31 Forests to Explore in Arizona

Mt. Logan Wilderness is located in a very remote, rugged portion of the Arizona Strip, that portion of Arizona north of the Grand Canyon. It includes basalt ledges, cinder cones, ponderosa pine forests, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and a large, colorful, naturally eroded amphitheater known as Hells Hole. Hiking, camping, scenic vistas, watching wildlife and hunting are some of the prime recreational opportunities found in this wilderness.

The 30,760-acre Mount Tipton Wilderness is located in Mohave County, 25 miles north of Kingman, Arizona. The nearest access point to the wilderness is the Dolan Springs community located on the northwest flank of the Cerbat Mountains and directly west of the wilderness area. Five access routes are described for the wilderness.Besides hiking trails during seasonally good weather, attractions of the wilderness are wild mustang horses.

Mount Wrightson is visible from great distances at a magnificent 7,000 feet from the desert floor, 9,452-foot. It has rough hillsides, deep canyons, and lofty ridges and peaks surrounded on all sides by semiarid hills and sloping grasslands.Much of this wilderness was affected by a wildfire during the summer of 2005. Trail and spring conditions have changed and current information should be obtained from the local Forest Service office prior to hiking or camping in this area.

The New Water Mountains is a mountain range in southwestern Arizona. The range is on the northern border of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge as well as the northern Kofa Mountains. Featuring towering canyons, sparse vegetation, and a large volcanic butte, New Water Mountains Wilderness is the place to be for RV lovers in Arizona who are seeking solitude.The terrain inside New Water Mountains Wilderness is mostly that seen in Sonoran Desert areas.

Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona, Arizona is one of the most beautiful spots in the state. Here is where people come to interact with Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona, Arizona is one of the most beautiful spots in the state. Here is where people come to interact with nature and its wonders, and where people come to get away from the busy city life with the goal of ultimate relaxation. The canyon is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its scenic beauty.and its wonders, and wher

The 87,900 acres of the Paiute Wilderness are in extreme northwest Arizona, surrounding the Virgin Mountains. The wilderness is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The southern section of the wilderness lies within Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, and is also managed by the BLM. Directly to the north, separated by Interstate Highway 15, lies the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness.

Pajarita Wilderness is a 7,553-acre property in Coronado National Forest against the Sonora border. The array of canyons that make up the area sit at the western end of the Pajarito Mountains, and form a well-known migration route for birds. Sycamore Canyon is the centerpiece of the wilderness, a riparian forest that supports more than 160 bird species.

The Peralta Canyon Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the Superstition Wilderness outside of Phoenix, and for good reason. This hike is one of the gateways into the 160,000-acre wilderness just an hour's drive from Phoenix and offers spectacular scenery and a moderate difficulty for the day hiker.This hike is not to be missed for it's scenic value and the satisfaction of reaching "the saddle" for spectacular views of the Weaver's Needle formation and the Superstition Wilderness beyond.

The Sierra Ancha Wilderness is located about 100 miles east of Phoenix, between Globe and Young. Though fairly small at 32 square miles, it contains some of the most rugged and inaccessible terrain in Arizona. Most of the Sierra Ancha Wilderness lies at an elevation of about 7000 feet. But along the eastern border, is a 20,850 acres U.S. wilderness area on the Tonto National Forest in the state of Arizona. The terrain varies from box canyons to high cliffs and pine-covered mountains.

Swansea Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the central portion of the Buckskin Mountains divided by a large gorge formed by the Bill Williams River in the U.S. state of Arizona. The 16,400-acre property straddles the Bill Williams River and the La Paz-Mohave county line. The Buckskin Mountains are on the south, Black Mesa on the north and a six-mile stretch of the Bill Williams River cuts across the center.

Tonto National Forest is the largest national forest in Arizona, and the sixth largest national forest among 154 USDA National Forests.The Tonto features some of the most rugged and inherently beautiful land in the country. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet in the ponderosa pine forests of the Mogollon Rim.