Yavapai County ( ) 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

thumb|upright|Old gold specimen from an unknown Yavapai County mine. Size: .

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 , of which is land and (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 and the lowest is Agua Fria River drainage, now under Lake Pleasant.

Adjacent counties

  • Mohave Countywest
  • La Paz Countysouthwest
  • Maricopa Countysouth
  • Gila Countysouth/southeast
  • Coconino Countynorth/northeast

Major highways

  • 20px Interstate 11 (Future)
  • 20px Interstate 17
  • 20px Interstate 40
  • 20px U.S. Route 93
  • 20px State Route 66
  • 20px State Route 69
  • 20px State Route 71
  • 20px State Route 89
  • 25px State Route 169
  • 25px State Route 179
  • 25px State Route 260
  • 25px State Route 279

National protected areas

thumb|[[West Clear Creek Wilderness|upright ]]

thumb|West Fork of [[Oak Creek (Arizona)|Oak Creek, in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness ]]

  • 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

:::Yavapai-Apache Nation

:*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

thumb|Enchantment Resort near Sedona

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 northwest of the town of Bagdad lies the Upper Burro Creek Wilderness Area, a protected area home to at least 150 species of birds and featuring one of the Arizona desert's few undammed perennial streams.

Demographics