto National Forest rivers, including Ellison Creek Falls, Christopher Creek Gorge, Fossil Creek, and Verde Hot Springs.
Swim
East Clear Creek
Happy Jack, Arizona
27.6 miles EA Wild and Scenic river winding through the Mogollon Rim with canyon views, cliff-scaling canyoneers, trout fishing, and deep swimming holes for a full adventure day.
Canyoneer, Hike, Swim 0.2 mi
Mormons Crossing
Cornville, Arizona
28.6 miles NWShaded swimming holes, gentle rapids, and a rope swing along Oak Creek — an easy spot to cool off in Cornville.
Swim 0.8-1.8 mi
Kinder Crossing Trail #19
Happy Jack, Arizona
28.8 miles NEA short but steep 0.75-mile hike dropping 500 feet to beautiful East Clear Creek — high-clearance vehicle required on FR 95T, no motorized vehicles past the trailhead, closed in winter snow.
Hike, Swim
Red Rock State Park
Sedona, Arizona
31.1 miles NRed Rock's crimson sandstone layers tell 275 million years of geologic history — from ancient beachfronts to sand dunes to shallow seas — and inspired an art migration that fills the area with museums and galleries today.
Hike, Swim
Chavez Crossing
Sedona, Arizona
31.7 miles NA campground on Oak Creek in Sedona's red-rock canyon, perfectly placed for cool water play, sunsets over Munds Mountain, and access to nearby swimming holes.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
32.0 miles SEHellsgate Wilderness hides deep canyon pools possibly separated by impassable falls in a remote 37,000-acre preserve — a true adventure for spring and fall explorers.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim 0.4 mi
Christopher Creek Gorge
Payson, Arizona
32.5 miles ECold, clear swimming holes and rappellable waterfalls in a canyon just outside Payson — cold year-round, with a wetsuit recommended in cooler months.
Canyoneer, Hike, Swim 3.9 mi
Cave Creek Swimming Hole
Cave Creek, Arizona
33.2 miles SWA refreshing desert swimming hole at the end of nearly four miles of Cave Creek Trail — worth the cactus-country hike for the cool pool waiting in the shade.
Hike, Swim
