Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River
Coconino National Forest Recreation
Fossil Creek Map
Fossil Creek is a Wild and Scenic River in central Arizona on lands managed by the Coconino and Tonto National Forests. The creek flows from its source at Fossil Springs 14 miles to its confluence with the Verde River, downstream of the historic and decommissioned Childs Power Plant. Fossil Creek is one of only two Wild and Scenic Rivers in Arizona. At temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, water gushes out at 20,000 gallons per minute from springs at the bottom of a 1,600-foot deep canyon. Over the years these calcium-rich waters have laid down huge deposits of a material called travertine. That rock-like substance encases whatever happens to fall into the streambed - forming the fossil-like formations for which the area is named.
Fossil Creek has several Western Apache and Yavapai cultural sites. The Apache and Yavapai people of the Verde Valley lived along Fossil Creek for generations. Even today, they recognize and care for the canyon as their Ancestral homeland and return here to connect with their past and honor their heritage. Please respect their cultural traditions as you visit the sacred landscape of Fossil Creek and please leave it looking as if you were never here. Visiting with respect preserves Fossil Creek for future generations.
Because of its beauty and year-round water, people are drawn to this area. The lushness of the riparian area strikes a sharp contrast to the dry and sparse desert vegetation that surrounds it. Fossil Creek recreation sites can be accessed in two ways. The first is by taking State Route 260 near Camp Verde to Forest Road 708 and driving the 14 miles of rough dirt road to designated parking lots and creek access sites near Fossil Creek. The second is via a strenuous hike four miles one way and 1,500 feet of elevation down to the headwaters of Fossil Creek from the Bob Bear Trailhead parking lot outside of the town of Strawberry. Please note that Forest Road 708 does not provide access to the Fossil Creek canyon from Strawberry. To obtain a permit for Bob Bear Trailhead please visit the Bob Bear Trailhead page on Recreation.gov.
The Fossil Creek area has very few developed facilities and visitors should be prepared for rustic and remote conditions. There is no camping in the Fossil Creek Permit Area from April 1 through October 1. Please note that the state of Arizona does not acknowledge Daylight Savings Time.
Notifications and Alerts
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Contact our Information hotline at 928-226-4611 for up-to-date information about Fossil Creek closures and road conditions.
There are multiple changes to Fossil Creek operations this year. Please review all information before buying your permit for the 2024 permit season (April 1st - October 1st).
Dixon Lewis is now the name of Lot 1 and the trail to a waterfall from that parking lot. This lot and trail were formerly called "Waterfall".
The access gate at the FR708 and FR502 junction will now be closed at 3:00 p.m. instead of 4:00 p.m. You must arrive at the HWY260 & FR708 junction by 2PM to utilize your permit in lots #1- #5. You will not be able to enter the following lots after 3:00 p.m.: Homestead, Tonto Bench, Irving (Flume Trailhead), and Dixon Lewis (formerly Waterfall). You will still be able to exit after 3 p.m.
Permits will now be released differently than in years past.
80% of permits will be available for purchase on a one-month, daily rolling basis.
20% of permits will be available for purchase three days in advance.
For more in-depth information on how permits will be released for purchase, please look at "How Does the Quota Work for this Permit?" in the Overview section.
- ALERT – Starting 5/18/2024, the one-month and 3-days in advance permits will release at 7am Arizona Mountain Standard Time (MST).
- If you’d like to speak with an agent to book your reservation, please call Recreation.gov at 877-444-67777. Keep in mind, the Recreation.gov Call Center does not have access to any additional inventory beyond what is listed here on the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River webpage.
- Please note - The Coconino National Forest Visitor Centers cannot assist you with your reservation.
Permit & Season Information
Advance permits are required to park a vehicle in the Fossil Creek permit area April 1–October 1. During this season, a maximum of one permit per person per calendar month may be reserved (one permit = one day).
Permit holder IDs will be validated at check points to ensure the permit holder is with the group in the vehicle upon arrival.
The permit allows parking for one vehicle only at one of eight designated parking lots. Maximum vehicle length is 22 ft. All persons listed on the permit must be accommodated inside the vehicle with a legal seatbelt. The permit guarantees a parking space within the specified parking lot, but specific parking space assignments are not made. Parking spaces are occupied on a first-come, first-served basis.
Permits are not required October 2–March 31.
Need to Know
Fossil Creek is a special place to many people. It is also in a remote location with few services and some parts of the river are difficult to access. Being prepared will help you enjoy your trip and ensure Fossil Creek remains healthy and accessible for all to visit.
Key Facts
- You are only permitted to park in the parking lot you reserved.
- You are responsible for knowing Forest rules and regulations.
- A permit is required April 1 through October 1.
- Recreate responsibly: There are NO LIFEGUARDS on duty. Enter the water at your own risk. Stay hydrated! Bring no less than 1 gallon of water per person. Rescue efforts are hours away, No potable water available. Poor to no cell phone reception. Extreme heat danger - come prepared!
- Do not rely on GPS maps to get to Fossil Creek - they are often wrong. Forest Road (FR) 708 from Strawberry only provides access to the Bob Bear Trailhead. It doesn’t access the waterfall or parking lots in the Fossil Creek canyon because a 4-mile section of FR 708 is closed. To access the eight parking lots in the canyon, you must use FR 708 from Hwy 260 near Camp Verde. This 14-mile dirt road is very rough, so a high-clearance vehicle is highly recommended.
- No trash service is available and toilets are limited. Please pack out what you bring and plan your bathroom breaks. Vault toilets are available at most parking lots. Trash and human waste left on the ground can hurt wildlife, pollute water, and detract from visitors’ experience.
- Phone reception in Fossil Creek is virtually nonexistent.
Printing your Permit
- You must print your permit and parking pass. The permit holder must carry the permit and the parking pass must be placed on your vehicle’s dashboard. You may print your permit when you make your reservation; however, once your permit has been printed, you can’t make changes to the permit. Your email confirmation page is not your permit. You can only print your permit by logging into your Recreation.Gov account profile and selecting “My Reservations.”
Parking Lots
Fossil Creek contains 8 parking lots:
- Dixon Lewis (formerly Waterfall) Trailhead, Irving (Flume Trailhead), Tonto Bench, Fossil Creek Bridge, Homestead, Sally May, Purple Mountain, Mazatzal are in the Fossil Creek canyon. Access is via FR 708 from State Route 260 only.
Hours of Operation
- Sally May, Purple Mountain, and Mazatzal: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Dixon Lewis (formerly Waterfall) Trailhead, Irving (Flume Trailhead), Tonto Bench, Fossil Creek Bridge, and Homestead: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The access gate to these parking lots closes at 3 p.m. daily but you may still exit these areas after 3 p.m. You must get to the HWY 260 & FR708 Junction by 2 PM to make it to the gate in time.
Other Information
- Access to the area may be limited to protect public safety due to road conditions or fire restrictions. For real-time information, call the Fossil Creek Hotline: (928) 226-4611.
- No potable water is available; you must bring your own water. The Forest Service recommends at least 1 gallon of water per person during the permit season.
- No campfires, warming fires or charcoal grills are allowed anywhere within the permit area. If you plan to cook, bring your own gas stove.
- There is no camping in the Fossil Creek permit area April 1–October 1.
- Vehicles exceeding 22 feet in length are prohibited, including buses and vans. Vehicles with trailers are prohibited. All persons must be accommodated inside the vehicle with a legal seatbelt.
- No rope swings may be constructed.
- Glass containers are prohibited in the permit area.
- No amplified sound (music or loudspeakers) is allowed in Forest Service facilities, including all eight parking lots.
- Tampering with or removing cultural and historic sites and artifacts is illegal.
- Vehicles are permitted on open Forest Service roads only; consult a USFS Motor Vehicle Use Map for more information.
- Use reasonable caution: trails are rugged; flash flooding may occur; be aware of fire danger.
Fee Policy
One Vehicle: $6.00 non-refundable reservation fee
Please note: There are no refunds.
Cancellation Policy
Change Policy
- You are only able to edit your reservation if you have not printed it yet. Once you print it, it's issued and cannot be modified or cancelled.
- Changing the date of your reservation requires you to cancel your existing reservation and make a new reservation, should space be available. The $6.00 reservation fee is non-refundable.
Cancellation Policy
- Please cancel your reservation if you are unable to use it! This ensures the space will be available for others. You may cancel up to the day of your reservation date if you haven't printed your permit already. All fees are non-refundable; however, if you do not cancel your reservation, you will not be able to make another reservation in the same month.
- In the event that the Forest Service is required to close the Fossil Creek Permit Area due to weather, natural disasters or fire danger, all reservations in this instance only will receive a full refund.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
8375 State Route 179 Sedona AZ 86341
Visitor Center Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, except 12 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Phone Number
(928) 203-2900
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