Coconino National Forest

Coconino National Forest in northern Arizona offers you a diverse landscape. It ranges from Sedona’s famous red rocks, Ponderosa pine forests, alpine tundra to southwestern desert. Providing you with the most diverse National Forests in the U.S., it enables you to explore the mountains, canyons, creeks, streams, and fish in small lakes. If you are looking for recreation, adventure, landscape diversity, cultural history, and volumes of natural beauty, this is the right place for you to unwind.

Places to Visit Nearby

Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive
Honanki Heritage Site
Palatki Heritage Site
V Bar V Heritage Site
Elden Pueblo Archaeological Site
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Slide Rock State Park
Arizona Snowbowl
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Museum of Northern Arizona
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Wupatki National Monument
Devil’s Bridge Trail
Monte Vista Cocktail Lounge
Oak Creek Canyon
Cathedral Rock
Ski Lift Lodge and Cabins
Sunset Crater
Hotel Monte Vista
The Inn at 410

Things to Do

Coconino National Forest is a popular destination for recreational tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. Other things you can do for recreation are:

Bicycling or mountain biking
Camping
- Cabin Rentals
- Campground Camping
- Dispersed Camping
- Group Camping
Rock Climbing
Fishing
- Lake and Pond Fishing
- River and Stream Fishing
Hiking
- Day Hiking
- Backpacking
Horse Riding and Camping
- Horse Camping
- Horse Riding
Big Game Hunting
Nature Viewing
- Scenery Viewing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Plant Viewing
OHV Riding and Camping
- OHV Trail Riding
- OHV Road Riding
- OHV Open Area Riding
- OHV Camping
Outdoor Learning
- Interpretive Areas
- Visitor Centers
- Visitor Programs
Picknicking
Scenic Driving
Water Activities
- Boating (Motorized & Non-Motorized)
- Swimming
- Waterskiing
- Windsurfing
Winter Sports
- Skiing/Snowboarding
- Sledging/Tubing
- Snowmobiling
- XC Skiing/Snowshoeing
Other Activities
- Caving

Hiking Trails

Coconino National Forest offers you hiking and backpacking opportunities. There are around 160 trails in this forest, and they are categorized into 5 different areas:

Flagstaff Ranger District
Mogollon Rim Ranger District
Red Rock Ranger District
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness
West Clear Creek

The top-rated and most popular trails in Coconino National Forest are:

Devils Bridge Trail

Devil’s Bridge Trail is 3.9 mi (6.3 km) long and will take you around two hours to complete the trail. Located in Arizona’s Sedona area, this trail features wildflowers. This moderately challenging hiking trail offers breathtaking views of Red Rock country. Devil’s Bridge is the largest natural sandstone arch.
Cathedral Rock Trail

This is a very challenging hiking trail, which is 1.18 mi (1.9 km) long and will take around one hour to complete. Cathedral Rock Trail is also located near Sedona. It offers you breathtaking views of red rock country’s unique naturally-occurring rock formations.
Soldier Pass Trail

It is a moderately challenging trail of 4.5 mi (7.2 km) that will take you around two and a half hours to complete. The major destinations along this trail include Devil’s Kitchen, Seven Sacred Pools, and many more.
Fay Canyon Trail

This 2.6 mi (3.2 km) long trail is easy to hike and remains open throughout the year. It will take you one and a half hours to complete this trail. Major highlights of the Fay Canyon Trail are Fay Canyon Arch, interesting rock formations, box canyons, red rock, beautiful canyon walls, and many more.
Birthing Cave

Birthing Cave is a 2 mile (3.2 km) long that is considered moderately challenging. It will take you around one hour to complete the trail. The best time to visit this trail is from October to May. Enjoy fantastic views along this beautiful short trail.

Other major Prescott National Forest trails are:

Flagstaff Ranger District
- Arizona Nordic Village in the Summer
- Arizona Trail (Equestrian Bypass) No. 87C
- Arizona Trail (Marshall Lake-Fisher Point) No.87
- Arizona Trail Passage 34: San Francisco Peaks
- Aspen Loop Trail No. 73
- Bismarck Lake Trail
- Brookbank Trail No. 2
- Campbell Mesa Trail System
- Crystal Point Trail
- Dairy Springs Trail No. 136
- Deer Hill Trail No. 99
- Doney Trail No. 39
- Elden Lookout Trail No. 4
- Fatmans Loop Trail No. 25
- Fort Valley Trail System
- Griffith Spring Trail No. 189
- Heart Trail No. 103
- Kachina Peaks Wilderness
  - Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop
  - Humphreys Trail No. 151
  - Inner Basin Trail No. 29
  - Kachina Trail No. 150
  - Weatherford Trail No. 102
- Kendrick Mountain Wilderness
- Kendrick Park Watchable Wildlife Trail
- Kinnikinick Lake Picnic Area
- Lake Mary Recreation Corridor
  - Priest Draw Trail and Bouldering Area
  - Sandys Canyon Trail No. 137
  - Wood Memorial Trail
- Lakeview Trail No. 132
- Lava River Cave
- Ledges Trail No. 138
- Little Bear Trail No. 112
- Little Elden Trail No. 69
- Little Round Mountain Trail
- Mormon Mountain Trail No. 58
- O’Leary Peak Trail
- Old Caves Crater Trail
- Oldham Trail No. 1
- Pipeline Trail No. 42
- Red Mountain Trail No. 159
- Rocky Ridge Trail No. 153
- Sandy Seep Trail No. 129
- Schultz Creek Trail No. 152
- Secret Mountain Trail No. 109
- Slate Mountain Trail No. 128
- Strawberry Crater Wilderness
  - Strawberry Crater Trail
- Sunset Trail No. 23
- Waterline Trail
Mogollon Rim Ranger District
- Arizona Trail Passage 27: Blue Ridge
- Arizona Trail Passage 28: Happy Jack
- Babe Haught Trail No. 43
- Cabin Loop Trail System
  - Barbershop Trail No. 91
  - Fred Haught Trail No. 141
  - Houston Brothers Trail No. 171
  - U-Bar Trail No. 28
- Calloway Trail No. 33
- Donahue Trail No. 27
- Fossil Springs Wilderness (Mogollon Rim)
- General Crook Trail No. 130
- Horse Crossing Trail No. 20
- Kinder Crossing Trail No. 19
- Myrtle Trail No. 30
- Pine Canyon Trail No. 26
- Rock Crossing Trail No. 18
- Soldier Trail No. 21
- Turkey Springs Trail No. 217
- Victorine Trail No. 101
- Willow Crossing Trail No. 38
Red Rock Ranger District
- Airport Loop Trails
- Baldwin Trail
- Bear Mountain Trail No. 54
- Bear Sign Trail No. 59
- Big Park Trails
- Boynton Canyon Trail No. 47
- Brins Mesa Trail No. 119
- Broken Arrow Trail No. 125
- Bruce Brockett Trail
- Bull Pen Day Use Area & Trailhead
- Carroll Canyon Area Trails
- Casner Mountain Trail No. 8
- Cathedral Rock Trail No. 170
- Cockscomb Trail System
- Cornville Trail System
- Deadmans Pass Trail
- Deer Pass Trailhead
- Devil’s Bridge Trail No. 120
- Doe Mountain Trail No. 60
- Dry Creek Trail No. 52
- Fay Canyon Trail No. 53
- Fossil Creek
  - Bob Bear (formerly Fossil Springs) Trail-No. 18
  - Flume Trail No. 154 to Fossil Creek Dam
  - Mail Trail No. 84
  - Waterfall Trail on Fossil Creek
- Girdner Trail No. 162
- HS Canyon Trail No. 50
- Huckaby Trail No. 161
- Jim Thompson Trail No. 124
- Lime Kiln Trail No. 82
- Little Horse Trail No. 61
- Llama Trail
- Long Canyon Trail No. 122
- Long Canyon Trail No. 63
- Loy Canyon Trail No. 5
- Mooney Trail No. 12
- Munds Mountain Wilderness
  - Bell Rock Pathway / Vista
  - Courthouse Butte Loop Trail
  - Hot Loop Trail No. 94
  - Jacks Canyon Trail No. 55
  - Margs Draw Trail No. 163
  - Munds Mountain Trail No. 77
  - Schnebly Hill Trail No. 158
  - Woods Canyon Trail No. 93
- Munds Wagon Trail No. 78
- Mystic Trail
- North Urban Trail System – East
- North Urban Trail System – West
- Oak Creek Canyon
  - A. B. Young Trail No. 100
  - Allens Bend Trail No. 111
  - Casner Canyon Trail No. 11
  - Cookstove Trail No. 143
  - Harding Springs Trail No. 51
  - North Wilson Trail No. 123
  - Purtyman Trail
  - Sterling Pass Trail No. 46
  - Telephone Trail No. 72
  - Thomas Point Trail No. 142
  - West Fork of Oak Creek No. 108
  - Wilson Canyon Trail No. 49
  - Wilson Mountain Trail No. 10
- Red Rock Loop Trail
- Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness
- Schuerman Mountain Trail No. 56
- Secret Canyon Loop Trails
- Secret Canyon Trail No. 121
- Soldier Pass Trail No. 66
- Stage Stop Day Use Area
- Templeton Trail
- Towel Creek Trail No. 67
- Turkey Creek Trail No. 92
- Vultee Arch Trail No. 22
- Walker Basin Trail No. 82
- Wet Beaver Creek
  - Apache Maid Trail No. 15
  - Bell Trail No. 13
  - Wet Beaver Wilderness
- White Mesa Trail No. 86
- Wier Trail No. 85
- Yavapai Vista
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness
- Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Northeast Trail System
  - Dorsey Spring Trail No. 7
  - Hog Hill Trail No. 70
  - Kelsey Trail No. 3
  - Little L.O. Trail No. 6
  - Winter Cabin Trail No. 70
- Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Southeast Trails
  - Dogie Trail No. 116
  - Parsons Trail No. 144
  - Taylor Cabin Trail No. 35
West Clear Creek
- West Clear Creek Wilderness
  - Blodgett Basin Trail No. 31
  - Maxwell Trail No. 37
  - Tramway Trail No. 32
  - West Clear Creek Trail No. 17
- West Clear Creek Wilderness – Mogollon Rim

Facts

Coconino National Forest is spread across 1.856-million acre (751,000 ha or ) acres (2,900 sq mi or 7,511 sq km).
It was originally established as the “San Francisco Mountains National Forest Reserve” in 1898.
You’ll find diverse landscapes in the Coconino National Forest, including deserts, ancient volcanic peaks, alpine tundra, mesas, flatlands, and ponderosa pine forests.
It was established on July 2, 1908.
Around 1,890,000 visitors visited Coconino National Forest in 2004.

Where is Coconino National Forest

Coconino National Forest is situated near Flagstaff city in northern Arizona. Check this Arizona National Parks Map for locating Coconino National Forest on Arizona Map.

Best Time To Visit

Hikers can visit Coconino National Forest round the year.

Visiting Hours

Coconino National Forest can be visited throughout the year. The visiting hours for different offices are:

Supervisor’s Office 928-527-3600 (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
Flagstaff Ranger District 928-526-0866 (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
Red Rock Ranger District & Visitor Center 928-203-2900 (Seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Mogollon Rim Ranger District 928-477-2255 (Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

Tickets

America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass: US$80.00 per year
Senior Pass: US$80.00 for life
Access Pass: Free
Volunteer Pass: Free for qualifying individuals

Places to Visit Nearby

Things to Do

Hiking Trails

Devils Bridge Trail

Cathedral Rock Trail

Soldier Pass Trail

Fay Canyon Trail

Birthing Cave

Facts

Where is Coconino National Forest

Best Time To Visit

Visiting Hours

Tickets

Yellowstone National Park Map

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