Flagstaff Nordic Center

Beautiful place. Camping, hiking, skiing are all available. I love this place! You can get a season pass but it’s expensive! I wish they had some more affordable prices!

This was my first time staying in a yurt and was very excited for the experience. Being a regular camper i am used to roughing it in the woods or desert. The reason for the 3 stars goes as follows.
There is a bit of misinformation regarding thr yurts in the website and the email they send you. I stayed in a front country yurt and in the website stated it was a self check in and right next to the lodge. But in the email they call for a 3 pm check in and being upwards of 3 miles away from the lodge. Those particular requirements are for the back country yurts and are not specified in the email. Phone tag was played for a week to clarify everything.
Second: everyone i spoke to on the phone said the back door of the lodge was open all night long (for showers and restroom usage). There is even a sign in the yurt saying it was open ²⁴⁄₇. However, when we tried using it at 7pm it was locked. I was a late check in and called ahead to notify them and get any specific details. Apparently there was a miscommunication between employees and they ended up locking the doors. They apologized for it
Third: around 3 am they started running engines and snow plows. A man came to aplogizes in the morning for the noise. I, fortunately, took sleeping meds and did not hear a thing. My gf was not so fortunate. The engines woke her up.
As far as staying in the yurt. It was awesome. I think everyone should stay one. Especially in the cold ass winter. I just didn’t like the misinformation and miscommunication of it.

My cousin had her wedding here. She is the super outdoorsy type and the complete opposite of a bridezilla. This place was perfect. It even poured rain and it was perfect. Nothing beats the beauty of nature if you ask me.
The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because I didn’t exactly use the facilities. Only one couple invited to the wedding had the guts to stay in a Yurt. I mean, I know myself. I am not that rugged when I need to get ready for a wedding. I need the basics, like running water, to be a given under those circumstances. Call me high maintenance, at least I know my own limits.

I recently stayed in Lily (front country yurt) over a weekend. A friend had recommended it and it was so much cheaper than staying in a hotel! I had a blast. They provide you with pads to lay on, firewood in your room if you request it, a lamp, a stove, and cleaning supplies. They have a lodge where you can use the restroom 24 hrs and it is just a short walking distance from the yurts. The yurts also have propane grills out front with propane if you want to cook anything. We ended up cooling our breakfasts on the top of the fireplace that was inside the yurt. It is in a beautiful area and it is very peaceful and quiet. I will definitely be back! The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

We stayed in a front country cabin and everything was as promised. We had a great time even though it rained every night. The cabin was clean and there was plenty of wood to start a fire in the fire pit. We rented mountain bikes and rode them to a beautiful high country meadow covered with wildflowers. Great hiking trails are nearby.

We went on one of the first weekends for the summer back country sites! We rented a yurt and a front country cabin, and it was great! Really lovely experience, and the woods up there are just enchanting.
The large back country yurt was easy to find, maybe a 10 – 15 minute walk from where the parking is located. It was up in a gorgeous meadow, and was way bigger than anticipated! The wood was all stocked and ready to go, which was really helpful, and the BBQs are propane which were easy to get going. The people who worked there (Dan, Mike, and Wendell) were very helpful, although they were not very prompt at responding to phone calls and/​or emails.
Our group had a blast, and we are already talking about when we can get back up there.
As far as stuff to do, there are several great hikes right there on the site, and then some that are not even 3 miles driving distance (lava river caves, etc.). Definitely good for big groups of singles, families, or couples!

Awesome campsite and facility! I stayed here for a HAHGW meeting with Arizona Game and Fish. I loved being in the woods, but fully covered with a large tent in a safe location. Good thing it was sturdy because we did get rain! The Forest Service has a nice cabin with restrooms and a shower. There are a few yurts and other small cabins located a 10 minute walk away.
In the winter, this place is home to cross country skiing and dog sledding, as well as hunting during the appropriate season. Make sure to check the weather Phoenicians! The weather changes quickly and can be cold at night even in the summer time. It was 55 at night when I was here in July. So plan for the weather!

Spent a lovely cool August weekend in the spruce cabin. Nice change from tent camping. Between the flush toilets in the lodge and the roof over our heads during the late night thunderstorm I felt we got quite the deal at $ 45/​night. Will definitely try to make it back up for a few nights next summer.

We did a beginner lesson, with my 6-​years old. The cost was $ 50, which is reasonable for adults but I wish they had a price for kids. My little one was done with the lesson in 60 minutes. I would say the lesson is more for adults. I did learn some tips/​tricks. The first lesson started at 11:30am. After the lesson, we were all starving. They sell snacks here but I brought my own and I am glad I did.

The nordic center is a hub for the outdoor enthusiast. The 40-​something mile trail system gave my buddy and I plenty of space to mountain bike and explore the back woods at 8000 feet elevation. I stayed in a Yurt for the first time, and it was better than tent camping (and cheap for a real shelter). The couple of employees who run the center leave the «lodge» unlocked so you can hit the restrooms if you don’t want to use the outhouses or mother nature, and also get fresh tap water (which was surprisingly good). When fire restrictions aren’t in place, you can make a camp fire outside of your yurt or cabin, and also use your wood stove. Want to know the best part? It is dead silent up there at night, which means a good night sleep. I’m already excited to go back in the winter to try cross-​country skiing and set up shop in one of their small cabins.

This was a cool day trip! They offer cross country skiing and snowshoeing rentals. Pay at the main cabin, walk over to the yurt and pick up your gear, slap it on and off you go!
The trails were pretty easily marked along the way, which is nice for those of us who are directionally challenged. The equipment worked well, no malfunctions. They had trails of varying levels of difficulty, although even the lava trail wasn’t very hard to do.
I guess they even offer camping in small cabins as well, which looks cozy. We didn’t get to see the inside but one group of girls said they were very basic.
The staff was friendly. The office closed at 4pm so you had to make sure to be back by then. If you’ve never done snowshoeing it was a cool activity to try! Great workout too!

last year there wasn’t enough snow. with a groupon nearing expiration, we had to use it this year and headed up yesterday for some snowshoeing.
it’s nothing fancy. just a cabin and dirt parking lot on the side of the road where you sign in. since we were renting snowshoes, we were then directed to a yurt behind the lodge to pick up our gear. after that, it’s pretty much off you go.
the majority of visitors here are cross country skiers. apparently you can rent backcountry yurts to sleep in. there are miles and miles of trails for the skiers and plenty of miles for snowshoers. although whatever you do, no matter what, DON’T WALK ON THE CROSS COUNTRY SKI PATH!!! or else a bothersome old lady (whom doesn’t work there, but annoyed us anyway) will make sure to let you know you are doing it wrong!
anyway…the staff was friendly and seemed helpful. the trails are very well marked. waterproof hiking boots, water resistant pants and jacket are recommended. layering is key as you will heat up rather quickly traipsing through the woods.

My girlfriend and I spent the weekend in one of the cabins at the Nordic Center. Overall, it was a great experience — but definitely overpriced.
We arrived around 5:30pm on Friday evening January 11^th — taking advantage of the winter «Late check in» on Fridays. We checked in, and spent $ 55 to rent showshoes and get trail passes for the weekend. In addition to the $ 140 I spent online to book the cabin for Friday and Saturday night.
Ok, fine.
We took two trips from the car to the cabin to get our stuff in. Better than paying $ 20 for the gear shuttle, and it felt good to try out the snowshoes. It was both of our first time in showshoes.
The staff at the lodge was friendly and efficient in getting us moved in. A+ for them.
We got a little lost on the way from the lodge to the cabin — but found it eventually with advice from other people out on the trails.
The Nordic Center provides plenty of wood for the wood stove. They also provide newspaper and matches to get things started. Whoever had the place before us didn’t leave us any kindling. Shame, but I was able to chop some fairly quickly with the hatchet that was provided. I brought my own just in case, but didn’t have to use it. Got the fire started in about 5 minutes and fed it wood for about 2 hours until the cabin warmed up. Once it did — it got HOT! We ended up opening a window around midnight to moderate the temperature a bit.
Saturday morning I used the propane grill outside (provided) to warm up some water for coffee. I somehow missed that this was available on the website and hiked in my own stove. Don’t bother. The grill that FNC provides is a big two-​burner and will do fine for food (brats, etc) or heating up water. It’s got auto-​ignition, but if that fails you can use matches too.
We spent Saturday morning lounging around. Spent the afternoon showshoeing up Coyote trail, which was a great time. A blue run at about 2.5 miles round trip. Our first time in snowshoes and it took us an hour and 15 minutes. Not bad at all. A very enjoyable experience.
Saturday night we warmed chili on the wood stove in the cabin. Took about an hour to warm it up on top of the wood stove with a metal pot. No worries. We weren’t in any hurry. It got to about –8 F Saturday night. We didn’t keep as careful track of the fire that night. I woke up and restarted it at midnight then again at 5am. Plenty warm. We brought too many blankets– but it was comfortable and when I was reading reviews on Unilocal!,I didn’t see how well the wood stove worked in (really) cold outdoor temperatures. As long as you know how to start a fire, don’t worry about being cold. Once that stove warms up, you’re good to go.
The double bed was about as comfortable as the average hotel bed. Not great, but way better than sleeping on hard floor. We covered it with a thick summer sleeping bag for extra padding.
The staff request that you STIR the port-​o-​potty in order to prevent it from freezing. Not a big deal, if you’ve got a strong stomach. I stirred it after every use and had no issues with it. Neither (to my knowledge) did my girlfriend. Plenty of (cheap) TP, but I brought a backup roll just in case.
I took a few photos — Neglected to take pictures while the cabin was clean, so don’t mind our mess.
If you’re looking for a rustic experience away form civilization, I recommend it — but expect to spend a bit of money in the process.

My husband and I were on a road trip and looking for some place to stay near the Coconino National Forest. While researching, I cam across the Flagstaff Nordic Center. We decided to stay in one of their small yurts and it was awesome! The yurt was nice and new and they provided us with sleeping pads and wood for the wood burning stove and water. It was perfect for us because we had been camping prior and this was the perfect accommodation for us. The prices were definitely reasonable! We arrived late and happened to meet one of the owners, he was very friendly and very helpful. We really stumbled upon a great place– only wished we lived closer to Flagstaff (we’re in Northern California)!

My parents have been cross country skiing since they were young Lumberjacks at NAU. They decided it was high time for their offspring to take up the same hobby, so they piled three unwilling young adults into my father’s truck and took us to Flagstaff Nordic Center. Hilarity did not ensue.
I’m pretty sure they had a coupon because, as I understand, cross country skiing can get quite pricey. Plus, they are both educators which means they are always looking for cheap entertainment.
The employees at the center were very helpful, and even though my gear looked like it came straight from the 1980s it worked well enough.
My parents quickly left my brothers and I in the dust, and thanks to the beginners trail that the center carves into the sides of the moderate trail we were able to complete the loop. My God was it painful though. I fell every few feet and got my skis tangled something fierce. I really appreciated that the center sent out patrols every now and then to check up on skiers.
They even gave us some hot chocolate at the end of the experience to help us warm up. A nice touch!
Just a note: The Flagstaff Nordic Center is also extremely beautiful during the warmer seasons. I’ve gone mountain biking on the same cross country ski trails and with much more success. This is a great place to visit year around!

Miles of groomed trails for x-​country. Rentals of diff. types of skis, snowshoes, sleds, ski toboggans for babies. The cost for our family of 4, with trail pass was $ 128 — quite $$$. (I think they should waive trail pass fee w/​rental prices). Was a good day though — even our 8 yr old did the trails no prob. (her 1^st time!). Staff helpfull & very friendly. Easy to find, just past snowbowl exit, right off hwy 180. If you stay in the historic part of flagstaff, off route 66 (try aspen suites) this is only 15 mins drive.