USFS · Arizona

Castle Creek Wilderness

On the stark eastern slopes of the Bradshaw Mountains, Castle Creek Wilderness stands between Phoenix and Flagstaff, easily accessible from both. Extremely rugged topography rises to granite peaks that top off at 7,000 feet on Juniper Ridge, offering views of the Agua Fria National Monument. In the southeastern corner of the Wilderness the elevation drops to 2,800 feet. Saguaro cactus, paloverde, mesquite, jojoba, catclaw, and grasslands dominate the lower elevations. Up higher you'll find chaparral communities of shrub live oak, mountain mahogany, and manzanita with pinion and juniper on southern slopes and small stands of ponderosa pine on northern slopes.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness25,457 acresUSFSAZDesignated 19842 campgrounds within 10 mi10 trails
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Castle Creek Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateArizona
Size25,457 acres
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point34.19° N, 112.27° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Castle Creek Wilderness40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 1.70 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowFebruary: 1.90 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowMarch: 1.41 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowApril: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowMay: 0.37 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.14 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.97 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.58 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 1.04 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowDecember: 1.53 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 46.3°F averageFebruary: 47.7°F averageMarch: 52.5°F averageApril: 58.0°F averageMay: 66.2°F averageJune: 75.5°F averageJuly: 81.0°F averageAugust: 79.9°F averageSeptember: 74.3°F averageOctober: 63.9°F averageNovember: 53.2°F averageDecember: 45.6°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 in2.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Cordes, 10 miles from the center point at 3,771 feet, station USC00022109 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 15 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 1 inch a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 2,900 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 2 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 0.4 mi
Turney Gulch Group
Reservable1 site
FS · 0.6 mi
Hazlett Hollow Campground
First-come15 sites

Trails

Trailhead Atlas →

10 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 32 miles in all.

TrailMiles
Twin Peaks ↗6.8
Algonquin ↗6
Castle Creek ↗4.9
Willow Creek3.5
Horsethief Recreation3.2
Horsethief Canyon2.5
Tip Top2.3
Jim Creek2
Twin Peaks Start0.4
East Fort0.2

Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 7 in all · Register Atlas

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

Guidebooks for Arizona

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Castle Creek Wilderness?

25,457 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Castle Creek Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Castle Creek Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Castle Creek Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Castle Creek Wilderness?

Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Castle Creek Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 34.194° N, 112.265° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Are there historic places near Castle Creek Wilderness?

The National Register has 7 listings within 15 miles, including Crown King Ranger Station and Mayer Apartments.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
  • 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.