Rooms With a View

Northern Arizona's National Forest Rental Cabins

Have you ever dreamed of staying in a rustic cabin with views of Northern Arizona’s diverse landscapes? The state has 19 historic U.S. Forest Service cabins available for overnight rentals, and whether it’s primitive or modern accommodations, there are options for every traveler.

From the Grand Canyon to Sedona, Arizona’s Rooms With a View cabin rental program offers unique lodging in five of the state’s national forests, with a range of amenities. Some cabins are equipped with modern comforts like bathtubs and coffee makers, while others have pit toilets and outdoor showers. All cabins are accessible via a lockbox, and many sit behind driveways with secure gates, offering an extra level of privacy.

Beds with mattresses are provided, along with cooking supplies like pots, pans and dishes, but guests must bring all linens, including sheets, towels and pillows. Previous renters will often leave first aid kits, paper towels, toilet paper and dish soap, but this is never guaranteed, so guests should pack cleaning supplies as well. It’s wise to bring extra drinking water, matches and a flashlight in case of emergencies, as most cabins are off dirt roads in remote areas without cell signal. Guests are also responsible for cleaning up after their stay, and this includes packing out their trash. All cabins are booked via recreation.gov on a six-month rolling reservation system, but they rarely sell out, and many can be reserved with just a few weeks’ notice.

Coconino National Forest

Crescent moon cabin

Red rocks in the distance and a brick cabin in the foreground with grass surrounding.

With the backdrop of Cathedral Rock, it’s easy to see why the Crescent Moon Cabin is one of the most popular rentals in the state.

Located in Sedona, the Crescent Moon Cabin is the crown jewel of the “Rooms With a View” program. The ranch was established in the 1880s, and after changing ownership, the current ranch house was built in 1938. The U.S. Forest Service purchased the property in 1980 to prevent it from being commercially developed, and it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house has electricity, heat, air conditioning, two kitchens, three bathrooms, and three bedrooms. One bedroom has a queen bed, another has a double bed, and the third has a twin-over-double bunk and a double bed. The living room, which is an open space next to the dining area, has two futons. The back patio offers unparalleled views of Cathedral Rock, as does the screened-in porch. The Crescent Moon Cabin is available year-round for $200 per night, and it can accommodate up to ten guests.

On the left a sitting room within the cabin and on the right a white-lined bed surrounded by windows.

The living room and one of the cabin’s three bedrooms.

Fernow Cabin

A single dark brown cabin sits in a tree-lined forest during the day with a blue sky and green grass surrounding it.

The Fernow Cabin is one of the more primitive rental options available through the “Rooms With a View” program.

Set deep in the Coconino National Forest, the Fernow Cabin is a retired U.S. Forest Service guard station built in the 1970s to house firefighters. Though the fridge and lights run on solar, the cabin is not hooked up to electricity, so there are no power outlets inside. Firewood for the wood-burning stove and propane for the cooktop are provided, but the property only has running water from mid-May to mid-October, so guests staying beyond those dates must bring their own. While the cabin has an indoor shower and sink, there is no toilet inside, so guests must use the pit toilet, which is approximately 100 feet from the front door. In addition to two bedrooms with full beds, the loft has four twin beds. The Fernow Cabin is available from mid-April to mid-November and it can accommodate up to eight guests. When the water is running between mid-May and mid-October, the cabin rents for $125 per night, and for rentals outside of that period, the nightly rate is $75.

On the left an overhead view of the light brown and white kitchen cupboards and on the right an interior shot of the cabin showing the stand-alone fireplace and stairs.

The kitchen and adjacent dining area, which open up to the loft and two bedrooms.

kendrick cabin

Light green grass surrounds a grey brick cabin with a brown roof and chimney running up the front.

Built in the 1960s, the Kendrick Cabin is a former U.S. Forest Service guard station.

Just like the Fernow Cabin, the Kendrick Cabin runs a fridge and lights on solar, but it does not have electricity. The stovetop runs on propane, and guests can stay warm with a wood-burning stove, but the water is only turned on from mid-May to mid-October. The bathhouse with a flush toilet only operates while the water is running; guests must use the pit toilet when the water is off. The former U.S. Forest Service guard station has a double bed in the downstairs bedroom, two futons and a total of four twin beds in the upstairs bedrooms. The Kendrick Cabin is available from mid-April to mid-November and it can accommodate up to ten guests. When the water is running between mid-May and mid-October, the cabin rents for $125 per night, and for rentals outside of that period, the nightly rate is $75.

Apache maid

Located less than an hour from Sedona, the Apache Maid Cabin is the definition of primitive. The 520-square-foot structure has no running water or electricity, though it does have a propane stove and heater. While interior lights run on solar, there are no outlets, and guests must use the pit toilet outside. The house has one bedroom with a twin-over-double bunk bed, a rollaway twin and a futon in the living room. The Apache Maid Cabin is available from May 1 to November (weather permitting) for $75 per night, and it can accommodate up to six guests.

Kaibab National Forest

hull cabin

A lone dark brown cabin with a beige brick stone chimney sits in the foreground of a tree-lined forest.

The historic Hull Cabin is surrounded by a mature stand of ponderosa pines in the Kaibab National Forest.

Built in 1889 and first used as a sheep ranch, the Hull Cabin is the oldest surviving cabin near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service in 1907 and used as a ranger residence, and in 1985 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The cabin has a full kitchen, a dining table, a futon in the living room, plus a bedroom with two twin bunk beds. The outhouse has a pit toilet, solar shower stalls and a sink. While the lights and fridge are hooked up to electricity, there are no power outlets for guests to use. The Hull Cabin is available from May 1 to September 30 for $140 per night, and it can accommodate up to six guests.

On the left a white ceiling and dark wood paneled kitchen and on the right two bunk beds line the walls of a bedroom.

The Hull Cabin was used as a ranger residence from 1907 until the early 1940s.

spring valley cabin and bunkhouse

The Spring Valley Cabin is a 35-minute drive from Flagstaff, and the property is equipped with electricity, heat, a full kitchen and a full bathroom. The bedroom has three twin bunk beds and the living room has two futons. Winter weather may result in road closures, but guests can still snowshoe or ski to the site; please check with the Williams Ranger District regarding current road conditions. The Spring Valley Cabin is available year-round for $165 per night, and it can accommodate up to eight people. For an additional $50 per night, six more guests can stay at the adjacent bunkhouse, which has three twin bunk beds.

jumpup cabin

The Jumpup Cabin, located about 40 miles south of Fredonia in the Kanab Creek Wilderness, is the most primitive site on this list. The cabin does not have electricity, propane or water, so guests must bring their own. Outside guests use an open-air pit toilet, which is completely exposed, save for an L-shaped privacy wall. The cabin is generally available from May to October for $60 per night, and it can accommodate up to four guests.

big springs cabins

The Big Springs Cabins are about an hour from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but closed to the public until further notice.

Prescott National Forest

sycamore cabin

A white cabin with forest green trim sites in a short grass field with trees behind it.

The Sycamore Cabin sits above its namesake creek, which is an excellent place for wildlife watching.

The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the Sycamore Cabin in 1938, and after being used as a ranger residence for a number of years, the property housed fire crews. The cabin is approximately a one-hour drive from Prescott, and amenities include electricity, heat, air conditioning, a wood stove, a full kitchen and a full bathroom. One bedroom has a full bed, another has two sets of twin bunk beds, and there is also a futon in the living room. The Sycamore Cabin is available year-round for $125 per night for up to six guests, and for a total of $150 per night if two additional guests are staying on-site in an RV.

On the left a white-walled kitchen with a brown table between two small windows. On the right a white futon in a living room.

The kitchen and living room of the Sycamore Cabin, which can accommodate up to six guests.

horsethief cabin

The Horsethief Cabin has electricity, heat, a full kitchen and a full bathroom, and the sleeping setup includes two twin beds, a queen bed and a futon. The Horsethief Cabin is available from May 1 to November 29 for $100 per night, and it can accommodate up to six guests.

groom creek schoolhouse

The Groom Creek Schoolhouse is available for day use only, and it can accommodate larger groups for weddings, meetings and other events. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and guests have access to the building and the picnic area around it. The Groom Creek Schoolhouse is available from April 1 to October 31 for $150 per day for up to 60 people.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest

caldwell cabin

Located about an hour’s drive from the town of Alpine, the Caldwell Cabin is the sole “Rooms With a View” rental in Arizona’s White Mountains. The cabin does not have electricity, but it has a propane stove, a propane refrigerator, a propane wall heater, solar-powered lights and a fireplace. While there is a sink and a flush toilet, there is no shower, bath or hot water on site. The cabin, which was originally built in the 1920s and expanded in the 1940s, has two Murphy beds, a futon and a twin-over-double bunk bed. The Caldwell Cabin is available from mid-May to mid-October for $110 per night, and it can accommodate up to six guests.