A very comprehensive list of National Forest, National Park, National Monument, BLM, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Smithsonian Institution Affiliates, and State Park recreation areas. 129 incredible spots to explore and have fun. Use this site for basic Sedona and Verde Valley info as well as for anywhere in the state. It covers some, but not all, Wilderness Areas in the state, but noticeably lacking the ones near Sedona like Sycamore Canyon. Go to the Coconino or Prescott National Forest websites for more specific info concerning Wilderness areas.
Leave No Trace – Center for Outdoor Ethics www.lnt.org
This is a highly important resource for the protection of planet earth. As you explore Sedona’s outstanding natural environment you’ll want to understand and use the basic principles explained here. This the home for “Leave No Trace” outdoor ethics and principles. They offer fundamental guidelines that any person enjoying the great outdoors can use to make a positive difference in their impact on the landscape. Their organization’s training courses and educational programs are explained in full detail on this website.
On my 4x4 adventures, usually in the “Time Machine”, my 1969 VW Westphalia camper van, I drive across a lot of streams and rivers in Arizona. If it has rained recently, I like to check current real-time streamflow data and gauge it against the average flow for that crossing. It provides me with information that prevents getting way out there and not being able to cross the stream or river that leads deeper into the adventure that I had planned. The USGS Real-Time Data for Arizona gives you a nice chart showing any recent spikes in the flow and indicates exactly when that data was taken. The data is sampled at the recording site every 15-60 minutes, stored onsite, and then transmitted to USGS offices every 1- 4 hours by radio, satellite, or phone lines. The data is available on-line within minutes of retrieval.
