In my travels to the Southwest for fire assignments with the Forest Service, I’ve seen many cool places along the way. But today’s blog features a place that’s special to me. Two short summers ago, I sat at a picnic table at the Beaver Creek Work Center & signed my paperwork to become an official Forest Service employee. Bright eyed & bushy tailed, I spent the season patrolling the wilderness areas around Sedona, enforcing permits in Fossil Creek and obtained my red card to fight fire.

Fast forward to the following summer, I used the training I gleaned on the Red Rock Ranger District to obtain a job with the Plains/Thompson Falls RD in Montana. Now I’m back to help them fight their early season fires. Really makes it feel full circle. But I digress… maybe you’re here for a history lesson. And you’re in luck.

The Beaver Creek Watershed is located in the Central Arizona Highlands, at the transition between the Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces. It is one of several drainages that dissect the Plateau's Mogollon Rim and drain into the southeast-flowing Verde River.

The watershed is a natural ecological laboratory, housing a wide variety of flora and fauna. The change in elevation within the watershed allows for a diverse habitat of ponderosa pine, juniper, and semi-desert brush. It is an excellent example of a typical southwestern U.S. hydrological system, with both perennial and intermittent reaches, drought-flood cycles, and hydraulically connected surface and groundwater. Within the watershed is a rich cultural and land use history that can be traced back to the Sinagua Indians that vanished from the area in the early 15th century. These factors and others combine to make the watershed a valuable tool for conservation research and education.1

The Beaver Creek Ranger Station near Sedona, Arizona was built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It includes a historic ranger residence, office and barn/shop/garage. In 1993, it officially made the National List of Historic Places for its unique Craftsman/Bungalow-style architecture. You can view the official document here.

Located on the edge of the now Wet Beaver Wilderness, the old ranger station is incredibly unique. While the residence and office building are nothing more than glorified storage units, the barn/shop serves as the work center for the Red Rock RD trails crew during the winter months & fire crews during the summer season. There’s even a couple horses that live on the compound. Truly an incredible piece of history.

Below you’ll see photos of the station taken back in 1989 contrasted with photos during my recent visit.