Jun 3, 2026
When hiking on Sedona-area trails, you are likely focused on taking one step and then the next and at times viewing the remarkable surroundings. But much goes on behind the scenes that we often aren’t aware of, to keep these trails in shape and to create new ones that...
Apr 1, 2026
The morning sun hits the sandstone spire of Bell Rock, casting a long, cool shadow across the trailhead. For most people, this view signals the start of a vacation adventure or a quick morning workout. But for a Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassador, it marks a...
Feb 4, 2026
On a recent January morning, 11 volunteers with the Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassador Committee had the pleasure of joining leader Barry Mallis for an educational geology hike. This was one of numerous educational events the organization offers for its members to...
Jan 7, 2026
During Friends of the Forest’s Annual Meeting in November, milestones were shared and volunteers celebrated. Between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025, FOF volunteers provided the U.S. Forest Service’s Red Rock Ranger District with a record 37,669 volunteer...
Dec 3, 2025
The Sedona area is full of rocks of varied kind and colors, as is evident on any given hike. But it is also full of certain composite organisms that are often on those rocks and yet may be completely overlooked. Have you noticed crust-like mats on sandstone or basalt...
Oct 1, 2025
Friends of the Forest Sedona is one of the largest all-volunteer organizations in the nation that is dedicated to providing a volunteer workforce to the U.S. Forest Service. Our volunteers partner directly with the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National...
Aug 6, 2025
Wildfire is a constant topic these days in the news and in our regional landscape. The Coconino National Forest has implemented Stage 2 fire restrictions, and just a few weeks ago the lightning strike-initiated Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon...
Jul 2, 2025
The term “public land” has become a hot-button political topic in recent months and has been a controversial topic since its inception. Without delving into the politics or discussing the pros and cons, let’s look at a brief history and the numerous designations of...
May 7, 2025
Although we still are in “spring” — a word triggering images of blooming bulbs and with other delightful connotations, it is quite a time of transition. Allergies abound, particularly from all the conifer pollen being blown around. And just before Easter, rain became...
Mar 5, 2025
The Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District is home to three well-known cultural Heritage sites, Palatki, Honanki, and Crane Petroglyph — visited by 65,000 people annually. Although considered “prehistoric,” these sites and the area’s National monuments...
