USFS · National forest · Arizona

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests

The Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests is a 2.76-million-acre (11,169 km2) United States national forest which runs along the Mogollon Rim and the White Mountains in east-central Arizona and into the U.S. state of New Mexico. Formerly two forests, it is currently managed as one unit by USDA Forest Service from the Forest Supervisors Office in Springerville, Arizona. Apache–Sitgreaves has over 400 species of wildlife. With its high elevation and cool summer breezes it is a popular weekend destination from the hot desert for Phoenix, Arizona, residents. The forest is divided into 5 Ranger Districts that span almost 300 miles (480 km) from Clifton, Arizona in the east-central portion of Arizona to the eastern boundary of the Coconino National Forest in north-central Arizona. The Apache–Sitgreaves National Forest borders the western and northern borders of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. It is located in parts of Greenlee, Apache, Navajo, and Coconino counties in eastern and east-central Arizona, and Catron County in western New Mexico. The more northwesterly Sitgreaves National Forest portion lies adjacent to the north side of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is located entirely in Arizona, within Navajo, Apache, and Coconino counties. It has a total area of 818,651 acres (3,313 km2). The more southeasterly and much larger Apache National Forest portion lies adjacent to the east side of the Fort Apache and the San Carlos Indian Reservations. It lies on both sides of the border with New Mexico, in Greenlee, Catron, and Apache counties. It has a total area of 1,813,601 acres (7,339 km2).

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Forest2.1 million acresUSFSAZ67 campgrounds within 10 mi233 Forest Service sites
Official page at U.S. Forest Service ↗

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Forest
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateArizona
Size2.1 million acres (Forest Service administrative boundary (gis_acres))
Forest Service code0301, region 03
Center point33.5443, -109.2714
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

48 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 19 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · Inside
Alpine Divide Campground
First-comeAZ
FS · Inside
Apache Trout Campground
Reservable64 sites
FS · Inside
Aspen
Reservable136 sites
FS · Inside
Aspen Campground
First-come6 sites
FS · Inside
Bear Canyon Lake and Camping Area
First-comeAZ
FS · Inside
Benny Creek Group Area
Reservable10 sites
FS · Inside
Black Canyon Rim Campground
Reservable20 sites
FS · Inside
Black Jack Group Campground
First-comeAZ
Show 4 more

55 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 233

The Forest Service lists 233 recreation sites in this forest, among them 75 trailheads, 47 campgrounds, 22 day hikings, 21 boat launchs. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Show all 60

The 60 closest to the center point are listed; 173 more are on the Forest Service site.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 37 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

2.1 million acres.

Source: Forest Service boundary data

Who manages Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

What state is Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in?

Arizona.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

48 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Alpine Divide Campground, Apache Trout Campground and Aspen. 67 in all are within ten miles. Dispersed camping is allowed on most national forest land outside developed sites; check the forest page for closures.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

The Forest Service lists 233 recreation sites here, including 75 trailheads, 47 campground campgrounds and 22 day hikings. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.544, -109.271. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

How dark is the night sky at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 15 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests?

37 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Alpine Elementary School and Bear Mountain Lookout Complex.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage and code: the Forest Service Enterprise Data Warehouse.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Description: Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, matched by forest code.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.