About two hours north of Phoenix, there is a natural wonder that is the perfect place to play.
For years, Slide Rock State Park has been a place for Phoenicians to cool down in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon.
But it was not always a place for recreation. The area was originally the homestead of Frank Pendley. He acquired the land following the Homestead Act of 1910. He successfully created an apple orchard in the area, which, according to Arizona State Parks & Trails, began a pattern of agricultural development that dominated the site for decades.
Tom Pendley, Frank’s son, would go on to operate the property. By the 1980s, it was one of the largest parcels of private land in Oak Creek Canyon. But by 1982, the family decided it was time to sell.
When Gov. Bruce Babbitt heard about the sale, he reached out to the family about making the area a state park. At the time, however, the family was hesitant to work with the government.
Slide Rock already had been a popular destination for people in the area. In an article in The Arizona Republic on May 16, 1985, the Forest Service reported that, the year before, “an average of 1,800 people visited Slide Rock every day.”
The Pendley family eventually sold the property to the Arizona Parklands Foundation for $3.6 million in July 1985. The foundation then sold it to the Arizona State Parks Agency.
In 1985, Arizona House Bill 2391 was introduced, creating the State Park Acquisition and Development Fund. According to an article in The Republic on March 16, 1985, the bill, introduced by Burton Barr, “authorized only the acquisition of the Slide Rock area in Oak Creek Canyon and Picket Post House near Superior.”
Later, an amendment was added to include other historic sites across Arizona.
Slide Rock State Park officially opened to the public in October 1987.
According to the Arizona Office of Tourism, Slide Rock State Park received 435,086 visitors in 2025.
Katherine Chircus was born and raised in Scottsdale and is a digital operations manager for The Arizona Republic. Send tips on Arizona history items to kfritcke@azcentral.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The history behind Arizona's famous Slide Rock State Park
