Big Springs Cabin Site

Overview

Big Springs is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been used since the 1800s, first by homesteaders and later the Forest Service. The complex consists of seven rental cabins, dining hall, shower house, group kitchen, a historic office, and several administrative structures.

Recreation

Big Springs Cabins are located on Forest Road 22. This road provides easy access to scenic overlooks of the Grand Canyon and other points of interest on the forest. The site is a perfect base camp for day hikes or drives on the Kaibab Plateau and for group retreats in the cool pines.

Facilities

While Big Springs serves as an active administrative site for the U.S. Forest Service, the rental cabins available to the public are in a discrete location separated from the administrative structures. Individual cabins vary in occupancy from two to four people per cabin and include use of the shared shower house, fully furnished kitchen, dining room, and living room. There are toilets and showers on site, but not in the cabins. There are no laundry facilities. There are seven cabins. Cabins 1 - 6 each have two twin-size beds and one full-size bed. Cabin 7 has one queen-sized bed only. Please bring your own linens, blankets, pillows, towels, toiletries and food. An on-site host is present. Administrative buildings are not open to the public.

Natural Features

Big Springs is the most abundant water source on the Kaibab Plateau. Water from the springs runs down a limestone cliff and pools near the cabins. Nestled among lush vegetation and several ponds, the area is surrounded by ponderosa pine and rolling hills. A visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is an easy day trip from the cabins.

Nearby Attractions

The Big Springs Cabins Site is located approximately 30 minutes from the Fredonia, AZ/Kanab, UT area and is within a one-hour drive of several scenic overlooks on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Contact Info

From Fredonia, AZ: 1.2 miles south of Fredonia on US 89A turn south onto FS 22. Stay on FS 22 for 27.3 miles until you see the Big Springs Cabins on your left. Pavement on FS 22 ends after 20.7 miles. Trip distance is about 28.5 miles.

From Jacob Lake, AZ: Go south on AZ Hwy 67. Take the first right turn just past the visitor center to go west on FS 461 for 5.3 miles to FS 462. Continue west on FS 462 (right) for 3.1 miles to FS 22. Turn south (left) at FS 22 and continue 6.6 miles until you see the Big Springs Cabins on your left (east of FR 22). Total trip distance is about 15.0 miles.

From Grand Canyon North Rim entrance station: Head north from entrance station on Hwy 67 for 4.6 miles. Turn west (left) on FS 22 for 23 miles. Watch for signs. Cabins will be on the right. Total trip distance is about 27.6 miles.