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.