This Shaded Swimming Hole In Arizona Has Stunning Water And Cliffs To Jump Off

Arizona is a land of dusty deserts and magnificent canyons, but it also boasts some amazing swimming holes. This is good news, because there's no better way to escape the summer heat than to plop into one of these cold pools and spend the day splashing around in the clear water with friends. One of my favorite cooling-off spots in Arizona (where I lived for over a decade) is known as the Bull Pen Swimming Hole, in a section of West Clear Creek near Camp Verde. This delightfully refreshing pool is surrounded by trees and red rock bluffs, providing pleasant shade and fun opportunities for rock/cliff jumping from heights ranging from a few to about 15 feet above the water. 

It takes around 30 minutes of driving and some hiking to reach the Bull Pen Swimming Hole from Camp Verde, which is discouraging for some but also keeps the crowds away. From Camp Verde, take AZ-260 to FR 618, which forks to the right into Bull Pen Road, from where it's another 3 miles to the Bull Pen Day Use Area. Note that the road is passable for most vehicles, but take care, as some sections are rocky and uneven. Drive until the road ends and you'll reach the trailhead. From there, it's around a 20-minute hike to reach the swimming area. At the stone house, follow the trail to the right down to the creek and pool. For a nearby Arizona adventure similar to this one, check out our article on hiking to this hidden paradise with waterfalls and caves.

Besides Bull Pen, many other incredible swimming and hiking areas are located along West Clear Creek. Simply keep hiking upstream from the Bull Pen Day Use Area on the trail (which is known as Trail 17) to explore these areas. One thing you'll notice as you hike up the trail is that it keeps crossing from one side of the stream to the other. For this reason, you should wear supportive water shoes with good traction, and put anything that should not get wet into a dry bag during crossings. Some people tire of route-finding and decide just to hike in the creek itself. This can be wildly entertaining if you don't mind getting and staying wet, but do take care — the rocks are incredibly slippery.

Enjoy the spectacular journey, as there's no real destination; turn around and head back whenever you like. Be sure to stop every once in a while to appreciate your wondrous surroundings: jagged cliffs, majestic forests, and lush riparian zones with abundant wildflowers and hanging fern gardens. This is some of the most remote wilderness in Arizona, so keep your eyes peeled for animals such as black bear, elk, and mountain lions. Finally, a note of caution: be extremely careful here during monsoon season because of the risk of unpredictable and dangerous flash floods, which can sweep through narrow canyons with deadly force at a moment's notice.