Discover History
Humans have occupied what is now Prescott National Forest for at least 12,000 years. The desert Southwest holds an extraordinary record of the past. Rock shelters, cliff dwellings, pithouse villages, pueblos, incredible rock art, and the remains of historic homesteads, railroads, and “ghost towns” are but a few of the wonders that await your discovery. Archeological sites give visitors the opportunity to peer into the past which can spark wonder, delight, surprise, and reflection. More-recent Forest history was shaped by mining, grazing, and timber harvested to satisfy the needs of settlers of European descent.
This rich past can still be found in many recreation sites across the Forest.
Historic & Prehistoric Sites to Visit on Prescott National Forest
Prescott National Forest is lucky to have numerous museums, organizations and agencies in the area that are dedicated to interpreting the pre-history of Central Arizona. While there are many sites with rock art and ruins, we prefer to keep most of these locations quiet to protect their scientific integrity. Lower on this page, you'll find a list of partner organizations where you are invited to study pre-historic objects up close, but we only have a couple of sites on the Forest that we encourage the public to visit.
- Lynx Creek Ruins is located in the Lynx Lake Recreation Area and can be reached via a short, relatively easy, hike.
- Caves carved by the Sinagua people can be viewed across the Verde River from the Beasley Flat Picnic Area and Boat Launch.
Many campgrounds and picnic sites on the Forest were created, or improved by, the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of the New Deal following the Great Depression including sites located in Groom Creek, Mingus Mountain, Horsethief Basin, and Thumb Butte.
Palace Station, pictured at left, and Groom Creek Schoolhouse Group Picnic Site were built during the Pioneer era of the late 1800s.
Museums, Parks, Monuments & Historical Societies in the Area
- Sharlot Hall Museum - Sharlot Hall Museum is an educational and cultural center, which fosters public and community understanding and appreciation of historical, social, and natural aspects of Arizona, with emphasis on the Central Highlands, and which promotes involvement in and support for research, collections, conservation, exhibits, and related programs.
- Museum of Indigenous Peoples - The Mission of the Museum of Indigenous Peoples is to instill an understanding and respect for indigenous cultures of the Southwest.
- Verde Valley Archeology Center & Museum - Their mission is to preserve archaeological sites and collections, to curate the collections locally, and to make them available for research and education; to develop partnerships with American Indians, cultural groups and the communities it serves; and to foster a deeper understanding of prehistory and American Indian history in the Verde Valley through the science of archaeology. Admission is FREE.
- Fort Verde State Historical Park, Camp Verde, AZ
- Jerome State Historical Park, Jerome, AZ
- Rockin' River Ranch State Park, Camp Verde, AZ
- Verde River Headwaters State Park, Chino Valley, AZ
- Montezuma Castle, Camp Verde, AZ
- Montezuma's Well, Rimrock, AZ
- Tuzigoot, Clarkdale, AZ