Dead Horse Ranch State Park

From top to bottom and everywhere in between, Arizona will blow your mind.

Opened & Dedicated June 1, 1977

By Charles R. Eatherly – Arizona State Park Website

Dead Horse Ranch Legislative tour in 1972

“Dead Horse Ranch State Park is located adjacent to and across the Verde River from the community of Cottonwood. It is centrally located near several major population centers such as Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Prescott. When using Dead Horse Ranch as a base, one has a variety of attractions to visit, including: Jerome State Historic Park, Fort Verde State Historic Park, Red Rock State Park, Slide Rock State Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Montezuma Castle and Well National Monuments, Oak Creek Canyon, Prescott National Forest, Coconino National Forest, and the popular towns of Sedona and Jerome.

Calvin “Cap” Ireys purchased Dead Horse Ranch in 1950. “Cap” told State Parks Director Dennis McCarthy that his children named the ranch. The first time the family looked at the property, they saw a dead horse lying in the field, and after looking at a number of properties “Cap” asked them which one they liked the best. The answer was the one with the dead horse. After they acquired the property, they named it Dead Horse Ranch.”

Park and Facility Hours

The park is open year-round.

Gates close at dark. Seasonal hours may apply.

Day Use

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily

Visitor Center/Park Store

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily

Holiday Hours

Thanksgiving: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Christmas: Closed

Park Entrance Fee

Per vehicle (1-4 Adults): $7.00
Individual/bicycle: $3.00

State Parks Amenities

Camping

0%

OHV Access

0%

Good for Fishing

0%

Watercraft allowed

0%

SCHEDULE UPDATE:

The main boat ramp will be closed on January 2 until further notice.

During the closure, the Cholla ramp will be available.

Find more Arizona State Parks