Navajo County is a vast, rural expanse that holds one of the world's largest forests.

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Often mistaken for a barren desert, Navajo County is actually home to a massive Ponderosa pine forest and a complex history of land division. From its origins as a split from Apache County to its status as a rural, enterprise-zoned region, the area remains a unique corner of the American Southwest.

Navajo County was established on March 21, 1895, as the final governmental act of the Tenth Territorial Legislation. The legislators created the county by splitting it from the eastern edge of the original Apache County. This administrative shift defined the region's geography, placing it to the west of Apache County along the New Mexico border. Today, the county covers 9,960 square miles, with Holbrook serving as its long-standing county seat.

The landscape of the county defies common stereotypes of Arizona as a dry, vegetation-free desert. It encompasses a significant portion of one of the world's largest Ponderosa pine forests. This ecological richness was noted as early as 1869 by Major Green, who scouted the area for a military post. He described the region as a garden spot with fertile soil and excellent water, a sentiment that persists in local lore. The area's history is also deeply tied to the cattle industry; for instance, the Aztec Land and Cattle Company once purchased 1 million acres from the railroad, importing 33,000 longhorn cattle and 2,200 horses to graze on the wild grasses of the mesas.

Modern Navajo County is characterized by its sparse population and significant land management by indigenous nations. About 66% of the county is comprised of Indian reservation land, including portions of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Indian Reservation, and the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. The region is designated as an enterprise zone, with an economy driven by tourism, coal mining, manufacturing, timber, and ranching. Landmarks like the former Fort Apache, which was converted into the Theodore Roosevelt Indian Boarding School, serve as reminders of the county's complex history and its ongoing role as a home for diverse communities.

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