Horse Riding

Handy Trail References: Trails reference sheets with difficulty, length, elevations, and uses listed for each trail, organized by Ranger District:

See the main Coconino National Forest Recreation page for more information about the Ranger Districts.

Horse Riding Areas

Flagstaff Ranger District
The Flagstaff Ranger District encompasses 849,249 acres of National Forest lands around the Flagstaff area, from Mormon Lake and Anderson Mesa to north of the San Francisco Peaks. At 12,633 feet, the San Francisco Peaks is not only the dominant feature of the forest area we call the Volcanic Highlands, it's also the highest mountain in Arizona. Three of the summits that ring this dormant volcano's now quiet inner caldera are higher than any other mountain in the state.

This mountain is sacred to the native peoples that live in the area and its soaring profile set against a blue Arizona sky serves as a source of awe to contemporary residents and visitors. Views from the summit of the San Francisco Peaks stretch to the Grand Canyon's North Rim over eighty miles away. Hiking, sightseeing, wildlife watching and skiing are the predominant recreation activities enjoyed in this land of mountains, forests and lava flows.

Flagstaff Ranger District, extends from north of the Peaks to the south. 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 area is also known for its plentiful wildlife. Large herds of elk roam the forests and edgelands. Bald eagles and ospreys live and hunt around the lakes. Pronghorn antelope graze the prairies.

Principal recreation activities among the lakes and prairies are boating, fishing, camping, and wildlife watching. The area also boasts some excellent cross-country skiing in good snow years.

Recreation Activities for the Flagstaff District:
More Information
- Road Status
- Forest Orders
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 Nature Loop Trail No. 73
Bismarck Lake Trail
Brookbank Trail No. 2
Campbell Mesa Trail System
This popular trail system begins in large stands of old-growth ponderosa pine and Gambel oak. The various loops offer a wide variety of seasonal wildflowers, many examples of local birdlife, and frequent wildlife sightings. Visitors enjoy forested glades, broad interior meadows, and scenic views of Mt. Elden, Anderson Mesa and Mormon Mountain.

The system includes five loops. The longest, 5.7-mile Campbell Mesa Loop swings around the northern and eastern perimeter of the mesa, while Anasazi Loop shortcuts the west end of Campbell Mesa Loop to make a 2.7-mile sub-loop. Continental Loop makes a short 1.8-mile tour to the northwest side of the mesa overlooking Walnut Canyon Lakes, Continental ball fields, and the course of the Rio de Flag. Sinagua Loop takes the shortest jaunt, just over a mile from the trailhead and back. Walnut Meadows Loop swings 4 miles around the southwest end of the mesa, affording panoramas of Anderson Mesa on the far side of Walnut Canyon and distant Mormon Mountain. From Walnut Meadows Loop, a half-mile connector crosses Old Walnut Canyon Road to the Arizona Trail and Fisher Point.

All five loops of Campbell Mesa trail interconnect with each other and the Campbell Mesa trailhead. Campbell Mesa lies within a non-motorized use area that provides solitude for visitors and shelter for wildlife. Walkers, hikers, cyclists, skiers, and snowshoers enjoy the trails in all seasons.
Dairy Springs Trail No. 136
Deer Hill Trail No. 99
Doney Trail No. 39
Fort Valley Trail System
Located at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, the Fort Valley Trail System was designed primarily for connecting popular mountain biking trails. This system is a multi-use trail to be used by bicycles, hikers, horses and motorcycles. Several sections of the trail were designed by a local biking organization to provide a more challenging ride for the more experienced mountain bike rider. The trail consists of loops that link with the Schultz Creek, Dry Lake Hill and Mt. Elden trail system.

Fort Valley trail is in the Chimney Springs area, just north of Flagstaff. The area has a gradual sloping terrain that consists of several shallow canyons and sweeping views of the San Francisco Peaks. Ponderosa pine and Gambel oak trees are the primary type of vegetation with New Mexico locust and an occasional hedgehog cactus.
Kachina Peaks Wilderness

View of the San Francisco Peaks from the interior of extinct volcano's crater, the Inner Basin.

Here's a wilderness experience that takes you as high as you can get in Arizona. This 18,960 acre roadless area encompasses most of the upper reaches of the San Francisco Peaks including Humphreys Peak, Arizona's highest point at 12,643 feet. The area is named for the Hopi dieties, or Kachinas, whom that culture's mythology tells us live here for part of every year. In mid-summer these dieties fly from the top of the peaks to the Hopi mesas as clouds bringing the nourishing rains of the seasonal monsoons.

Not surprisingly, this most prominent feature on the northern Arizona landscape is sacred to all of the area's indigenous people and has become a source of awe and wonder to its more recently arrived visitors and residents as well.

A number of trails offer access to this mountain which is a dormant volcano that last erupted roughly two million years ago. Some of those trails lead to the top of the several peaks which form the rim of the mountain's inner basin, a huge caldera which was formed during the mountain's most recent volcanic cataclysm. That once inhospitable crater now supports a thriving stand of white barked aspens and hardy mixed conifers. Other routes offer access to the forests and meadows which carpet the mountain's lower slopes. Views from any of these trails are well worth the effort of a visit.

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Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop
Kachina Trail No. 150
Weatherford Trail No. 102
Kendrick Mountain Wilderness
Priest Draw Trail and Bouldering Area
Sandys Canyon Trail No. 137
Lakeview Trail No. 132
Ledges Trail No. 138
Mormon Mountain Trail No. 58
Fatmans Loop Trail No. 25
Heart Trail No. 103
Little Bear Trail No. 112
Little Elden Trail No. 69
Oldham Trail No. 1
Pipeline Trail No. 42
Rocky Ridge Trail No. 153
Sandy Seep Trail No. 129
Schultz Creek Trail No. 152
Sunset Trail No. 23
O'Leary Peak Trail
Old Caves Crater Trail
Little Elden Trail No. 69
Sunset Trail No. 23
Secret Mountain Trail No. 109
Slate Mountain Trail No. 128
Strawberry Crater Wilderness
A volcanic cinder cone and lava flow form the centerpiece of this 10,141 acre wilderness. Though the area last erupted around the time that knighthood was about to flower in Europe, the volcanic features you'll see here look as if they had happened much more recently. Molten rock frozen in time still shows scrape marks left as it squeezed up through cracks in the cooler surface. Petrified bubbles of once boiling stone look as fresh as the sparse vegetation that struggles for a foothold on this rugged moonscape.

Plentiful ruins scattered across this inhospitable landscape prove the resourcefulness of an ancient people who lived here even as the land still fumed and spouted. In places you can also see remnants of the gardens they cultivated using volcanic cinders as a water-retaining mulch. On the horizon, the San Francisco Peaks, Sunset Crater, and the Painted Desert add another dimension to the view.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Northeast Trail System
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Sycamore Canyon is the second largest canyon is Arizona and offers hikers plenty of solitude and natural beauty. Sycamore Canyon Wilderness was Arizona's first Wilderness Area, designated in 1972. The trails in the upper part of the canyon are accessed from Flagstaff, Arizona, and are mainly at higher elevations, primarily in forests of pine, oak, and juniper. The canyon is marked by colorful cliffs, soaring pinnacles, and desert riparian areas. It is home to black bear and mountain lions, as well as many other creatures. The Wilderness falls within the Prescott, Kaibab, and Coconino National Forests. The Coconino National Forest manages the canyon on the east side of Sycamore Creek.

Sycamore Canyon can be very hot and dry during the summer months. There are several springs located near the northeastern Wilderness trails which normally have water year round, but hikers should not depend on this water being available. All ground water should always be treated or filtered. There is plenty of shade along all of the trails as you descend into Sycamore Canyon through a thick forest of ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, and juniper trees. The lower part of Winter Cabin Trail and part of Kelsey Trail takes you through chaparral type vegetation which offers spectacular views of Sycamore Canyon.

The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Northeast Trail System within the Flagstaff Ranger District consists of five trails with a combined mileage of 11.3 miles with the longest trail being 5.6 miles. These trails include:
Each trail is suitable for day hikes or longer overnight loop hikes. Winter Cabin joins up with Sycamore Basin Trail on the Prescott National Forest. Visit the Prescott National Forest Sycamore Canyon Wilderness page for additional information about trails on the western side of Sycamore Creek.

The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Southeast Trails are on the Red Rock Ranger District.
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
Waterline Trail
Mogollon Rim Ranger District
At 506,840 acres, the Mogollon Rim Ranger District is a rugged escarpment that forms the southern limit of the Colorado Plateau. It extends across the entire forest and provides excellent views within Plateau Country and Desert Canyon Country as well. Dropping as much as 2,000 feet in some areas, the Rim provides some of the most far-reaching scenery in Arizona. Views stretch from its rocky precipice to Four Peaks of the Mazatzals northeast of Phoenix.

Needless to say, sightseeing is a favorite activity along the Rim, but this forest area also boasts a historic system of hiking and horseback trails, a couple of picturesque lakes for boating and fishing, and backcountry skiing for wilderness adventurers. The Mogollon Rim is home to Camp Colley, an outdoor adventure camp at Little Moqui, run by the City of Phoenix, Parks and Recreation.

The photo above (see larger view) was taken by Mark Hickcox, Civil Engineer Tech on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District, from the Hutch Mountain Lookout Tower in the summer of 2011. It is looking south-east toward Long Lake.

Recreation activities for the Mogollon Rim Ranger District:
More information
- Road Status
- Forest Orders
Arizona Trail Passage 27: Blue Ridge
Arizona Trail Passage 28: Happy Jack
Babe Haught Trail No. 43
Cabin Loop Trail System
- Cabin Loop Trail System
  
  The Cabin Loop Trail System is the link between the earliest fire guard cabin network in this area of the Mogollon Rim and has its roots in the beginning of the Forest Service era here. The trail was developed between the General Springs Cabin, Pinchot Cabin, and Buck Springs Fire Guard Station.
Administratively, the cabins were part of the Bly Ranger District, now the Blue Ridge Office of the Mogollon Rim Ranger District. The Bly Ranger District had a winter administrative headquarters at the Old Bly Ranger Station located about 10 miles north of the present Blue Ridge Office. The summer headquarters for the Bly District was the Blue Ridge cabin near Rock Crossing Campground. These two cabins are no longer in existence.

The trail passes through some of the most spectacular country in Arizona and you will encounter a variety of landforms, vegetative communities, and a number of springs and perennial water sources. It is important to remember that trails such as those that make up the Cabin Loop Trail System provide the only access to the country in the early days. These and other trails were used and maintained by early Forest Rangers, ranchers and settlers. Livestock was driven up the Rim from the Tonto Basin and grazed during the summer up on the Rim. Portions of the trails are still used by ranchers for moving livestock. Historic accounts tell us that the old timers who made and used the trails blazed them to a height of 6 or 7 feet so the trails could be followed even after a deep snow. Maintenance and repair of the old telephone line was a priority for the rangers each spring. Their accounts indicate that snow lasted late here and it wasn't uncommon for them to have a ride over 4 foot drifts during spring rounds.

The Forest Service is proud of our history and we hope that you will enjoy your "walk into the past".

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Photos from this trail system [Flicker]
Barbershop Trail No. 91
Fred Haught Trail No. 141
Houston Brothers Trail No. 171
U-Bar Trail No. 28
Fossil Springs Wilderness
General Crook Trail No. 130
Horse Crossing Trail No. 20
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
The Red Rock Ranger District includes 487,519 acres of magnificent splendor. The colorful collection of buttes, pinnacles, mesas, and canyons surrounding Sedona is famous the world around for its red rock vistas. Over the years, this area has served as the setting of many western novels and movies and has been the subject of uncounted paintings, photographs, and other works of art. The remains of ancient wetlands, these crimson cliffs have been carved by the forces of the desert into one of nature's most magnificent masterpieces.

No matter what you do in Red Rock Country, you're always sightseeing. Ways to get even closer to all this scenery includes: hiking, horseback riding, taking a scenic drive, sliding down a natural waterslide, picnicking, camping, taking lots of photos and fishing in Oak Creek. Some areas require a pass to park, so be sure to check out the information about our Red Rock Pass Program.

Red Rock Recreation Guide [PDF]

Get the scoop on the Red Rock Ranger District!
Red Rock Country Area Map

Recreation activities for the Red Rock Ranger District shown in tables:
Baldwin Trail
Big Park Trails
Brins Mesa Trail No. 119
Bruce Brockett Trail
Carroll Canyon Area Trails
Cockscomb Trail System
Cornville Trail System
Deadmans Pass Trail
Deer Pass Trailhead
Fay Canyon Trail No. 53
Fossil Creek
Fossil Creek

There are ten recreation sites and trails along Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River. Each site features deep pools and beautiful scenery.

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Fossil Creek, one of two "Wild and Scenic" rivers in Arizona, seems to appear out of nowhere, gushing 20,000 gallons a minute out of a series of springs at the bottom of a 1,600 foot deep canyon. Over the years these calcium laden waters have laid down huge deposits of a type of limestone called travertine. Read more ...

Destinations: Flume Trail | Dixon Lewis Trail | Fossil Springs Wilderness | Other places to go

April 1 - Oct. 1

Spring-summer season.
Parking permit required.
No camping allowed.

Oct. 2 - March 31

Fall-winter season.
No permit required.
Some camping allowed.

Never allowed

Campfires and glass containers are never allowed in the area.

For current conditions, call Fossil Creek Hotline 928-226-4611
Flume Trail No. 154 to Fossil Creek Dam
Mail Trail No. 84
Girdner Trail No. 162
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
You can get to know Red Rock Country from top to bottom in the Munds Mountain Wilderness. This 18,150 acre area stretches from the tops of Munds and Lee mountains to the bottoms of Jacks, Woods, and Rattlesnake canyons. In the high country, you'll enjoy views that stretch all the way from the floor of colorful Oak Creek Canyon to the top of the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona's highest mountain. From the trails that traverse canyon floors, you'll get an entirely different perspective on this area's red rock magnificence, looking up at crimson canyon walls set against a deep blue Arizona sky.

The area is very convenient to the villages of Sedona and Oak Creek, extending right up to the edge of their posh resorts and galleries. Within this bit of suburban wilderness you'll find two of the area's most famous and most picturesque landmarks, Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock. Many people believe there is spiritual energy in these rocks, concentrated in centers they call vortexes. Whether you follow this spiritual belief or not, you'll be one of a very few if you don't experience your own energizing bliss among these picturesque formations.

A number of trails offer access to the wilderness. Two you may want to try are Jacks Canyon Trail and the Hot Loop Trail. Both lead from canyon bottom to high overlook. Quite likely you'll have them to yourself, just you, the jackrabbits and the rest of the wildlife, that is.

Trails in Munds Mountain Wilderness

The following trails and areas are partially or completely inside the Wilderness.
Courthouse Butte Loop Trail
Hot Loop Trail No. 40
Jacks Canyon Trail No. 55
Margs Draw Trail No. 163
Schnebly Hill Trail No. 158
Woods Canyon Trail No. 93
Munds Wagon Trail No. 78
North Urban Trail System - East
North Urban Trail System - West
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
Templeton Trail
Towel Creek Trail No. 67
Turkey Creek Trail No. 92
Walker Basin Trail No. 82
Apache Maid Trail No. 15
Bell Trail No. 13
Wet Beaver Wilderness
White Mesa Trail No. 86
Wier Trail No. 85
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness
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Sycamore Canyon Wilderness encompasses the second largest canyon in Arizona’s red rock country and was designated a wilderness area in 1972. A lesser known, but equally scenic, cousin of Oak Creek Canyon, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness contains more than 50,000 acres of colorful cliffs, soaring pinnacles, and one of the world's rarest habitats, a desert riparian area.

Managed by four separate ranger districts of three different National Forests, this wilderness has plenty to offer. Wildlife viewers will enjoy trying to spy black bears, mountain lions, ringtail cats, and javelina, along with enjoying the singing of canyon wrens and hermit thrushes. Hikers and backpackers have a choice of 15 trails to explore. Try to find the picturesque lair of another of the canyon's historic residents, the American cowboy, on Taylor Cabin Trail. The Sycamore Rim Trail (Kaibab National Forest) skirts the canyon's upper reaches through an area of secluded pools and tall forests, while Parson’s Trail meanders up a fertile desert riparian area, a habitat as rare as it is productive.

Wilderness areas are rare, wild places set aside by Congress where the land is allowed to retain its natural state, serving as a natural haven for humans to escape modern civilization and for nature to be itself. To help minimize human impacts in wilderness and maintain its character, several laws and regulations have been put in place and we ask visitors practice “Leave No Trace Ethics.”

Attractions: Wilderness solitude, trails for hiking and horseback riding, red rocks, pinnacles, buttes and arches, photography & wildlife viewing, swimming, and fishing, history (Native American ruins, historic cabins).

Trails in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Southeast Trails
Sycamore Canyon is the second largest canyon is Arizona and offers hikers plenty of solitude and natural beauty. Sycamore Canyon Wilderness was Arizona's first Wilderness Area, designated in 1972. The canyon is marked by colorful cliffs, soaring pinnacles, and desert riparian areas. It is home to black bear and mountain lions, as well as many other creatures. The Wilderness falls within the Prescott, Kaibab, and Coconino National Forests. The Coconino National Forest manages the canyon on the east side of Sycamore Creek.

Sycamore Canyon can be very hot and dry during the summer months. Most of the trails in the lower part of the Wilderness do not have reliable water sources. All ground water should always be treated or filtered.

Wilderness areas are rare, wild places set aside by Congress where the land is allowed to retain its natural state, serving as a natural haven for humans to escape modern civilization and for nature to be itself. To help minimize human impacts in wilderness and maintain its character, several laws and regulations have been put in place and we ask that visitors practice Leave No Trace Ethics.

The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Southeast Trail System on the Red Rock Ranger District consists of three trails. These trails include:
Taylor Cabin Trail and Dogie Trail join up with Sycamore Basin Trail on the Prescott National Forest. Visit the Prescott National Forest Sycamore Canyon Wilderness page for additional information about trails on the western side of Sycamore Creek.

The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Northeastern Trail System is on Flagstaff Ranger District. These trails are accessed from Flagstaff, Arizona, and are mainly at higher elevations, primarily in forests of ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, and juniper.
Dogie Trail No. 116
Parsons Trail No. 144
Taylor Cabin Trail No. 35
West Clear Creek Wilderness

The West Clear Creek Wilderness, established in 1984, is a narrow but lengthy wilderness that follows the contours of West Clear Creek from its western terminus at Bull Pen Ranch to the headwaters of Willow Creek and Clover Creek to the north and east. The persistent strength of these waters have cut at the walls of the Mogollon Rim of the Colorado Plateau, creating the deep, narrow, rugged and spectacular canyon we see today. Due to the stark variance in elevation and sunlight across canyon walls, the West Clear Creek Wilderness offers a wide range of vegetation, geology, recreational opportunities, and supports a variety of wildlife.

Visitors should note that when traversing the canyon, stream crossings are unavoidable. The West Clear Creek Trail (the longest and most-used trail within the wilderness) has four crossings that range from knee-height to impassable depending on time of year, weather, and flooding. Those looking to follow the creek beyond the maintain trail should prepare for more than a dozen pools, which sits between both canyon wall sides and can be up to a quarter mile long, requiring wading or swimming.

Naturally, a place this remote and inaccessible provides superior opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation. For most of its length the stream is a valuable fishing resource and is stocked with trout by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Trails leading into the canyon from the rim attract hardy adventurers seeking good fishing and secluded swimming holes. Trails that lead up from the canyon mouth get a lot of use by weekend anglers, picnickers, day hikers, and backpackers who use the primitive trailhead at the old Bull Pen Ranch.

Read more about West Clear Creek Wilderness.

The western portion of West Clear Creek is managed by the Red Rock Ranger District (928-203-2900). The eastern portion is managed by the Mogollon Rim Ranger District (928-477-2255). The District boundary runs north-south through the Home Take Draw area.

Wilderness areas are rare, wild places set aside by Congress where the land is allowed to retain its natural state, serving as a natural haven for humans to escape modern civilization and for nature to be itself. To help minimize human impacts in wilderness and maintain its character, several laws and regulations have been put in place and we ask that visitors practice "Leave No Trace ethics."

The image above was taken overlooking the canyon just west of state Route 87. This little slice of heaven is on the eastern end of West Clear Creek Wilderness.
Maxwell Trail No. 37
West Clear Creek Wilderness - Mogollon Rim