The Coronado National Forest is a

United States National Forest In the United States, national forest is a classification of protected area, protected and managed federal lands. National forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned collectively by the American people through the Federal government of ...

that includes an area of about 1.78 million acres (7,200 km²) spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

and southwestern

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

. It is located in parts of

Cochise Cochise (; Apache: ''Shi-ka-She'' or ''A-da-tli-chi'', lit.: ''having the quality or strength of an oak''; later ''K'uu-ch'ish'' or ''Cheis'', lit. ''oak''; June 8, 1874) was leader of the Chihuicahui local group of the Chokonen and principa ...

Graham Graham and Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan ...

, Santa Cruz,

Pima Pima or PIMA may refer to: People * Pima people, the Akimel O'odham, Indigenous peoples in Arizona (U.S.) and Sonora (Mexico) Places * Pima, Arizona, a town in Graham County * Pima County, Arizona * Pima Canyon, in the Santa Catalina Mountains ...

, and Pinal Counties in Arizona, and Hidalgo County in New Mexico.

History

During a party in 2017, the Sawmill Fire broke out and went out control. The fire went on for many days. Approximately were burnt. The person behind the fire was an off duty US Border Patrol agent. He was fined and given probation. The Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs constructed a length of wall in 2022 on federal and tribal lands near Yuma, without federal permission. The National Forest Supervisor told the state to refrain from placing more shipping containers along the Arizona border with Mexico without obtaining proper authorization. Governor

Doug Ducey Douglas Anthony Ducey (, né Roscoe Jr.; born April 9, 1964) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 23rd governor of Arizona since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Ducey was previously the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, a c ...

filed a lawsuit in October against federal agencies that have sought to force the removal of the initial 130 containers used as a wall on the border. Governor-elect

Katie Hobbs Kathleen Marie Hobbs (born December 28, 1969) is an American politician and social worker who is the governor-elect of Arizona, having been elected in 2022. She has served as the 21st secretary of state of Arizona since 2019. A member of the D ...

has stated intention to remove the containers after taking office.

Administration

The national forest is divided into five ranger districts, which are not contiguous; each consists of multiple

sky island Sky islands are topographic isolation, isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. The term originally referred to those found on the Mexican Plateau, and has extended to similarly isolated montane ecosystems, hi ...

mountain ranges. The Santa Catalina Ranger District near the city of

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

comprises the Santa Catalina and

Rincon Mountains The Rincon Mountains (O'odham: Cew Doʼag) are a significant mountain range east of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, in the United States. The Rincon Mountains are one of five mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley. The other ranges include ...

. Included in this area are the highest peak of the Santa Catalinas,

Mount Lemmon Mount Lemmon, with a summit elevation of , is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It is located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Mount Lemmon was named for botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon, who ...

, the rugged

Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area is a 56,430 acre (228.36 km2) wilderness area. It is located within the Coronado National Forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Established in 1978, the area varies great ...

, and the popular

Sabino Canyon Sabino Canyon is a significant canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Sabino Canyon is a popular recreation area for residents and visitors of Southern Arizona, p ...

. Much of this district was part of

Santa Catalina National Forest Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

before its inclusion in Coronado. The Safford Ranger District comprises the mountain ranges surrounding the city of

Safford, Arizona Safford (Western Apache: Ichʼįʼ Nahiłtį́į́) is a city in Graham County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the population of the city is 10,129. The city is the county seat of Graham County. Safford is the principal ...

. These five ranges are the Pinaleño, Galiuro, Santa Teresa, Winchester, and Greasewood Mountains. Included in this area is the highest peak of the Pinaleños,

Mount Graham Mount Graham (called in Nnee biyati' (Western Apache) Dził Nchaa Sí'an - ′Big Seated Mountain′) is a mountain in Graham County, Arizona, United States, approximately northeast of Tucson. The mountain reaches in height. It is the highes ...

Mount Graham National Forest The Mount Graham National Forest, named after Mount Graham in Graham County, Arizona, was established as the Mount Graham Forest Reserve by the General Land Office on July 22, 1902, with . After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest S ...

was a formerly separate national forest, combined into

Crook National Forest Crook National Forest was established in Arizona by the U.S. Forest Service on July 1, 1908, with from portions of Tonto National Forest, Mount Graham National Forest, and other lands. On July 1, 1953, Crook was divided among Tonto, Gila, and Co ...

on July 1, 1908. In 1953, part of Crook was absorbed into Coronado. The Nogales Ranger District comprises four mountain ranges north and west of

Nogales, Arizona Nogales (English: or , ; ) is a city in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The population was 20,837 at the 2010 census and estimated 20,103 in 2019. Nogales forms part of the larger Tucson–Nogales combined statistical area, with a total population ...

. These ranges are the Santa Rita, Tumacacori, Pajarito, and

San Luis Mountains The San Luis Mountains are a small, lower elevation mountain range of central-southern Pima County Arizona adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico border, northeast of Sasabe, Arizona–Sasabe, Sonora. The range is northwest-southeast trending, about in len ...

. Included in this area are Mount Hopkins,

Mount Wrightson Mount Wrightson (O'odham: Ce:wi Duag) is a peak in the Santa Rita Mountains within the Coronado National Forest, in southern Arizona, United States. It was named for William Wrightson, a miner and entrepreneur in the region killed by Apaches in ...

, and Madera Canyon, all located in the Santa Ritas. In the early 20th century, this area included two national forests which were absorbed into Coronado:

Santa Rita National Forest Santa Rita National Forest was established as the Santa Rita Forest Reserve by the General Land Office in Arizona on April 11, 1902 with . After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on Ma ...

and Tumacacori National Forest. The Douglas Ranger District comprises three mountain ranges north and east of

Douglas, Arizona Douglas is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States that lies in the north-west to south-east running Sulpher Springs Valley. Douglas has a border crossing with Mexico at Agua Prieta and a history of mining. The population was 16,531 in ...

. These ranges are the

Chiricahua Chiricahua ( ) is a band of Apache Native Americans. Based in the Southern Plains and Southwestern United States, the Chiricahua (Tsokanende ) are related to other Apache groups: Ndendahe (Mogollon, Carrizaleño), Tchihende (Mimbreño), Sehende ...

Dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...

, and Peloncillo Mountains. A portion of the ranger district in the Peloncillos extends into New Mexico. The district comprises three formerly separate national forests: Chiricahua National Forest,

Dragoon National Forest Dragoon National Forest was established in Arizona on May 25, 1907, with . On July 1, 1908, it was combined with Santa Catalina National Forest and Santa Rita National Forest to create Coronado National Forest. The name was discontinued. The fore ...

, and Peloncillo National Forest, all combined into Coronado. The Sierra Vista Ranger District comprises three mountain ranges west of

Sierra Vista, Arizona Sierra Vista is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the population of the city is 45,308, and is the 27th most populous city in Arizona. The city is part of the Sierra Vista-Douglas Metropolitan Are ...

. These ranges are the

Huachuca ''Echinopsis pachanoi'' (syn. ''Trichocereus pachanoi'')—known as San Pedro cactus—is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes Mountains at in altitude. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, and ...

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and gl ...

, and

Whetstone Mountains The Whetstone Mountains is a mountain range in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona. Geography The range is located south of Interstate 10, between the Santa Rita Mountains to the west, and the Dragoon Mountains to the east. Higher elevation ...

. Included in this area is the highest peak in the Huachucas, Miller Peak, and the region of the Huachucas known as Canelo Hills. The district includes the formerly separate Huachuca National Forest

Wilderness

The Coronado National Forest contains eight designated

wilderness areas Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...

, with at least one in each ranger district. Congress defines "wilderness" as an area "untrammeled by man." Common activities in the Coronado National Forest wilderness areas include hiking, horseback riding, camping, hunting, and fishing. The use of mechanized or motorized equipment, including bicycles, generators, and chain saws, is prohibited. * Chiricahua Wilderness (Douglas District) *

Galiuro Wilderness Galiuro Wilderness is a wilderness area encompassing the mid to upper slopes of the Galiuro Mountains. It is located within the Safford Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest in the United States, American state of Arizona.Pajarita Wilderness (Nogales District) *

Pusch Ridge Wilderness Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area is a 56,430 acre (228.36 km2) wilderness area. It is located within the Coronado National Forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Established in 1978, the area varies great ...

(Santa Catalina District) * Rincon Wilderness (Santa Catalina District) * Santa Teresa Wilderness (Safford District)

Campgrounds

The public campgrounds located within the Coronado National Forest,Coronado National Forest - Campground Guide
/ref> most of which require a daily/nightly fee (see Coronado National Forest official website for accurate and current details), are as follows:

References

External links

Coronado National Forest Web Site

Forest History Society

Hikes in the Coronado National Forest
at HikeArizona.COM
Listing of the National Forests of the United States and Their Dates
(from

Forest History Society The Forest History Society is an American non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of forest and conservation history."Forest History Society." Echo Project. Center for History and New Media, George Mason University. http://echo.gmu. ...

website) ''Text from Davis, Richard C., ed. Encyclopedia of American Forest and Conservation History. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company for the Forest History Society, 1983. Vol. II, pp. 743–788.'' {{Authority control National Forests of Arizona Protected areas of Pinal County, Arizona Protected areas of Cochise County, Arizona Protected areas of Graham County, Arizona Protected areas of Santa Cruz County, Arizona Protected areas of Pima County, Arizona Protected areas of Hidalgo County, New Mexico National Forests of New Mexico Protected areas established in 1902 1902 establishments in Arizona Territory