XC Skiing/Snowshoeing

XC Skiing/Snowshoeing 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:

  • Campgrounds
  • Trails
  • Wilderness Areas, Boating/Fishing Sites, Scenic Drives
  • Picnic Areas, Archaeology Sites, Cabin Rentals and Winter Activities

  More Information

  • Road Status
  • Forest Orders

   

• Arizona Nordic Village in the Winter
• Kachina Peaks Wilderness
  

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

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  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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• Humphreys Trail No. 151
• Mormon Lake Ski Touring Center
• Peak View Winter Recreation and Parking Area
• Wing Mountain Snowplay Area