24 Aug Coconino National Forest – Micah Penalva

I have been blessed to be able to work in the wonderful Coconino National Forest! As a law enforcement intern, I get to go and see many different areas of the forest. The Coconino is incredibly diverse and seems like a completely different forest depending on where you are. There are three districts of the Coconino: Flagstaff (1), Red Rock (2), and Mogollon Rim (3).

Enjoy these photos of my office:

First, let’s take a look at the Flagstaff district.

Flagstaff is around 7,300 feet elevation.

Humphrey’s Peak is the tallest point within the San Francisco Peaks, which tower over Flagstaff to the North. The trailhead where these photos were taken is about 9,300. The peak of Humphreys is about 12,600 feet.

The large elevation changes that northern Arizona has provides a wide range in landscapes and environments.

The Further south you go, the lower the elevation. This provides what one would imagine AZ to look like, more desert than mountainous.

Red Rock District:

The southern border of the Coconino National Forest ends at the Mogollon Rim which signifies the beginning of the Tonto National Forest to the South and Sitgreaves National Forest to the East.

Mogollon District:

The following video was taken on the 300 road which runs the whole perimeter of the Coconino along the Mogollon Rim.

I feel extremely lucky to be able to call all 1.856 Million acres of Coconino NF my workspace. When I first got here I expected AZ to look much more like classic desert, which to be fair is accurate the further south you go. But the drastic change in elevation allows for a whole new ecosystem. Personally, I prefer the 20-30 degree cooler weather Flagstaff and the higher elevation has to offer. However, everywhere I have been so far has been beautiful! Stay tuned for more photos and videos.

Also, here is a photo of me in my actual office: