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Best Forest Hikes in Arizona

The directory currently contains 169 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Arizona. Their average mapped distance is 8.6 km and average recorded ascent is 400 m (1,312 ft); the longest route in the set is 93.2 km.

This subset represents 28% of the 593 quality-checked routes in Arizona. Its average distance is 8.6 km, compared with 16.8 km across the full local set.

These routes carry the forest tag. The data does not quantify canopy cover or guarantee shade along every section. Within this set, 22 routes (13%) are rated easy, 34 (20%) are rated hard or expert, and 6 (4%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Trails

Expert

Highline Trail #31

Arizona · United States

Distance
93.2 km
/ 57.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,536 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 39,843. The city is the county seat of Yavapai County. In 1864 Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona T
Expert

Prescott Circle Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
88.8 km
/ 55.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,160 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.
Moderate

Hamburg Trail #122

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
81 m
Typical duration
1 hr 11 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

See Canyon Trail #184

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
585 m
Typical duration
1 hr 53 min
  • Lake
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Hard

Upper Lookout Canyon Trail #120

Arizona · United States

Distance
18.1 km
/ 11.2 mi
Elevation gain
138 m
Typical duration
4 hr 4 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

West Divide Trail #289

Arizona · United States

Distance
41.7 km
/ 25.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,788 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Gibson Canyon Trail #308

Arizona · United States

Distance
14.1 km
/ 8.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,908 m
Typical duration
5 hr 47 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

East Divide Trail #287

Arizona · United States

Distance
62.2 km
/ 38.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,549 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Snake Gulch Trail #59

Arizona · United States

Distance
83.5 km
/ 51.9 mi
Elevation gain
687 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Hard

South Fork Trail #243

Arizona · United States

Distance
22.2 km
/ 13.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,060 m
Typical duration
6 hr 25 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Bassett Peak Trail #287C

Arizona · United States

Distance
9.6 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
353 m
Typical duration
2 hr 31 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Bull Basin Trail #40

Arizona · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
679 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Bear Mountain, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Bear Mountain #54

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
695 m
Typical duration
1 hr 48 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Loy Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Loy Canyon #5

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
603 m
Typical duration
2 hr 32 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
On the Ranger Trail viewing Sowats Point. North Kaibab Ranger District.10-3-15. Photo by Paul Grimm. Credit the U.S. Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Kaibab National Forest.
Expert

Ranger Trail #41

Arizona · United States

Distance
40.7 km
/ 25.3 mi
Elevation gain
392 m
Typical duration
9 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Huachuca Mountains, Coronado National Forest.
Moderate

Ida Canyon Trail #110

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
695 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Hard

Bear Canyon Trail #299

Arizona · United States

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,286 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Long Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Long Canyon #122

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.8 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
View of Kendrick Mountain on the return trek to the trailhead. This 2.4 mile moderately easy hiking trail rises from 7,362 feet to 8,215 feet in elevation to the top of Slate Mountain. The trail takes you through pinyon pine, ponderosa pine
Moderate

Slate Mountain Trail #128

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
316 m
Typical duration
1 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
This springs restoration project is the first tribal-Forest Service collaborative project to be implemented since the February 2014 publication of the new Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan) for the Kaibab National Forest, and t
Moderate

Big Spring Lookout Trail #51

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
284 m
Typical duration
53 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Superstition Wilderness.
Moderate

Boulder Canyon Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
11.7 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
475 m
Typical duration
3 hr 9 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Boynton Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Boynton Canyon #47

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
302 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Snowmelt from a series winter storms in late January 2017 followed by rain and warm weather in February had dry creekbeds running and many of Arizona's reservoirs filled and overflowing. Dry Beaver Creek in Woods Canyon was no exception. Wo
Moderate

Woods Canyon #93

Arizona · United States

Distance
8.4 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
228 m
Typical duration
2 hr 5 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Fay Canyon is a favorite hike for many who prefer a shorter hike with minimal elevation gain or who enjoy the grandeur of red sandstone walls towering overhead. Some people visit Fay Canyon to see the natural arch located just under a half
Moderate

Fay Canyon #53

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Red Mountain with snow accentuating the imploded volcano. Information about the easy, but very rewarding, hike into the center of Red Mountain can be found at www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/peaks/red-mtn-tr.shtml . Photo taken on 12-2
Easy

Red Mountain Trail #159

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Secret Cabin on Secret Mountain Trail, Coconino National Forest, Arizona.
Moderate

Secret Mountain #109

Arizona · United States

Distance
8.7 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
435 m
Typical duration
2 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Long Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Canyon of Fools #174F

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Yavapai Vista #172

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Horton Creek Trail, Payson, Arizona
Moderate

Horton Creek Trail #285

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
365 m
Typical duration
1 hr 40 min
  • River
  • Forest
Woodland Reservoir Pine Trees
Easy

Woodland Lake Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Typical duration
22 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
Moderate

Snowshed Trail #246

Arizona · United States

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
252 m
Typical duration
3 hr 12 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
The A.B.Young Trail leaves from the southernmost end of the Bootlegger Picnic Area in Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona, Arizona. Take steps down to Oak Creek, find a suitable place to "boulder hop" or wade the stream, cross the creek, follo
Moderate

A.B. Young No. 100

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
756 m
Typical duration
1 hr 57 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Mooney #12

Arizona · United States

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
673 m
Typical duration
3 hr 21 min
  • Forest
Hard

Reavis Ranch Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
26.6 km
/ 16.5 mi
Elevation gain
858 m
Typical duration
7 hr 10 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Sunnyside Canyon Trail #117

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
885 m
Typical duration
2 hr 51 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Webb Peak Trail #345

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
118 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Noon Creek Ridge Trail #318

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
735 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Overland Trail #615

Arizona · United States

Distance
30.0 km
/ 18.7 mi
Elevation gain
633 m
Typical duration
7 hr 39 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Chaves #654

Arizona · United States

Distance
13.7 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
547 m
Typical duration
3 hr 40 min
  • Forest
Sterling Pass Trail To Vultee Arch Trail, Sedona, Arizona, Coconino County
Moderate

Sterling Pass #46

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
358 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • Forest
Cathedral Rock at sunset
Moderate

Cathedral Rock #170

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
225 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Derrick Trail #33

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
287 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Eagle National Recreation TrailArizona37.5 km1,987 m11 hrExpertJuly to September
Highline Trail #31Arizona93.2 km1,536 m24 hrExpertJune to October
Prescott Circle TrailArizona88.8 km1,160 m22 hrExpertJune to October
Hamburg Trail #122Arizona5.1 km81 m1 hr 11 minModerateJuly to September
See Canyon Trail #184Arizona4.8 km585 m1 hr 53 minModerateJuly to September
Upper Lookout Canyon Trail #120Arizona18.1 km138 m4 hr 4 minHardJuly to September
West Divide Trail #289Arizona41.7 km1,788 m12 hrExpertJune to October
Gibson Canyon Trail #308Arizona14.1 km1,908 m5 hr 47 minHardJuly to September
Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121Arizona4.1 km6 m52 minModerateJuly to September
East Divide Trail #287Arizona62.2 km2,549 m18 hrExpertJune to October

Eagle National Recreation Trail, Prescott Circle Trail, Highline Trail #31 currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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