Coconino National Forest: Size, Location & Key Features

Coconino National Forest spans 1.856 million acres (7,511 km²) across northern Arizona, encompassing one of the most diverse landscapes in the National Forest System.

Scale & Context

• Area: 1,856,000 acres ≈ 2,900 mi² (larger than Delaware + Rhode Island combined)
• Elevation range: 2,600 ft (Verde Valley) → 12,633 ft (Humphreys Peak, AZ high point)
• Established: 1908 (from San Francisco Mountains National Forest)
• Ranger Districts: Flagstaff, Mogollon Rim, Red Rock

Distinctive Landscapes

Red Rock Country (Sedona)

• Iconic sandstone formations: Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte
• Oak Creek Canyon — "little Grand Canyon"
• World-class hiking, mountain biking, jeep tours, spiritual tourism

Mogollon Rim

• 200-mi escarpment marking Colorado Plateau's southern edge
• Ponderosa pine forest (largest contiguous stand in US)
• Lakes: Woods Canyon, Willow Springs, Bear Canyon, Knoll Lake
• Cool-summer refuge; elk, deer, bear, turkey

San Francisco Volcanic Field

• 600+ volcanic vents; last eruption ~1064 CE (Sunset Crater)
• Humphreys Peak (12,633 ft) — highest in AZ; alpine tundra
• Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (adjacent)
• Lava tubes, cinder cones, aa/pahoehoe flows

High Desert & Verde Valley

• Juniper-pinyon woodlands, grasslands, riparian corridors
• Verde River (Wild & Scenic) — cottonwood/willow galleries
• Tuzigoot & Montezuma Castle National Monuments (nearby)

Recreation Highlights

• Trails: 300+ miles (Arizona Trail crosses forest)
• Wilderness areas: Kachina Peaks, Strawberry Crater, Red Rock-Secret Mountain, Sycamore Canyon, Wet Beaver Creek
• Winter: Arizona Snowbowl (skiing on Humphreys)
• Scenic drives: Oak Creek Canyon (SR 89A), Schnebly Hill Rd, Lake Mary Rd

Ecological Significance

• Mexican spotted owl critical habitat
• Narrow-headed gartersnake (threatened)
• Apache trout recovery streams
• Ponderosa pine restoration (4FRI — Four Forest Restoration Initiative)

Gateway Communities

Flagstaff (70,000), Sedona (10,000), Mormon Lake, Happy Jack, Camp Verde — full services, lodging, outfitters.

Coconino National Forest is Arizona's landscape in miniature: red rocks, alpine peaks, ponderosa seas, desert rivers—all in one 1.8-million-acre package.