Hike The Stunning Inner Basin Trail Near Flagstaff Arizona

The Inner Basin Trail in Flagstaff, at the foot of the tallest mountains in Arizona, is like a little slice of Colorado in the desert. Aspen groves explode into fiery gold in the fall and come summer, wildflowers blanket the hillsides. We put this trail guide together to help you plan your epic hike to Inner Basin. 

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Who knew that in Arizona of all places, you’d find a gorgeous aspen hike leading into the caldera of a long-extinct volcano?

That’s right, the lush Inner Basin was once the inside of a massive volcano. A series of tremendous eruptions devastated the mountain eons ago, forming Flagstaff’s distinctive San Francisco Peaks. The volcano that formed them was estimated to have been about 16,000 feet tall!

Today, the basin sits at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet — still a huge surprise to many people. 

As you hike the family-friendly Inner Basin Trail, you’ll witness a dramatic change in scenery, from wide-open meadows to dense aspen groves and back, Arizona’s tallest mountains towering over it all. 

Even the drive to the trailhead in Lockett Meadow is impressive: a steep, winding road that hugs the mountain with sheer drop-offs. Trust us, this stunning trail rivals fall in Colorado and deserves a spot on your bucket list.

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As of October 2024, the forest road is closed three miles before Lockett Meadow, due to the 2022 Pipeline Fire. The Inner Basin Trail IS OPEN, but you have to park on the road and walk an additional three miles each way, adding six miles total. There is a perk: FAR fewer people!

If you’re visiting Arizona, or even if you’re a local but don’t spend much time in northern Arizona, expect to be genuinely shocked by the scenery here. 

All the peaks towering above the Inner Basin, collectively known as the San Francisco Peaks, are over 11,000 feet tall, and two of them are over 12,000 feet. We said it earlier, but truly, this little slice of the Grand Canyon State feels much more like Colorado.  

That feeling remains from the time you leave Lockett Meadow to when you walk into quiet Inner Basin, a hike that’s totally beginner-friendly but also just challenging enough for experienced hikers. 

With summer wildflowers, a beautiful aspen forest that explodes into gold during leaf-peeping season, wildlife galore, a fantastic campground, and the option to summit Humphrey’s Peak or continue on to other trails, this just might be the best hike in Arizona. 

Know Before You Go

The hike to Inner Basin is pretty straightforward, but there are still several things you should keep in mind before hitting the trail. Especially because it’s in a true alpine environment many people don’t expect in Arizona!

Best Time of Year to Hike the Inner Basin Trail

In our opinion, Inner Basin Trail is at its best in very late September or early October, during peak leaf-peeping season. There’s just nothing quite like the dreamy magic of aspens in the early fall. 

However, that comes with a caveat… Everyone has the same idea, so the trail gets crowded, even during the week. Start extremely early or late afternoon for the best chance of avoiding some of the crowds. 

Also (a caveat to the caveat!), the vast majority of hikers turn around after seeing the first aspen grove. So while it may look super busy from Lockett Meadow, Inner Basin itself may be totally uncrowded. The aspens, specifically, are what make this a very popular hike.

Importantly, the forest road leading to the trailhead and Lockett Meadow closes in the winter, typically from late October or early November until sometime in May.

Inner Basin Flagstaff in the Summer

Outside of fall, the best time to hike Inner Basin is summer, when wildflowers pop. A major perk of hiking here during the summer is the trail is blissfully uncrowded. Lockett Meadow Campground is likely to be more crowded than the trail!

Getting to Lockett Meadow

Remember, the forest road is closed three miles before Lockett Meadow due to the 2022 Pipeline Fire (as of October 2024). The area IS OPEN, but you have to park on the road and walk the extra three miles each way (six miles total).

The drive from Flagstaff to the Inner Basin trailhead is 40-45 minutes. If you’re coming from the Phoenix area, plan on 3-3.5 hours, depending on where exactly in the Valley you start. 

The scenic, thrilling drive is part of the fun. While any vehicle can manage it, you will travel on dirt and gravel roads, and there are some sheer drop-offs and blind turns the last few miles of the drive. 

From Flagstaff, head north on US 89 for 12.5 miles. Take a left turn on Fire Road 545 (Lockett Meadow Road, but marked as “Forest Access” and “Schultz Pass”), directly across from the turn to Sunset Crater National Monument. 

When you come to the ‘T’ (less than one mile), turn right on Forest Road 552. From here, follow the signs to Lockett Meadow, about 4.5 miles up the mountain. The road is quite steep and narrow in the last three miles, not even wide enough for two vehicles in some spots. 

You’ll pass by several campsites at Lockett Meadow Campground (they’re arranged in a loop off the forest road), and the parking area for Inner Basin Trail is at the very back of/behind them, marked with “Day Use Parking.” The trailhead starts at the far end of the parking area. 

Good to know: unless you’re using one of the campground’s picnic sites, hikers don’t have to pay the $8 day-use fee posted on signs (promise!). Just be mindful of not parking in a spot designated for overnight campers.  

Parking and Bathroom Situation

There’s a good-sized parking lot past the Lockett Meadow Campground. Day-use parking is free, but be careful where you park — some spaces are designated for overnight campers (everything is well-marked). 

There are restrooms with pit toilets in the parking lot. Beware that during peak times, they run out of toilet paper and the trash overflows. After several visits, we finally learned to bring our own TP just in case. 

Cell Service

We’ve always gotten spotty service both in Lockett Meadow and along the trail. Between us, we’ve had T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T over the years, and all have been similar. 

At some points on the trail, you may not have any service at all, but you’ll likely find some somewhere else—probably not enough to load a website, but at least enough to send a text. 

How Hard is the Inner Basin Hike?

Hiking the Inner Basin Trail is solidly moderate. The hike is not at all technical, but it does climb steadily, with roughly 600 feet of elevation gain per mile. And remember, you’ll be at high elevation, starting at 8,540 feet and finishing around 10,000 feet.

If you live in, say, Colorado, that may sound like a cake walk. But if you’re not used to high elevation, trust us, you’ll feel every step in your lungs!

With that said, this hike is manageable for just about any hiker, even beginners or those who hit the trail once or twice a year. Just take it slow and (especially if you’re not accustomed to the elevation!) drink lots of extra water, starting a couple days before your hike.

How Long Does the Hike Take From Lockett Meadow?

Allow 2-3 hours to hike the Inner Basin Trail, depending on your individual pace and how far into the meadow you explore. This timeframe accounts for a leisurely pace and plenty of picture and snack stops. Without stops, you could easily do it in two hours or maybe even less. 

Remember, with the current road closure from the Pipeline Fire, your hike will take significantly longer. You’ll have to walk an extra three miles each way, six miles total, just to get to the trailhead. Be sure to factor that into your time. 

Wildlife on the Trail

This is the mountains, you should absolutely expect to see some wild animals. The most common wildlife sightings include deer and elk, but if you’re very, very lucky, you may also spot a porcupine or super elusive black bears. 

The trail itself is usually busy enough that animals stay far away, but they tend to frequent the upper reaches of the trail, closer to Inner Basin, and Lockett Meadow 

Camping at Lockett Meadow Campground

Currently, as of fall 2024, the campground is CLOSED, part of the Pipeline fire closure in Coconino National Forest. 

Lockett Meadow Campground is arguably one of the most sought-after in the state, and for good reason. It has spectacular views of the San Francisco Peaks and unbeatable access to Inner Basin Trail, as well as several other great hikes. 

The first-come, first-served only primitive campground has few amenities, offering an authentic mountain camping experience. There are vault toilets only — no electric hookups or running water. 

You’ll find 17 sites arranged in three areas, priced at $24/night. Pay at the kiosk at the campground entrance. There are usually credit card slips, but we recommend bringing exact change just in case.

If you don’t score a coveted spot, there are a bunch of dispersed campsites along the forest road, once you turn off Highway 89. You can also camp at Bonito Campground, at Sunset Crater National Monument across the highway.

Inner Basin Trail Flagstaff Route Details

The hike starts from the parking lot at the very back of Lockett Meadow Campground. Look for a hiker registration kiosk and the well-marked Inner Basin trailhead sign. 

You’ll start walking through a dense, mixed forest of mostly tall pine trees, with some aspens sprinkled in. The trail is mostly flat in this first section. 

It doesn’t take long to reach THE aspen grove, the one that makes this trail so popular — about 0.6 miles in. Most first-timers are pleasantly surprised, expecting this stunning aspen forest to be the end destination. 

The aspens are absolutely magical at every ‘stage’ of fall. When the colors first start to turn, the grass is usually still lush and green, adding a vibrant pop of color. Then at peak, the golden fall colors are incredible because the aspens are so dense here. 

Even when the leaves have nearly all fallen, the carpet of gold and orange they create is gorgeous, especially against the stark white of the trees. 

The Climb

Shortly after entering the aspen grove, you come to a set of switchbacks. This stretch of the trail is just shy of one mile, climbing slow but steady up to a Forest Service dirt road. 

Don’t miss the great photo ops in this section, looking back down at the aspen grove. It’s a great vantage point to capture beams of sunlight filtering through the trees!

You’ll likely notice that the crowds thin out significantly the higher you climb from the forest floor. Every time we’ve hiked the Inner Basin Trail, we’ve seen the majority of people turn back at the aspen stand, just wanting to ‘see fall’ (Arizona friends, IYKYK) and snap some pictures. 

We HIGHLY recommend doing the entire hike because Inner Basin itself is pure magic. However, if your sole goal is leaf-peeping or you’re looking for something short and sweet with little effort, there’s no denying that the first part of this trail delivers in a big way.

Home Stretch

Once you reach the old gravel Forest Service road, Waterline Road, take a right and walk along it for just under a half mile, heading gradually uphill. You’ll see several wooden structures and other buildings, mostly maintenance and pumphouses that deliver water to the city of Flagstaff. 

The Waterline Trail portion is admittedly a bit boring, but the trees that line both sides of the road do make it pretty in the fall. 

When you come to another set of buildings and cabins, look for the trail kiosk and follow signs to Inner Basin. Turn and walk another 0.3 miles and once the road narrows, you know you’re getting close. 

You arrive almost suddenly, transitioning from dense forest to a big open meadow — the basin — without much warning. You’ll see a wellhouse and small shelter, marking the location and elevation: 9,792 feet. 

The aspen-covered hillsides surrounding the bowl were the old caldera walls, and the five tallest peaks in Arizona peek out above them.

Spend some time walking around the basin, enjoying the lack of crowds. When you’re ready to head back to Lockett Meadow, simply retrace your steps. 

Note that AllTrails has two near-identical routes, this out-and-back and the “Lockett Meadow Inner Basin Loop.” The loop returns on a different ‘trail’ right next to the established trail, but…not on the actual trail.  We highly recommend the more straightforward out-and-back.

Summiting Humphreys Peak

Technically, you can summit 12,633-foot Humphreys Peak from the Inner Basin. BUT, it’s not the shortest, easiest (as if there’s such a thing), or even most logical route. 

This is a much longer, more strenuous hike, about 18 miles round-trip, than the ‘traditional’ route that leaves from Arizona Snowbowl and is about 11 miles round-trip. 

If you’re set on summiting Humphreys from here, cross the meadow and connect with the Weatherford Trail on the far side of the basin. Your approach will be via the Fremont Saddle. 

Tips for Hiking the Inner Basin Trail

• Prepare for rapidly-changing weather (in any season). Weather changes rapidly at high elevation, so pack with preparation in mind. Think layers and emergency supplies. 
• Check the forecast…multiple times. Piggybacking on the previous tip, do NOT head out if there’s even the slightest chance of a storm. Lockett Meadow, Inner Basin itself, and the road up to the trailhead are all very exposed and prone to lightning strikes.
• Arrive EARLY or late. We mentioned this earlier, but it’s worth repeating. Forest rangers manage crowds/traffic during peak season and 100% turn people away when the lot fills to capacity, adopting a “one out, one in” procedure. Avoid 8:00-noon, especially. 
• For the most up-to-date conditions, check AllTrails. We’ve found that the Forest Service website is often delayed in posting current conditions (both the trail and whether the gravel road is even open), so our go-to is the most recent AllTrails reviews.

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