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Williams Ranger District

The Williams Ranger District is on the Coconino Plateau and encircles the City of Williams, Arizona. It is one of three districts within the Kaibab National Forest.

The Williams Ranger District is 550,411 acres in size. It contains headwater tributaries of two main watersheds:  the Verde and Colorado Rivers. It has no perennial streams and only a few reliable springs.

The district is cut east and west by Interstate Highway 40. State Highway 64 to the south rim of the Grand Canyon extends to the north. US Highway 180 from Flagstaff to state Highway 64 passes through the northern edge of the district, providing a second route to the Grand Canyon.

Elevations on the district range from 5,500 feet in the southwest to 10,418 feet on Kendrick Mountain near the northeast boundary. Much of the terrain is relatively level except for numerous small knolls, a few mountains, and the escarpment (Mogollon Rim) that cuts diagonally across the southwest section of the forest. The average elevation is approximately 7,000 feet.

Recreation Sites

Showing: 1 - 10 of 28 results

Beale Wagon Road Historic Trail #61

Biking Hiking Horse Riding and Camping
This historic trail has as much to offer the modern traveler as it did the ranchers and immigrants of the 1860s and 70s when it was a 1,240-mile route stretching from Ft. Smith, Arkansas, to the…

Benham Trail #38

Hiking Biking Horse Riding and Camping
This trail starts in ponderosa pine and oak thickets, and climbs into the mixed conifer forest on Bill Williams Mountain. At several places along the trail the hiker has a good view of the forest…

Bill Williams Mountain Trail #21

Hiking
This trail starts in ponderosa pine and oak thickets. As it crosses West Cataract Creek, it goes through stands of aspen and fir carpeted by a dense ground cover of ferns, Oregon grape and Arizona…

Buckskinner Trail #130

Hiking
These trails are located on the lower slopes of Bill Williams Mountain. They offer the hiker access to the mountain and the Bill Williams Mountain Trail from the City of Williams and, if used…

Bull Basin Trail #40

Horse Riding and Camping Hiking
The Bull Basin Trail starts at a trailhead located off FR 90 A. Ascending Kendrick Mountain's north slope, it switchbacks up to a large meadow. The trail then turns south along a rocky ridge to a…

Cataract Lake

Site Open
Water Activities Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Picnicking
This popular fishing lake is located on the Williams Ranger District about one mile northwest of Williams on Cataract Lake Road. Cataract Lake is open seasonally for day-use only. Overnight camping…

City of Williams Link Trail #124

Hiking
These trails are located on the lower slopes of Bill Williams Mountain. They offer the hiker access to the mountain and the Bill Williams Mountain Trail from the City of Williams and, if used…

Clover Spring Loop Trail #46

Hiking Horse Riding and Camping Biking
These trails are located on the lower slopes of Bill Williams Mountain. They offer the hiker access to the mountain and the Bill Williams Mountain Trail from the City of Williams and, if used…

Davenport Hill Trail #63

Hiking
The 5.6 mile trail provides visitors to Dogtown Lake with an interesting, scenic day hike to the top of Davenport Hill and back. The higher elevation of the hill (7805 feet) and the northern exposure…

Dogtown Lake Campground

Site Open
Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Water Activities
Dogtown Lake got its name from the extensive prairie dog towns that once covered open areas near the lake. In spite of the name, this medium-sized body of water is actually surrounded by trees.…

Last updated June 13th, 2025