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WQD | Oak Creek | Leave No Trace

Surface Water Improvement | Oak Creek

Be an Oak Creek Caretaker

Revised On: May. 20th, 2025 - 08:27 am

Oak Creek is a beautiful and important part of Arizona’s canyon country. It provides a valuable source of drinking water and fun for out-of-state and international visitors and Arizona residents of the Sedona-Flagstaff and Phoenix areas. Oak Creek is one of the few perennial streams in Arizona’s high desert region and is vital to people and wildlife. 

However, Oak Creek is under threat and needs your help. About 4 million people visit the Oak Creek watershed annually to enjoy its scenic beauty, refreshing swimming holes, and recreational sites. All of these visits can potentially impact the creek's health and add pollution. Impacts on water quality, plants and animals, and other people’s experiences are all caused by the number of visitors in a small area. ADEQ, several different agencies, and partner groups are working to lessen these impacts to Oak Creek and surrounding areas to improve and protect public health and the environment | Learn More > 

Program Coordinator 
Ph: 602-771-0367
Email > 

What Can I Do To Help?

Practice these Leave No Trace tips while visiting to do your part.

Tip #1 | Have a Poop Plan

Poop in the form of human and pet waste or diapers can pollute water and gross-out other visitors. Use the restrooms provided at trailheads and day-use areas. Oak Creek Canyon is too steep and busy to go to the bathroom outside and not add significant pollution to the water source. It is never advisable to poop or pee near the creek. Waste pack out bags are a great option to utilize if you don’t have access to a restroom. Available brands include the Restop, Biffy Bag, Cleanwaste, and PACT Outdoors. In an emergency, the cat-hole method can help with decomposition, but know that this will still add contaminants to the creek | Watch a Video >

At Oak Creek with small children or your dog?
  • Diaper hack — Wrap a sealable bag in duct tape to have a discrete, durable, and sealable way to pack out diapers. Drybags can be an excellent option | Watch a Video >
  • Dog poop bag hack —Take your dog poop all the way to a trash can or make your own DIY pack out bag that is a smell-proof, reusable dog poop carrier | Watch a Video >
  • Outdoor Pee Rags — Don't leave any toilet paper behind by trying one of these methods to wipe after peeing | Watch a Video >
  • Build a backcountry poop kit — These four items can help prepare you to handle solid waste in any ecosystem | Watch a Video >
  • Make your own reusable trash bag — This DIY trash bag for outdoor activities allows us to pack out the gross trash without incident | Watch a Video >
Wooden outhouse that is isolated in the Oak Creek Canyon
Person walking on an official hiking trail at Oak Creek Canyon

Tip #2 | Stick To Trails

Trails give us a place to explore while leaving the rest of the landscape intact for nature to flourish. Leaving the trail can damage plants, stress out wildlife, and be dangerous. Arizona is also home to living soil crusts, so avoid busting the crust | See How > 

Did you know?

As few as 25 footsteps can already start to create a new trail. Stick to the trail to stay safe and Leave No Trace.

Until recently, over 440 user-created trails led from the highway to the creek in Oak Creek Canyon. That's far more than necessary. Don't you agree? ADEQ, the USFS, and partner organizations have restored most of these erosive, habitat-damaging trails while improving others to maintain safe visitor access to the creek. To find these designated trails, look for signs with the stream access/acceso el agua decal or gaps in log fences. 

Thanks for accessing the creek safely and keeping our impacts on Oak Creek’s aquatic and creekside wildlife to a minimum.

Tip #3 | Trash Your Trash

Pack everything out, even fruit peels and other food waste can last years when left outside. Trash can make wildlife sick and change their habits. Several of the wildlife species living here are threatened or endangered, such as:

Be Prepared

Dispose of your trash, and ideally, that of others, by taking everything to a trash can or recycling bin. If a garbage can is full, find another trash can or, better yet, take it home with you. Wildlife, such as ravens and crows, disperse the trash or eat it, which can be unhealthy and promote negative behaviors. 

Note: Dog poop receptacles are not large enough for trash items and should only be used for pet waste. 

Did you know?

Aluminum cans can last for 100 years, while plastic never completely decomposes. How long do other items take? | Find Out >

Tip #4 | Protect Watersheds

Oak Creek Canyon is a watershed. Think of a watershed as a giant earth-sized funnel. That means anything we do in this area can end up in the water, including contaminants and litter. Human waste causes E. coli pollution and harms the plants and animals that live here. Use restrooms and pack out all trash, including dog poop and diapers.

Volunteer to Help Oak Creek

These organizations are leading the charge to protect Oak Creek. If you are in the Sedona area and want to give back to nature, contact them today.

Help Spread The Word

If you are an individual or organization looking to help educate others on social media, you can use these assets. We have a full suite of horizontal and vertical videos, with subtitles in both English and Spanish, within our Social Media Toolkit. Also, a complete package of social posts and graphics can be accessed here, along with a list of partner social media handles, or you can be on the lookout for ADEQ and other partners' posts to share |Download ToolKit > 

Thank you for your help in encouraging others to protect Oak Creek!