Yavapai County ( YA-və-py) is a county near the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 236,209, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Prescott.
Yavapai County comprises the Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the northern portions of Peoria and Wickenburg, the balance of which are in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
History
Yavapai County was one of the four original Arizona counties created by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature. The county territory was defined as being east of longitude 113° 20' and north of the Gila River. Soon thereafter, the counties of Apache, Coconino, Maricopa, and Navajo were carved from the original Yavapai County. Yavapai County's present boundaries were established in 1891.
The county is named after the Yavapai people, who were the principal inhabitants at the time the United States annexed the area.
County level law enforcement services have been provided by Yavapai County Sheriff's Office since 1864.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 8,128 square miles (21,050 km2), of which 8,123 square miles (21,040 km2) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km2) (0.05%) is water. It has about 93% of the area of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is larger than three U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware and Connecticut) and the District of Columbia combined.
The county's topography makes a dramatic transition from the lower Sonoran Desert to the south to the heights of the Coconino Plateau to the north, and the Mogollon Rim to the east. The highest point above sea level (MSL) in Yavapai County is Mount Union at an elevation of 7,979 ft (2,432 m) and the lowest is Agua Fria River drainage, now under Lake Pleasant.
Adjacent counties
Mohave County – west
La Paz County – southwest
Maricopa County – south
Gila County – south/southeast
Coconino County – north/northeast
Major highways
National protected areas
Agua Fria National Monument
Coconino National Forest (part)
Kaibab National Forest (part)
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Prescott National Forest (part)
Tonto National Forest (part)
Tuzigoot National Monument
There are nineteen official wilderness areas in Yavapai County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Fourteen of these are integral parts of National Forests listed above, whereas five are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Some of these extend into neighboring counties (as indicated below):
Apache Creek Wilderness (Prescott NF)
Arrastra Mountain Wilderness (BLM) mostly in Mohave County; also partly in La Paz County
Castle Creek Wilderness (Prescott NF)
Cedar Bench Wilderness (Prescott NF)
Fossil Springs Wilderness (Coconino NF) mostly in Coconino County
Granite Mountain Wilderness (Arizona) (Prescott NF)
Hassayampa River Canyon Wilderness (BLM)
Hells Canyon Wilderness (Arizona) (BLM) partly in Maricopa County
Juniper Mesa Wilderness (Prescott NF)
Mazatzal Wilderness (Tonto NF / Coconino NF) partly in Gila County; Maricopa County
Munds Mountain Wilderness (Coconino NF) mostly in Coconino County
Pine Mountain Wilderness (Tonto NF/Prescott NF)
Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness (Coconino NF) partly in Coconino County
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness (Prescott NF/Coconino NF / Kaibab NF) mostly in Coconino County
Tres Alamos Wilderness (BLM)
Upper Burro Creek Wilderness (BLM) partly in Mohave County
West Clear Creek Wilderness (Coconino NF) partly in Coconino County
Wet Beaver Wilderness (Coconino NF) partly in Coconino County
Woodchute Wilderness (Prescott NF)
Land ownership and management
Private ownership: about 25% of Yavapai County's land (by area) is privately owned.
Public land: about 75% of the county's area is publicly owned, including
Federal ownership: about 50% of the county's area is owned by the federal government of the United States, including
National Forest lands, managed by the US Forest Service: 38% of the county's area
Federal lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management: 11.6% of the county's area
Small areas of federal land are managed by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Park Service: less than 0.5% of the county's area.
Yavapai-Prescott Tribe 1,413 acres (572 ha)
Yavapai-Apache Nation 685 acres (277 ha)
About 25% of Yavapai County is owned by the State of Arizona as state trust lands, managed by the Arizona State Land Department.
Flora and fauna
There are numerous flora and fauna species within Yavapai County. For example, a number of plants within the genus Ephedra and Coreopsis are found in the county. Yavapai County is also the location of several groves of the near-threatened California Fan Palm, Washingtonia filifera.
Attractions
Yavapai County is home to Arcosanti, a prototype arcology, developed by Paolo Soleri, and under construction since 1970. Arcosanti is just north of Cordes Junction, Arizona.
Out of Africa Wildlife Park is a private zoo. The park moved to the Camp Verde area from the East Valley in 2005.
Approximately 10 miles (16 km) northwest of the town of Bagdad lies the Upper Burro Creek Wilderness Area, a 27,440-acre (11,105 ha) protected area home to at least 150 species of birds and featuring one of the Arizona desert's few undammed perennial streams.