Tonto National Forest

Tonto National Forest spans central Arizona just north and east of Phoenix, covering 2,873,200 acres as the state’s largest national forest. Created as the Tonto Forest Reserve in 1905 and redesignated a national forest in 1907, it grew through later land additions and is now managed from Phoenix by the USDA Forest Service. Its broad elevation range creates striking variety, from Sonoran Desert to ponderosa pine country, with reservoirs, river canyons, and eight wilderness areas supporting diverse wildlife. The forest also surrounds Tonto National Monument and remains important for recreation, while conflicts over wildfire, conservation, and Indigenous sacred land have shaped its recent history.

Arizona · United States