Buckskin Hills

BUCKSKIN HILLS

Mountain vistas from FR 9C

What’s most remarkable about Arizona’s vast in-between spaces is their sneaky way of delighting.  Take for example, the windy rangeland that lies between the Fossil Springs and West Clear Creek Wilderness Areas in Yavapai County. 

A water hole in the Buckskin Hills

From State Route 260, the scenic byway that runs between the two magnetic recreational destinations, the shrubby hills belie pockets of beauty seen only by those willing to take a chance on one of the dozens of nondescript dirt roads that meander through them.

Snow coats FR9C on March 16, 2025

 

Located 20 miles east of Camp Verde on the Coconino National Forest, the Buckskin Hills usually don’t make the bucket lists of outdoor enthusiasts. 

The view from above Fossil Springs Wilderness

The low-slung ridges that just barely scrape 6,000 feet at their highest point are cluttered with junipers, cactuses and dozens of wildlife water holes.  Forest Road 9C, which swerves off SR 260, serves as an introductory path for exploring the area that hikers may approach with low expectations.

 Water hole below the Buckskin Hills

Brilliant in its ordinariness, the simple road hike has a simmering energy that builds in a slow, steady cadence.

From the dirt turnouts that serve as a trailhead, the waters of Divide Tank reflect mountain peaks, teasing at what lies ahead. 

Divide Tank at the start of the hike

Forest Road 9C is unsigned for most of its length, tucking into a visually underwhelming swath of rangeland.  But only for  a while.  Soon, the mangled, boulder-lined route encounters rustic tangles of corrals and stock tanks tethered by a web of primitive dirt roads.  Jackrabbit jump scares and ravens casting shadows on the tire-torn red-earth roads are the untamed supporting characters that break the dead silence.

Junipers are the dominant trees in the area

Within a half mile of easy walking, the rounded ridges of the Buckskin Hills appear, closing in in the road.  

Glimpses of distant mountains abound

Here, the landscape rises above its ordinariness with first glimpses of breathtaking mountain vistas.  Getting to the big vistas feels like a cheat.  

Ranch relics dot the landscape

There’s no grueling climb, no long-distance haul; they just creep up and spill the goods.  From this perch above the chasm of Fossil Springs, panoramic views include looks at the mountains and mesas of three National Forests: Coconino, Tonto and Prescott.  At the 1.5-mile point, the road meets and unnamed water hole.  Wrapped in metal gates and wire, the water containment serves wildlife and domestic cattle, especially during summer heat and prolonged droughts.  Oaks, junipers and ash trees huddle in the dammed drainage nearby providing shade, cover and nesting environments adjacent to the life-giving oasis.  More surprises and quiet beauty lie ahead on Forest Road 9C and its tangents for hikers willing to bet on the outwardly ordinary.

LENGTH:  3 miles to the water hole and back

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION:  6,042 – 5,707 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Interstate 17 in Camp Verde, go 21 miles east (toward Payson) on State Route 260 to Forest Road 9C on the right between mileposts 238 and 239.  Park in the turnouts. Be sure to close the access gate behind you.