The area that would become Forest Lakes began as a mining operation in 1939 when the Denison family began mining manganese in the area. Heavy demand for the metal from the United States federal government helped ensure steady mining operations into the 1960s, when the family turned to logging to sustain their income.[3]
In May 1964, the land was subdivided into the first Forest Lakes Estates subdivision unit, and the homeowners association, the Forest Lakes Owners Association, was organized.[4]
With the construction of numerous recreational lakes in the area, demand for vacation homes grew and spurred the creation of 10 additional units to the subdivision, with the last being created in May 1969.[5]
On the afternoon of June 18, 2002, a fire - later determined to be set by an arsonist - was spotted near Cibecue, 27 miles (43km) southeast of Forest Lakes. While the fire rapidly grew to cover 10,000 acres (4,000ha), there was no immediate threat to the Forest Lakes area.
Two days later on June 20, a stranded hiker who had been lost for 3 days set a signal fire to get the attention of news helicopters that had been covering the Rodeo Fire. While the hiker was rescued, the signal fire unexpectedly grew in the dry conditions and quickly flared up. The resultant blaze, the Chediski Fire, was considerably closer, 14 miles (23km) south of Forest Lakes.
On June 22, the fires combined and moved further northward, threatening several communities including Show Low, Heber-Overgaard and Pinetop-Lakeside. Forest Lakes, also threatened, was evacuated at 1:00 PM that afternoon.[6] The blaze moved to within 0.5 miles (0.80km) of Forest Lakes on June 28, but efforts to save the community prevailed and no homes in the settlement were damaged.
Geography
Forest Lakes stretches roughly 3 miles north–south and 2 miles east–west. However, most of that area is national forest. The Forest Lakes Estates subdivision as recorded on the Coconino County Assessor's maps, has an area of approximately 1.89 square miles (4.9km2), all land.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Forest Lakes has a Highland Continental climate, abbreviated "Dsb" on climate maps.[7] According to the NOAA, July averages a high of 80°F, and a low of 50°F. January averages a high of 43°F and a low of 14°F.[8] Forest Lakes gets 19 inches of rain per year. Most of the rain falls during Monsoon season, which is usually July to September. They receive an average of 31 inches of snow.[9]
Climate data for Forest Lakes, Arizona (1991-2020)
Forest lakes is located within ZIP Code 85931. The ZIP Code is primarily unsettled, rural forest lands with the exception of Forest Lakes.
As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 266 people, 136 households, and 97 families residing in the ZCTA for ZIP Code 85931. There were 916 housing units. The racial makeup of the ZCTA was 99.2% White, 0.4% Native American, and 0.4% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.6% of the population.
There were 136 households, out of which 7.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69% were married couples living together, 2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29% were non-families. 25% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.29.
In the ZCTA the population was spread out, with 7% under the age of 18, 1% from 18 to 24, 13% from 25 to 44, 42% from 45 to 64, and 36% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.6 males.
The median income for a household in the ZCTA was $34,773, and the median income for a family was $34,219. The per capita income for the ZCTA was $21,981. About 9% of families and 12% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20% of those under age 18 and 5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Retirement and tourism are an important part of the Forest Lakes economy. Proximity to the Sitgreaves National Forest provides recreational opportunities. Service businesses provide employment and services for the predominant retirement community.
Parks and outdoor recreation
Immediately south of Forest Lakes is the Mogollon Rim, a steep escarpment ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 feet from the base to the highest plateau. The Rim divides the northern plateau region from the lower central and southern areas. The Rim offers scenic views and numerous man-made lakes ideal for fishing.
Coconino County is a county in the North-Central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. Its population was 145,101 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Flagstaff. The county takes its name from Cohonino, a name applied to the Havasupai people. It is the second-largest county by area in the contiguous United States, behind San Bernardino County, California. It has 18,661 sq mi (48,300 km2), or 16.4% of Arizona's total area, and is larger than the nine smallest states in the U.S.
Navajo County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, its population was 106,717. The county seat is Holbrook.
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.
Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,031. It is within the Coconino National Forest.
Heber-Overgaard is a census-designated place (CDP) in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Situated atop the Mogollon Rim, the community lies at an elevation of 6,627 feet (2,020 m). The population was 2,898 at the 2020 census. Heber and Overgaard are technically two unincorporated communities, but as of the 1990 census, their proximity led to the merged name of "Heber-Overgaard".
Lake Montezuma is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yavapai County in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 5,111 at the 2020 census. The CDP includes the communities of Rimrock and McGuireville. Located along Interstate 17, it is 20 miles (32 km) south of Sedona and 8 miles (13 km) north of Camp Verde in central Arizona's Verde Valley.
The Mogollon Rim is a topographical and geological feature cutting across the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately 200 miles (320 km), starting in northern Yavapai County and running eastward, ending near the border with New Mexico. It forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau in Arizona.
The Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests is a 2.76-million-acre (11,169 km2) United States National Forest which runs along the Mogollon Rim and the White Mountains in east-central Arizona and into the U.S. state of New Mexico. Formerly two forests, it is currently managed as one unit by USDA Forest Service from the Forest Supervisors Office in Springerville, Arizona. Apache–Sitgreaves has over 400 species of wildlife. With its high elevation and cool summer breezes it is a popular weekend destination from the hot desert for Phoenix, Arizona, residents. The forest is divided into 5 Ranger Districts that span almost 300 miles (480 km) from Clifton, Arizona in the east-central portion of Arizona to the eastern boundary of the Coconino National Forest in north-central Arizona. The Apache–Sitgreaves National Forest borders the western and northern borders of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. It is located in parts of Greenlee, Apache, Navajo, and Coconino counties in eastern and east-central Arizona, and Catron County in western New Mexico. The more northwesterly Sitgreaves National Forest portion lies adjacent to the north side of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is located entirely in Arizona, within Navajo, Apache, and Coconino counties. It has a total area of 818,651 acres (3,313 km2). The more southeasterly and much larger Apache National Forest portion lies adjacent to the east side of the Fort Apache and the San Carlos Indian Reservations. It lies on both sides of the border with New Mexico, in Greenlee, Catron, and Apache counties. It has a total area of 1,813,601 acres (7,339 km2).
Greer is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Located within the White Mountains of Arizona and surrounded by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Greer is the highest town in the state at an elevation of approximately 8,400 feet. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 58. Greer was founded circa 1879 by Mormon settlers from Utah. The Greer post office has the ZIP code of 85927.
The Coconino National Forest is a 1.856-million acre United States National Forest located in northern Arizona in the vicinity of Flagstaff, with elevations ranging from 2,600 feet to the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet. Originally established in 1898 as the "San Francisco Mountains National Forest Reserve", the area was designated a U.S. National Forest by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt on July 2, 1908, when the San Francisco Mountains National Forest Reserve was merged with lands from other surrounding forest reserves to create the Coconino National Forest. Today, the Coconino National Forest contains diverse landscapes, including deserts, ponderosa pine forests, flatlands, mesas, alpine tundra, and ancient volcanic peaks. The forest surrounds the towns of Sedona and Flagstaff and borders four other national forests; the Kaibab National Forest to the west and northwest, the Prescott National Forest to the southwest, the Tonto National Forest to the south, and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest to the southeast. The forest contains all or parts of nine designated wilderness areas, including the Kachina Peaks Wilderness, which includes the summit of the San Francisco Peaks. The headquarters are in Flagstaff. The Coconino National Forest consists of three districts: Flagstaff Ranger District, Mogollon Rim Ranger District, and Red Rock Ranger District, which have local ranger district offices in Flagstaff, Happy Jack, and Sedona.
The Mogollon Plateau or Mogollon Mesa is a pine-covered southern plateau section of the larger Colorado Plateau in east-central Arizona and west-central New Mexico, United States. The southern boundary of the plateau is the Mogollon Rim. The Mogollon Plateau is 7,000–8,000 feet (2,100–2,400 m) high. The plateau lends its name to the Mogollon tribe, part of the Cochise-Mogollan peoples who inhabited this and nearby areas from 5,000 to 2,500 years ago. Their descendants are believed to include the Anasazi.
Oak Creek Canyon is a river gorge located in northern Arizona between the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona. The canyon is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its scenic beauty. State Route 89A enters the canyon on its north end via a series of hairpin turns before traversing the bottom of the canyon for about 13 miles (21 km) until the highway enters the town of Sedona.
Alpine is a census-designated place in Apache County, Arizona, United States, in Bush Valley in the east central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 145. It is located near the eastern border of the state.
Chevelon Canyon Lake is a small reservoir located in northern Arizona, about 28 mi (45 km) northwest of the town of Heber. It is one in a series of small, canyon-bound lakes located on the Mogollon Rim, collectively referred to as the Rim Lakes. It is said to be among the most difficult to access in the region. It is also the second reservoir on Chevelon Creek, downstream from Woods Canyon Lake. The facilities are maintained by Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests division of the USDA Forest Service.
Woods Canyon Lake is a small lake located in northern Arizona, United States, about 30 mi (48 km) east of the city of Payson. It is one in a series of small, canyon-bound lakes located on the Mogollon Rim, collectively referred to as the Rim Lakes. It is among the more developed and accessible of the Rim Lakes. It is also the first reservoir on Chevelon Creek, upstream from Chevelon Canyon Lake.
Black Canyon Lake is a lake in Navajo County, Arizona, United States.
The Heber-Overgaard Unified School District (HOUSD) is a school district with its headquarters in Heber-Overgaard, Arizona. The 6.86-square-mile (17.8 km2) district serves Heber, Overgaard, and the Forest Lakes area. The district consists of 4 schools; all are title 1 schools.
Chevelon Butte School District 5, also known as Chevelon Butte Elementary School District (CBESD), is a school district in Coconino County, Arizona.
Willow Springs Lake is a cold water lake located on top of the Mogollon Rim in northern Arizona, about 23 mi (37 km) east of the city of Payson in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, immediately adjacent to SR 260. It is a canyon-bound lake located on the Mogollon Rim, and is part of the collectivity known as the Rim Lakes. It can be found upstream from Chevelon Canyon Lake. The facilities are maintained by Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests division of the USDA Forest Service.
Haigler Creek is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in northern Gila County, Arizona, United States. It lies at an elevation of 5,240 feet and is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest. As of the 2020 census, Haigler Creek had a population of 39 people.
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