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The Coconino National Forest is one of the most diverse National Forests in the country with landscapes ranging from the famous Red Rocks of Sedona to ponderosa pine forests, to alpine tundra. The Coconino National Forest also contains all or parts of 10 designated wilderness areas, including the Kachina Peaks Wilderness, covering the summit of the San Francisco Peaks. Coconino National Forest offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking and backpacking, trail riding by horse and bicycle, camping and picnicking, boating and fishing, as well as snowshoeing, and cross-country and alpine skiing. Five districts make up Coconino National Forest. Volcanic Highlands, north of Flagstaff and I-40, are dominated by the 12,643 feet San Francisco Peaks. Three of the summits that ring this dormant volcano's now quiet inner caldera are the highest mountains in the state. The Around the Peaks Loop, Snow Bowl Road, Schultz Pass Road and the Volcanos and Ruins Loop provide scenic drives in this area. The Kachina Peaks and Strawberry Crater Wilderness Areas are located here. The Snow Bowl Ski Area and several cross-country ski areas are located in this area.Plateau Country lies to the southeast of Flagstaff. This rolling highland is a land of ponderosa pine forests and pinyon, juniper woodlands clustered around broad prairies and small lakes. Arizona's largest natural lake, Mormon Lake, is located here. The Plateau Lakes Drive, Forest Highway 3 and Forest Road 213 provide an 80 mile scenic drive through the area. The Mormon Lakes Ski Touring Center provides groomed cross-country ski trails in the winter.Mogollon Rim Area on the Coconino National Forest lies just south of State Highway 87. The Mogollon Rim is a rugged escarpment that forms the southern limit of the Colorado Plateau. It is one of the most impressive overlooks in Arizona, with views that stretch from its rocky precipice to Four Peaks of the Mazatzals northeast of Phoenix. The Rim Road and General Crook Trail Loop connects State Highway 87 and Forest Roads 300, 321 and 95. This drive offers panoramic views and forest scenery. Blue Ridge Reservoir and Knoll Lake are both popular areas for boating, fishing, camping and hiking.Desert Canyon Country of the Coconino National Forest lies east of I-17 and the Verde River, just north of Camp Verde. Recreation in this area is focused on four streams that wind through this classic Upper Sonoran Desert landscape. The Verde River, Arizona's only designated Wild and Scenic River, meanders the entire length of the area and is large enough to navigate in kayaks, canoes and small rafts at high to moderate levels. West Clear Creek, Wet Beaver Creek and Fossil Creek emerge from deep, cottonwood lined canyons they have cut into the Mogollon Rim to continue across the desert and merge with the Verde. The Desert Canyon Scenic Drive connects State Highway 260 and Forest Road 618 with I-17 for access to sightseeing and multiple recreation activities. The Fossil Springs, Wet Beaver Creek and West Clear Creek Wilderness Areas are all located in the Desert Canyon portion of the Coconino National Forest.Red Rock Country surrounding Sedona offers a colorful collection of buttes, pinnacles, mesas and canyons. Oak Creek is a scenic, clear canyon stream which provides opportunities for camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, and biking. Oak Creek Canyon offers a spectacular scenic drive. The Red Rocks and Sycamore Canyon Loop, west of Sedona takes you into the heart of the magnificent Sedona Red Rocks Country. The Munds Mountain, Red Rock Secret Mountain and Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Areas all lie in this portion of the Coconino.In the south, deep canyons cut the Coconino National Forest; in the north, the San Francisco Peaks attain the highest elevation in Arizona. These peaks, including Mount Humphrey's, the state's highest point, and Mount Agassiz, are some of the places in Arizona where alpine conditions exist. Many roads provide beautiful scenic drives. There are over 290 miles of trails within the Coconino National Forest. There are also several lakes that will provide many water activities.
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Facilities: There are at least 30 different campgrounds in the Coconino National Forest, providing a total of over 500 individual campsites. Drinking water, restrooms, grills, and picnic tables are provided at most.
Best Time To Visit: The Coconino National Forest is open year-round. Some campgrounds are closed for the winter, and some remain open with fewer facilities.
Fees: While visitors can drive through the Coconino National Forest for free, all vehicles parked in the Red Rock area of the Coconino National Forest for recreational purposes are required to display a "Red Rock Pass", which requires a fee.
Accessibility: Please call the Coconino National Forest for specific handicapped areas.
Rules: There are a variety of rules to consider when visiting the Coconino National Forest. Please contact the local Forest Ranger for more specific information. Backcountry permits are valid for the entire winter and are designed for snowshoers, cross-country skiers and snowboarders using the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. Permits are required to be displayed in the front windshield of the permit holder's vehicle if the vehicle is parked at the Lamar Haines trailhead, the entrance of the Freidlein Prairie Road (Forest Road 522) or the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Area. In addition to having a permit, backcountry campers, skiers and snowboarders who launch their trip from the Ski Area or the Snowbowl Road also need to enter information in one of three trip registers. Permits are only required for accessing the backcountry from Arizona Snowbowl and the Snowbowl Road.
Directions: Coconino National Forest is roughly bounded on the south by the Mogollon Rim. The Coconino National Forest sits in central Arizona, around the communities of Flagstaff, Sedona and Happy Jack. The Forest has offices in each of those communities. Interstates 40 and 17 run through the Coconino National Forest. GPS Coordinates are to the primary Coconino National Forest Office in Flagstaff.
Map: Click here for a map to Coconino National Forest
Reservations: Some of the campgrounds in the Coconino National Forest may accept reservations. All campgrounds have first-come, first-serve single-family campsites.
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