Woodchute Wilderness
An easily accessible Wilderness, Woodchute offers spectacular views of the San Francisco Peaks and panoramic vistas of the Verde Valley, as well as the red rocks of Sedona and Sycamore Canyon. Historically, when the mining town of Jerome was booming, this area was used as a wood supply. A chute was constructed on the North side of the mountain to deliver the wood to Jerome, hence the name. The high elevation of this area provides for comfortable summer temperatures, and growth of ponderosa pine forests. With the dramatic elevation changes from the bottom to the top of this Wilderness, wildlife populations are diverse. Black bear, elk, mule and whitetail deer, mountain lions, golden and bald eagles can all be found here.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 5,887 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.76° N, 112.18° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
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 3 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
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 12 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Woodchute ↗ | 5.7 | |
| Martin Canyon | 4.2 | |
| Rick Tank Cutoff | 1.4 | |
| Wood Tank | 0.8 |
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
33 mi from the center point · 1,989 acres
- PrescribedNewman 2 Piles Rx
35 mi from the center point · 723 acres
- PrescribedNewman 3 Piles Rx
35 mi from the center point · 756 acres
- PrescribedCy26 Wrd-Northside Piles Rx
38 mi from the center point · 165 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
- 2.4 miMingus Lookout Complex ↗Mingus, AZ
- 5 miClark Memorial Clubhouse ↗Clarkdale, AZ
- 5 miBroadway Bridge ↗Clarkdale, AZ
- 6.7 miTuzigoot Museum ↗Clarkdale, AZ
- 6.7 miWillard House ↗Cottonwood, AZ
- 6.8 miEdens House ↗Cottonwood, AZ
- 6.9 miBuilding at 826 North Main Street ↗Cottonwood, AZ
- 7.1 miClemenceau Public School ↗Cottonwood, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Woodchute Wilderness?
5,887 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Woodchute Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Woodchute Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Woodchute Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Woodchute 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 Woodchute Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.757° N, 112.178° W. Tuzigoot National Monument is 7 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Woodchute Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Frog Tank 2 Piles Rx at 33 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Woodchute Wilderness?
Tuzigoot National Monument (7 mi) and Montezuma Castle National Monument (21 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Woodchute Wilderness?
The National Register has 16 listings within 15 miles, including Mingus Lookout Complex and Clark Memorial Clubhouse.
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.