Wet Beaver Wilderness is a 6,155-acre (2,491 ha)
wilderness area located in the
Coconino National Forest in the
U.S. state of
Arizona.
[Wet Beaver Wilderness](_blank)
– Coconino National Forest
Wet Beaver Creek is a perennial stream with one major tributary, Dry Beaver Creek. The confluence of the two is at
McGuireville, Arizona. Beaver Creek flows past
Montezuma Well and
Montezuma Castle before joining the
Verde River near
Camp Verde, Arizona.
[Wet Beaver Wilderness](_blank)
– Wilderness.net
Wildlife
The year-round waters in the Wet Beaver Wilderness attract large numbers of wildlife, including
elk,
deer,
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
,
mountain lion, and a variety of smaller mammals, reptiles, and birds.
Trails
The main trailhead to reach the Wet Beaver Wilderness, the Bell Trail, is located approximately east of the
Sedona exit from
I-17, near the Beaver Creek Ranger Station. The Bell Trail is a historic stock trail, which follows Beaver Creek upstream for about before climbing steeply up to the
Mogollon Rim at the southern edge of the
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also known as the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. This province covers an area of ...
. The only other trail in the Wilderness is the Apache Maid Trail.
Recreation
Common recreational activities in the Wet Beaver Wilderness include hiking, horseback riding, fishing (about 12 fishable miles), swimming, wildlife watching, and photography. The popular Beaver Creek campground, located outside the Wilderness at the creek crossing just below the ranger station, is operated by the US Forest Service and requires a fee.
Overnight camping is prohibited by Forest Order between the parking area at the west end of the canyon, near the old Forest Service Ranger Station and the Campground, and continuing upstream (east) to a signed point approximately one-quarter mile upstream from where the Bell Trail (FT #13) crosses Wet Beaver Creek. This closure has been established to reduce the impact the area has received in recent years.
Fish species
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Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...
*
Brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
*
Smallmouth bass
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Bullfrogs
See also
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V Bar V Heritage Siteone-half mile west
*
List of Arizona Wilderness Areas
*
List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
*
Wilderness Act
References
*
Coconino National Forest Red Rock Ranger District
External links
Wet Beaver Wilderness– Coconino National Forest
Wet Beaver Wilderness– Wilderness.net
– ArizonaHikingTrails.com
Beaver Creek Campground– Coconino National Forest
Video of Wet Beaver Creek– Arizona Game & Fish
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Wilderness areas of Arizona
Beaver Creek Canyon
Wet Beaver Wilderness is a 6,155-acre (2,491 ha) wilderness area located in the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona.
Mogollon Rim
Rivers of the Mogollon Rim
Protected areas of Coconino County, Arizona
IUCN Category Ib
Protected areas of Yavapai County, Arizona
Biosphere reserves of the United States
Rivers of Arizona
Rivers of Coconino County, Arizona
Coconino National Forest