Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness
Tan, buff, and predominantly red-rock cliffs mark the edge of the Colorado Plateau across this Wilderness, just east of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness. Here the high mesas of Secret Mountain and Wilson Mountain jut out into the lower country, and outstanding canyons as deep as 1,500 feet drain into beautiful Oak Creek and the Verde River. The high rims are rather cool and moist compared with the lower desertland, and a wide variety of vegetation supports plentiful wildlife, including elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, javelinas, coyotes, rabbits, mountain lions, and black bears. A close look at the canyon walls may reveal ancient rock art and long-abandoned cliff dwellings.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 48,314 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.95° N, 111.84° 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 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.
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 5 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.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 7 miPine Flat Campground ↗Campground
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
37 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 98 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Long Canyon ↗ | 10.9 | |
| Secret Canyon ↗ | 7.5 | |
| Mooney ↗ | 7 | |
| Casner Mountain ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Wilson Mountain ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Secret Mountain ↗ | 5.4 | |
| Loy Canyon ↗ | 4.8 | |
| Fay Canyon | 3.9 | |
| Brins Mesa | 3.5 | |
| West Fork | 3.2 |
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedFrog Tank 2 Piles Rx
10 mi from the center point · 1,989 acres
- PrescribedNewman 2 Piles Rx
12 mi from the center point · 723 acres
- PrescribedNewman 3 Piles Rx
12 mi from the center point · 756 acres
- PrescribedWalker Hill 2 Piles Rx
21 mi from the center point · 356 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
- 0.2 miPumphouse Wash Bridge ↗Flagstaff, AZ
- 0.3 miMidgley, W. W., Bridge ↗Sedona, AZ
- 0.5 miJordan Ranch ↗Sedona, AZ
- 1.3 miHart Store ↗Sedona, AZ
- 3.5 miChapel of the Holy Cross ↗Sedona, AZ
- 3.7 miSchuerman Homestead House ↗Sedona, AZ
- 4.4 miCross Creek Ranch House ↗Sedona, AZ
- 7.1 miWoody Mountain Lookout Tower ↗Flagstaff, 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 Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
48,314 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Red Rock-Secret Mountain 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 Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.951° N, 111.842° W. Tuzigoot National Monument is 10 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Frog Tank 2 Piles Rx at 10 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
Tuzigoot National Monument (10 mi), Walnut Canyon National Monument (16 mi) and Montezuma Castle National Monument (17 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 55 listings within 15 miles, including Pumphouse Wash Bridge and Midgley, W. W., 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.