Know Before You Go
Enjoy the outdoors. Your national forests and grasslands provide a natural arena for a wide variety of fun and exciting outdoor activities. Some sites require a modest recreation fee to help provide the services and facilities at the site. The weather can change suddenly and dramatically. Be prepared by monitoring weather conditions before you set out for the day. Click here for more information of what you need to know ahead of time.
Hiking Precautions
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- Bring water
- Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return
- Read all trail head signs and follow local regulations
- Stay on the trail
- Hike in groups
- Don't hike in the dark
- Carry bear pepper spray
- Keep children within your sight
Camping Precautions
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- Set up your campsite away from streams. Flash flooding can occur quickly, without warning and from storms far away from your location.
- Set up cooking and eating areas 100 yards from your sleeping area.
- Use bear resistant food containers. Store food and odorous items when not in use.
- Keep sleeping bags and tents completely free of food, beverages, and odorous items.
- Do not sleep in the clothes you cook or handle fish and game in. The odors may attract wildlife.
- Keep a flashlight and bear pepper spray readily available.
Winter Recreation Precautions
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Snow on trail
(Photo courtesy of Shannon Villegas, Arizona Trail Association )- Winter conditions, such as accumulation of snow and/or ice, often lead to temporary closures of year-round recreation sites and facilities. Recreation sites are not plowed in winter.
- Visitors are encouraged to check and monitor weather forecasts when planning to visit and before travelling to national forest recreation sites.
- Visitors should be prepared for sudden changes in weather. Should tow services be needed, contact a local tow company.
- Response to storm conditions is situational and based on available resources, hazards, and severity of conditions. Snow removal is infrequent.
- In life and death emergencies and crimes in progress, visitors should call 911.
- For non-life-threatening situations, when Forest Service personnel are not available, call the Yavapai County Sheriff non-emergency dispatch at 928-771-3260.
- For 5 or 6 above, be prepared to identify yourself, describe the situation, identify your location, how to get there, and how you can be reached.
More Resources
Top photo: Lizard on colorful cactus desert stretch of the AZNST. (Photo courtesy of the Arizona Trail Association)