Fernow Cabin

Fernow Cabin offers a quaint, forested retreat near Flagstaff and Sedona, in central Arizona. The rustic, three-bedroom log cabin is a retired U.S. Forest Service guard station constructed in the 1970s to house firefighters during wildfire season, and it now offers groups of up to eight people a unique recreation opportunity in a beautiful Southwest setting. It can be reached by passenger vehicle, but caution is required for the last mile and high clearance is recommended; the roads are not always maintained after a weather event. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety. The cabin has running water from mid-May through mid-October; before or after those dates, guests must bring their own water. It also has an indoor shower, hot water heater, solar lights, a small dining area, kitchen, two bedrooms, a loft, wood stove and covered porch, and is furnished with beds and mattresses, dressers and a small dining table with chairs. There is no electricity. The kitchen includes a stove, oven, small refrigerator, pots, pans, utensils, dishes and a coffee pot. The vault toilet is a short walk from the cabin, and an outdoor campfire circle and grill are provided, along with two picnic tables. The ramp to the front porch is accessible. Firewood and propane are provided. Visitors must bring their own sheets (two double beds and four single beds) and blankets or sleeping bags, flashlights, towels, garbage bags, dish soap, dish towels, extra firewood, an axe for splitting wood, and matches and newspaper for lighting the wood stove. Lawn chairs are not provided, but are a nice treat for summer months. The area is a hub for hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicle riding. The cabin is adjacent to the Sycamore Canyon and Red Rock/Secret Mountain Wilderness areas, which boast numerous hiking trails. Bikes and off-road vehicles are only allowed on designated roads and trails. Flora, fauna and unique rock formations in the surrounding area also present excellent opportunities for photography. The site lies in a ponderosa pine forest on the Mogollon Rim, a 200-mile slope that ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. At an elevation of 6,656 feet, the cabin is fairly isolated, offering a private location for visitors to enjoy nature. The area is characterized by warm summer days and cool nights, with afternoon thunderstorms common from mid-June through mid-September. The nearby city of Flagstaff offers ample lodging, shopping and dining, and Grand Canyon National Park is about a two-hour drive northwest.