Although Sedona is famed for its vast array of desert and forest trails, swimming holes, natural land bridges, and red rock monoliths, its smattering of city parks offer a different type of appeal. Most are backdropped by Sedona’s infinite views and provide easily accessible spaces for kids and adults alike to enjoy. Whether you want to skateboard, toss a bocce ball on the grass, or sit in solitude, you’ll find it in Sedona’s best city parks.
Posse Grounds Park
This massive recreational area (almost 80 acres) in West Sedona is the ultimate gathering place to get active. Posse Grounds Park became Sedona’s first city park when the area was no longer used by its namesake sheriff’s posse. Surrounded by the ever-present limestone edifices, the vast area is divided into mini parks for skateboarding, biking, and, yes, dogs. Expect to see yogis or picnickers using the shady pavilions, people playing tennis or pickleball in the courts, and organized teams on the soccer and softball fields.
Jordan Historical Park
This homage to the city’s pioneering roots shares space with the Sedona Heritage Museum, which is situated in the former homestead of Walter and Ruth Jordan. The site allows visitors to wander the grounds of this historic place in Uptown off Jordan Road. With almost five acres of land to explore—including a fruit orchard and old farm implements resting alongside interpretive nature trails—Jordan Historical Park reflects a lovely throwback in time less than a mile from the heart of downtown.
Sedona Wetlands Preserve
At 27 acres, the Sedona Wetlands Preserve offers excellent opportunities to discover the diversity of desert animals, including bobcats and bears, as well as reptiles and various bird species. Located about three miles from Red Rock State Park on 89A, the preserve was created in partnership with the Sedona Wastewater Treatment facility. The wetlands, composed of six basins filled with 9.6 million gallons of water, are part of an effort to support Sedona’s wildlife and migratory birds.
Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
Stretching 14 acres among the junipers and pinyon pines, the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park acts as a sanctuary in the desert. Rooted in Buddhist beliefs, the park features two stupas (a type of shrine) and trails that weave among the junipers, one leading to a meditation wheel made of stone. Colorful prayer flags dance in the breeze, inviting a sense of spirituality and solitude in this public park, which is free of charge. A large, covered meditation platform with chairs provides respite from the sun and a head-on view of the 36ft Amitabha Stupa. Beyond sits a large Buddha and distant views of Chimney Rock, Thunder Mountain, and Coffee Pot Rock.
Sedona Botanical Garden
Nature and art combine in Sedona Botanical Garden, a small park located barely a block off route 89A in West Sedona. Although it measures only a quarter acre, its impressive design includes life-sized sculptures of javelina. Visitors can spot roadrunners and coyotes mingling among the native plants and trees. The botanical garden is a prime example of community collaboration, with plants and interpretive signs donated by local organizations and residents, all enhanced by sculptures crafted by local artists.
Sunset Park
Spread across almost seven and a half acres, Sunset Park is located in a residential area of West Sedona, with pathways connecting to various trailheads. Equipped with two covered playgrounds for kids over and under five, plus a seasonal splash park, the area serves as an excellent space for families. The park also features courts for tennis, basketball, and pickleball, in addition to a grassy section for relaxing under the sun while watching the children play.
Jack Jamesen Memorial Park and Sedona Military Service Park
Even small parks can make a significant impact. Jack Jamesen Memorial Park in West Sedona achieves this by incorporating the Sedona Military Service Park within its one-third acre grounds on Northview Road, right off route 89A. This compact park features brick-lined pathways and honors Jameson, a former member of the Sedona 30, as well as veterans of the US military. The small military park has names engraved on granite walls, accompanied by benches for visitors to reflect. Among the park’s desert plants and leafy trees stand sculptural pieces, including a bronze relief of Jameson and Invocation, a life-sized sculpture of an Indigenous Teysha man.
Greyback Park
The one-quarter acre space at Greyback Park features a few benches and shaded spots under trees, with yucca plants adding a pop of pink to the desert landscape in bloom. While this park, located at the nexus of Kachina Road and Dry Creek Road, may not be a primary destination, it provides a lovely spot to relax while taking in the views of Chimney Rock and Lizard Head Rock. It exemplifies the city’s focus on creating more open spaces, like pocket parks, through projects like the reclaimed roadway design.
