Prescott National Forest

{{Short description|Protected area in north central Arizona}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2012}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Use American English|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Prescott National Forest

| photo = Prescott Natl Forest Nima5.JPG

| photo_caption =

| map = USA

| relief = 1

| map_caption =

| location = Yavapai County and Coconino County, Arizona, US

| nearest_city = Prescott, AZ

| coordinates = {{coord|34|37|N|112|37|W|region:US-AZ|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| area_acre = 1,250,000

| established = 1908

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = U.S. Forest Service

| website = [http://www.fs.usda.gov/prescott Prescott National Forest]

}}

The Prescott National Forest is a 1.25 million-acre (510,000 ha) United States National Forest located in north central Arizona in the vicinity of Prescott. The forest is located in the mountains southwest of Flagstaff and north of Phoenix in Yavapai County, with a small portion (about 3.5 percent) extending into southwestern Coconino County.

The Forest Service divides the forest into 3 administrative districts. The northern section of the forest is the Chino Valley Ranger District, the southwest section is the Bradshaw Ranger District, and the southeast section is the Verde Ranger District. Central administrative offices are in Prescott with local ranger district offices in Camp Verde, Chino Valley, and Prescott.{{cite web |title=Prescott National Forest; About the Forest; Contact Us |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/prescott/about-forest/offices |website=USDA Forest Service |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=11 April 2020}}

Wilderness

There are eight designated wilderness areas comprising more than {{convert|104000|acre|km2|0}}, located entirely or partially within the Prescott National Forest. These are:

Campgrounds

The following table(s) display all public campgrounds within the Prescott National Forest.[http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott/recreation/family_cg/index.shtml Prescott National Forest – Recreational Activities: Camping]

=Dispersed campsites=

Dispersed campsites are undeveloped and no facilities such as trash collection, water and toilets are available. Recommended for experienced campers.

Dispersed camping is allowed in wide areas of the Forest except in the Prescott Basin area. Dispersed campsite locations in that area are listed below.

class="wikitable"

! Campsite locations

! Number of campsites

! Campsite numbers

FDR 23 – Enchanted Forest Road

| 11

| 1–11

FDR 30 – Bannie Mine Road

| 13

| 1–13

C 56 – Senator Highway

| 7

| 1–7

FDR 79 – Tritle Mountain Road

| 16

| 1–16

FDR 80 – Sundance Road

| 6

| 1–6

FDR 9406L – Pipeline Road

| 5

| 1–5

C 101 – Groom Creek Cut Off Road

| 14

| 1–14

FDR 64 – Marapai Road

| 7

| 1–7

C64 – Copper Basin Road

| 5

| 1–5

FDR 51 – Pott's Creek

| 8

| 1–8

=Family campgrounds=

Developed campsites designed to accommodate families of 5-10 (maximum) per site.

class="wikitable"

! Campground

! District

! Elevation

! Open season

! Sites

! Fee

! Features

Alto Pit OHV Campground

| Bradshaw

| 6,200

| All Year

| 11

| $10 Single
$20 Double
$3 Day Use

| Overnight Camping and Day Use

Groom Creek Horse Camp

| Bradshaw

| 6,000

| 05/01 – 10/31

| 36

| $10

| Equestrian campground (horse required), trail access, drinking water, 12 corrals, 2 group sites

Hazlett Hollow

| Bradshaw

| 6,000

| 05/01 – 10/01

| 15

| $6

| Hiking, remote area, drinking water

Hilltop

| Bradshaw

| 5,800

| 03/30 – 10/31

| 38

| $18

| Hiking, fishing, gold panning, drinking water

Lower Wolf Creek

| Bradshaw

| 6,000

| 05/01 – 10/31

| 20

| $6

| Hiking, no drinking water

Lynx Lake

| Bradshaw

| 5,600

| 03/30-10/31

| 36

| $18

| Lake, boating, fishing, gold panning, hiking, drinking water, no swimming

Mingus Mountain
(Black Hills)

| Verde

| 7,600

| 05/01 – 10/31

| 25

| $6

| Loop B 6 sites ($6.00), Loop E 19 RV sites ($6.00), hiking, scenic views, no drinking water

Potato Patch

| Verde

| 7,000

| 05/01 – 10/31

| 40

| $10/$15

| Loop A 28 sites ($10.00), Loop B 12 RV sites ($15.00), hiking, close to wilderness, drinking water

Powell Springs

| Verde

| 5,300

| All year

| 10

| $6

| No drinking water

White Spar

| Bradshaw

| 5,700

| All year

| 60

| $10

| Drinking water, 11 sites open all year

Yavapai

| Bradshaw

| 5,600

| All year

| 25

| $10

| Hiking, drinking water, near Granite Lake

* Pricing and Open Season information current as of Monday, 3 December 2007 at 18:27:06 EST; please refer to the official Forest Service website for up-to-date information as it is subject to change.

History

The Prescott Forest Reserve was established by the United States General Land Office on May 10, 1898. It was transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1906 and became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908, it absorbed Verde National Forest, and on October 22, 1934, it absorbed Tusayan National Forest.{{citation|title=National Forests of the United States|url=http://www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Places/National%20Forests%20of%20the%20U.S.pdf|date=September 29, 2005|author=Davis, Richard C.|publisher=Forest History Society|access-date=April 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028014355/http://www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Places/National%20Forests%20of%20the%20U.S.pdf|archive-date=October 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}