Cedar Bench Wilderness
Cedar Bench falls along a broad northwest-southeast trending ridge or "bench," and from this elevated perch visitors can glimpse stunning views of the desert's vivid colors. The Wilderness occupies the dividing line between the Verde River and the Agua Fria River drainages, with the Wild and Scenic Verde River forming a portion of its eastern boundary. The Verde is a dangerous and difficult waterway that supports many species of wildlife that are endangered or of special interest to biologists. Elevations in the area range between 4,500 feet and 6,700 feet with a primary vegetative cover of chaparral and lesser amounts of pinion pine and Utah juniper.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 16,009 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.40° N, 111.82° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 20) |
Boundary map
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
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
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
10 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 35 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Oxbow ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Chasm Creek ↗ | 6.4 | |
| Cold Water Springs ↗ | 5.8 | |
| Squaw Peak | 4.3 | |
| Tule Rim | 4.2 | |
| Goat Springs | 2.5 | |
| Lower Cedar Bench | 1.3 | |
| Hell Hole | 1.1 | |
| Donahue | 0.7 | |
| Chalk Tank | 0.4 |
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBrie Slash Piles Rx
31 mi from the center point · 700 acres
- PrescribedMccarty Piles Rx
33 mi from the center point · 832 acres
- PrescribedFrog Tank 2 Piles Rx
40 mi from the center point · 1,989 acres
- PrescribedRx Payson Pits Tnf0401P
41 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4.5 miClear Creek Church ↗Camp Verde, AZ
- 4.8 miWingfield, Hank and Myrtle, Homestead ↗Camp Verde, AZ
- 6.5 miCamp Verde Grammar School ↗Camp Verde, AZ
- 6.8 miFossil Creek Bridge ↗Strawberry, AZ
- 6.9 miSycamore Ranger Station ↗Camp Verde, AZ
- 13.1 miStrawberry School ↗Strawberry, AZ
- 13.5 miCopper Creek Guard Station ↗Black Canyon City, AZ
- 14.2 miBeaver Creek School ↗Rimrock, AZ
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 Cedar Bench Wilderness?
16,009 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Cedar Bench Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Cedar Bench Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Cedar Bench Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Cedar Bench 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 Cedar Bench Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.404° N, 111.825° W. Montezuma Castle National Monument is 11 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Cedar Bench Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Brie Slash Piles Rx at 31 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Cedar Bench Wilderness?
Montezuma Castle National Monument (11 mi) and Tuzigoot National Monument (23 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Cedar Bench Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Clear Creek Church and Wingfield, Hank and Myrtle, Homestead.
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.