Verde River Headwaters State Park

Arizona is known for its stunning landscapes and recreational opportunities, and a jewel like the Verde River is the perfect place to get outside and engage with nature. Flowing through the heart of Arizona from Prescott National Forest to the Salt River near Phoenix, it’s rich with numerous recreational opportunities, cultural history, and ecological diversity that Trust for Public Land is helping protect through our Verde River Program.

In recent years, the rural cities and towns along the river’s route have embraced the preservation of land for riverside parks and outdoor recreation, both for residents and for the economic benefits of tourism. The river is slowly becoming an increasingly popular destination for people to connect to the outdoors, from kayaking and birding to hiking and biking along riverside trails—and our biggest opportunity was right around the bend!

Nearly 1,000 acres of land along the river’s headwaters and surrounding Del Rio Springs sat relatively untouched for decades. Trust for Public Land saw amazing potential to weave together this area’s history and nature’s serenity, so we approached Arizona State Parks and Trails with an idea: increase access to the Verde River by creating a new state park at its headwaters. And partnering with the Town of Chino Valley, community leaders, and local supporters, we helped make it a reality.

We purchased the previously private property and turned it over to Arizona State Parks and Trails to create what will soon be Verde River Headwaters State Park. Not only a beautiful place for camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and horseback riding, this new state park will help expand the Peavine National Recreational Trail, one of the first rail to trail projects in the state. It will also preserve the rich history of the Southwest, from the Fred Harvey Company and Sullivan Lake to Arizona’s first territorial capital and Indigenous history.

As the first inhabitants of the Verde River and region, the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe and Yavapai-Apache Nation recognize this area as culturally significant. The Verde River is an important cultural and spiritual resource for these Indigenous communities and Verde River Headwaters State Park will preserve sacred sites and acknowledge this important beginning.