Fossil Springs Wilderness
"Where there is water, there is life," the saying goes, and Fossil Springs proves it's true every day of the year. At the bottom of a steep and wide canyon, at the edge of the Colorado Plateau just south of the Mogollon Rim, a group of springs pump water to the surface at the rate of about 20,000 gallons per minute. That endless water supply supports one of the most diverse riparian ecosystems in the state–more than 30 species of trees set among native desert shrub. It also creates a haven for abundant wildlife: elk and deer higher up; javelina, coyote, skunk, ring-tailed cat, fox, and smaller mammals lower down; and more than 100 species of birds.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 10,431 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.45° N, 111.54° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
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 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.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 16 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Mail ↗ | 8.5 | |
| Flume ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Bob Bear | 3.1 |
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
14 mi from the center point · 700 acres
- PrescribedMccarty Piles Rx
16 mi from the center point · 832 acres
- PrescribedRx Payson Pits Tnf0401P
26 mi from the center point
- PrescribedD2 Vincent Rx
33 mi from the center point · 2,258 acres
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
- 1 miStrawberry School ↗Strawberry, AZ
- 1.3 miFossil Creek Bridge ↗Strawberry, AZ
- 3.9 mi
- 4.2 miRandall, Alfred Jason, House ↗Pine, AZ
- 4.3 miMiller, Pryor, House ↗Pine, AZ
- 7.9 miNatural Bridge Lodge ↗Payson, AZ
- 12.1 miBuck Mountain Lookout Tower ↗Buck Mountain, AZ
- 14 miClear Creek Church ↗Camp Verde, 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 Fossil Springs Wilderness?
10,431 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Fossil Springs Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Fossil Springs Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Fossil Springs Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Fossil Springs 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 Fossil Springs Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.450° N, 111.540° W. Montezuma Castle National Monument is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Fossil Springs Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Brie Slash Piles Rx at 14 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Fossil Springs Wilderness?
Montezuma Castle National Monument (18 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Fossil Springs Wilderness?
The National Register has 9 listings within 15 miles, including Strawberry School and Fossil Creek Bridge.
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.