Everything we tell every guest.

The lodge is in Happy Jack, Arizona, on the Mogollon Rim at about 7,500 feet. It sits inside the Coconino National Forest. Around it are tall pines, dark skies, and cool air.

Flagstaff is about 45 minutes north. Payson is about 45 minutes south. Phoenix is about 2.5 hours away. This is high country, not a town. Bring what you need with you.

Layers, in every season. At 7,500 feet the days are warm and the nights are cold. The temperature changes 30 to 40 degrees between them. Bring a warm jacket and closed shoes, even in summer.

Also bring sturdy walking shoes, sunscreen, and a hat. The sun is strong at this altitude. Add bug spray for the evenings, a water bottle, and a flashlight. It gets very dark here. In winter, add boots, gloves, and a hat.

Yes. Stock up before the last part of the drive. The closest full supermarkets are in Flagstaff to the north and Payson to the south. Most groups shop on the way up and arrive ready to cook.

Clints Well is at the junction of AZ-87 and Lake Mary Road. Its general store covers anything you forget. The kitchen here has all the cookware, so bring food and drinks only.

Cell service in the forest is unreliable and depends on your carrier. Expect little or no signal on the drive in. At the lodge, use the Wi-Fi. It supports Wi-Fi calling for calls and texts.

Download your maps, playlists, and directions before you leave a town with signal.

Check in after 3:00 pm. Check out by 11:00 am. Your door code and arrival details come in your booking email. The full guidebook is at the lodge.

Google Maps brings you to the door. Load the route while you still have signal in town, because the forest stretch drops out.

At the address you will see a double lamppost gate with a metal elk on it. Drive through the gate and go straight ahead. The lodge is in front of you.

No. The gate should be open when you arrive. If it is closed, it is unlocked.

Yes. There is a 30-amp Level 2 charger in the garage. It has a standard J1772 plug, and we keep a Tesla adapter with it, so most cars can use it as they are.

Charge overnight and you start the drive home full. That matters here: the nearest public chargers are in Flagstaff or Payson, each about 45 minutes away.

Park anywhere you like. There is gravel beside the lodge and space in front of the garage, with room for several cars. Keep the area in front of the gate clear.

From Phoenix it is about 2.5 hours. Take I-17, then AZ-260 or AZ-87 depending on your route. From Flagstaff it is about 45 minutes south on Lake Mary Road, also called Forest Highway 3. From Payson it is about 45 minutes north on AZ-87.

The last stretch is forest road. Drive slowly and watch for elk and deer, especially at dawn and dusk.

The lodge is on a maintained county road, so the road to us gets plowed. How quickly depends on when the snow fell, how much of it there was, and how long the plows take to reach this stretch. Between storms the surface can still be icy or snow-packed.

All-wheel or four-wheel drive is a real advantage from November through March. Carry chains and a small shovel. Check the forecast and AZ 511 (az511.gov) before you drive up, fill your tank in Flagstaff or Payson, and allow extra time. In summer, watch for afternoon monsoon storms that drop heavy rain quickly.

Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) has the most flights. It is about 2.5 hours away by car. Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG) is the closest commercial airport. It is smaller, with fewer flights, but it is about 1 hour from the lodge.

You need a rental car from either one. There is no rideshare and no transit here.

For any life-threatening emergency, call 911. If you have no cell signal, connect to the lodge Wi-Fi first. It supports Wi-Fi calling.

The fire station is on our street, so emergency medical care and fire response are close by local standards. That is unusual this far into the forest and it is worth knowing.

The welcome card at the lodge lists the local numbers. It has the Coconino County Sheriff non-emergency line, the nearest clinic, and how to reach us. It also shows where the first-aid kit and the fire extinguishers are. Read it when you arrive.

The nearest full hospitals are 45 minutes to 1 hour away in either direction. Flagstaff Medical Center is to the north. Banner Payson Medical Center is to the south. Both towns also have urgent-care clinics for smaller problems.

For anything serious, call 911 first. They can guide you and send help into the forest. Poison control is 1-800-222-1222.

Email us at info@spoonbilllodge.com for anything that can wait a few hours.

When you book, we give you a phone number. Call or text it if something is urgent or you need something now. If you cannot get a signal, connect to the Wi-Fi first — texting and calling both work over it.

Mountain weather knocks out the power occasionally. It is normally brief. The welcome card shows where the flashlights and candles are. In winter, the gas stoves and the fireplaces keep the lodge warm.

If the outage lasts more than a short time, message us. We will check whether it is the area or only the lodge.

The lodge runs on well water. It is good to drink and it tastes clean, though it is a little different from city water.

Be mindful of long runs of water. Tell us immediately if a faucet or a toilet runs continuously. A small leak matters more here than it would in town.

You share the forest with elk, deer, javelina, coyotes, and many birds. Watching them is one of the best parts of a stay here. Bears live in this forest too. Sightings are rare, but they happen.

Keep your distance and never feed anything. Keep trash inside the lodge until you take it to the bins, and secure the bin lid afterwards. Drive slowly on the forest roads, especially at dawn and dusk.

Yes. The Wi-Fi is fast and it reaches the whole lodge and the deck. The network name and password are on the welcome card and in your booking email. It supports Wi-Fi calling, which matters because the cell service here is unreliable.

There is one wood-burning fireplace in the main family room. Every other fireplace is a gas stove and is simple to operate. Step-by-step instructions are in the guest book.

We provide the firewood. Use only the wood we set out. Make sure a fire is fully out before you go to bed or leave the lodge.

Yes, fully. It has utensils, knives, pots, pans, and dishes of every kind. It also has the appliances you are used to at home, so you can cook for the whole group. We keep coffee, tea, and basic seasonings on hand.

Bring your own food and drinks. The nearest large stores are 45 minutes away, so arrive stocked.

The main thermostat is in the archway under the stairs. Each upstairs bedroom has its own thermostat for its stove or window AC unit. Every bedroom with a mini-split has a remote thermostat in the room.

The nights are cold for most of the year, so you will use the heat far more than the AC. Turn it down to a reasonable setting when you go out for the day or check out.

Yes. There are fresh towels and linens for every bedroom and bathroom, with spares in the closet. We make up the beds before you arrive.

Yes. Two washers and two dryers, so a large group keeps up midweek. Detergent is in the cupboard next to the machines.

The trash is in the kitchen. Extra bags are in the laundry room. Keep all trash inside the lodge until you take it out.

When you take a bag out, put it straight into a bin. Do not leave bags on the deck or by the door, and never overnight. Elk, javelina, and other animals find them fast.

Put the weight or the bungee cord back on the bin lid after you close it. That is what keeps animals out of the bins, and it takes five seconds. The welcome card shows where the bins are and which day pickup comes.

There are TVs with streaming, a shelf of books, board games, and a record player. The best of it is outside. Pull a chair onto the deck, light a fire, and watch the stars come out.

It is exceptional. There is almost no light pollution here, and nearby Flagstaff is the world’s first International Dark Sky City. On a clear, moonless night you see the Milky Way with bare eyes.

Step away from the deck lights and let your eyes adjust for a few minutes. A stargazing app, downloaded in advance, makes it better.

Yes. For most of the year an outdoor fire is fine, and the firepit and the deck are made for it. During the day you can play music out there and be as loud as you like.

Check the restrictions before you light anything, because they change through the season: Coconino County fire restrictions. In the driest weeks outdoor fires are banned outright, and that is enforced. The indoor fireplaces are always fine.

It can be. The Wi-Fi is fast, and there are quiet corners to set up a laptop, including the Study.

The cell signal is unreliable, so plan video calls over Wi-Fi and download large files in advance.

You book the whole property. The lodge sleeps a large group across six bedrooms, and the sleeper sofas take the rest. If your group is near the top of that, email us before you book and we will work out who sleeps where.

Keep the group to the number on your booking. It helps us keep the lodge in good condition for the next family. If your plans grow, ask us.

No. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. This includes vape pens and marijuana. The forest is dry and the fire risk is serious. If you smoke, do it well off the property and dispose of everything safely.

This matters more here than almost anywhere. Check the current restrictions before any outdoor fire: Coconino County fire restrictions. Most of the year fires are allowed. In the driest weeks they are not.

There is a hose on a water supply next to the firepit by the pond. Use it. Soak the fire, stir the ashes, and soak it again before you go to bed or leave the property. A fire that looks out is often not out.

Never leave a fire unattended, indoors or outdoors. No fireworks, ever. The welcome card shows where the fire extinguishers are.

Quiet hours start at 10:00 pm, for both noise and outdoor lights. During the day, play music on the deck and be as loud as you like.

The neighbours are not close, but sound and light carry a long way in the forest at night.

Yes. Pets are welcome for a per-stay fee. Keep them off the carpet and off the beds.

We have had problems with this before, and we want to stay pet friendly. Please help us. There is more about dogs and the forest in the Pets section below.

Yes. Children are welcome. We keep pack-and-plays, step stools, and other useful items on hand for small children.

The forest is a good place for kids. Watch them outdoors, where there is uneven ground, wildlife, and the occasional fire.

Approved events are welcome. We host weddings, retreats, reunions, and hunting parties. Unapproved parties are not allowed.

If you want to host a reunion, a gathering, or anything beyond the people on your booking, contact us before you book. See the Groups and Events page.

Clints Well is the closest fuel stop, where AZ-87 meets Lake Mary Road. Its general store covers ice, a forgotten item, or a tank of gas.

For anything more, use Flagstaff to the north or Payson to the south. Both are about 45 minutes away and have grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware, and fuel. Fill up before the forest stretch. Stations are far apart here.

Flagstaff is about 45 minutes north on Lake Mary Road. It is a mountain town with a walkable historic downtown, breweries, and good restaurants.

It also has Lowell Observatory, where astronomers discovered Pluto, and Arizona Snowbowl for winter skiing. The San Francisco Peaks are close. This is the obvious choice for a day trip or a large supply run.

AZ-87 runs south to Payson, about 45 minutes away. Payson has full services and opens onto more Rim country.

Pine and Strawberry are two small towns on the way down. Both are worth a stop for a meal. Pine has a well-liked brewpub and a few cafes, and the area has trailheads and history.

Most groups cook at the lodge. The kitchen is built for it, and the nearest restaurants take some driving.

For a meal out close by, Mormon Lake Lodge to the north has a Western steakhouse and saloon. Its hours are seasonal, so call ahead. Clints Well has casual roadside options. For more choice, Pine, Strawberry, Flagstaff, and Payson are all about 45 minutes away.

Plan most meals around cooking in. Treat a restaurant night as part of a day trip into town.

Do a full grocery run in Flagstaff or Payson on the way up. Both have supermarkets, including Safeway, Walmart, and Bashas’, plus pharmacies and hardware stores.

The general store at Clints Well covers small forgotten items and ice once you are settled. The kitchen has all the cookware, coffee, tea, and basic seasonings, so bring food and drinks only.

The kitchen is set up to feed a crowd. It has the dishes, cookware, and counter space for it.

Plan your menus before the trip and shop in town on the way in. Meals that travel well work best: chili, a large pasta night, breakfast spreads, and anything you can finish over the wood fire. Bring a little extra. You do not want to drive back down the mountain for one ingredient.

The Mogollon Rim is the main attraction. The Rim Lakes Vista Trail and the overlooks along Rim Road, also called Forest Road 300, give you the long view off the edge.

The Mogollon Rim Visitor Center, off AZ-260, is a good first stop for maps and trail ideas. Its hours are seasonal. Closer in, old logging roads and trails run through the forest and make for easy walks.

Wear sturdy shoes and carry water. In summer, start early to avoid the afternoon storms.

Rim country has many lakes. Toward Flagstaff you have Upper and Lower Lake Mary and Ashurst Lake. Along the Rim you have Woods Canyon Lake, Willow Springs Lake, Knoll Lake, and Blue Ridge Reservoir, also called C.C. Cragin.

All are good for trout fishing, kayaking, and a picnic. Mormon Lake is the largest natural lake in Arizona, but it is often low or dry.

Buy an Arizona fishing license online before you cast a line. Bring your own kayaks or paddleboards, or ask us about ours.

Yes. This is some of the best forest-road country in the state. Hundreds of miles of dirt roads spread out from Happy Jack for ATVs, UTVs, and mountain bikes. Once you are on the forest roads, enjoy yourself.

Go slowly and quietly through the neighbourhood on the way out and back. People live here year round, and the dust and noise carry. Get a Motor Vehicle Use Map from the Forest Service or its app so you know which roads are open. Stay on designated routes and watch for other traffic and wildlife.

Winter makes the Rim a quiet snow playground. Bring sleds for the kids, build a snowman, or explore the forest roads on snowshoes or cross-country skis.

Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff has downhill skiing, about 1 hour away. Plan for winter driving. Check conditions, carry chains, and allow extra time. See Getting here.

Dawn and dusk are the best times to see elk and deer in the meadows. Drive slowly and keep your distance.

For scenery, Rim Road (FR 300) follows the edge of the Mogollon Rim, with one long view after another. The drive between Flagstaff and the lodge on Lake Mary Road is also worth the time. Sunset from a Rim overlook is hard to beat.

Yes. The days fill themselves. There is the forest to explore, a lake to swim in, elk to spot, and board games at the lodge. Add marshmallows when the fire rules allow, and snow in winter.

Picnics and short, flat trail walks suit younger children. Keep small children supervised outdoors and within earshot in the trees.

Dogs are welcome for the per-stay pet fee. Keep them off the carpet and off the beds.

The property is not fenced, and it opens straight onto working forest with real wildlife in it, including elk, javelina, coyotes, and the occasional bear. Open forest also looks the same in every direction to a dog. If yours does not recall reliably, do not let it off the leash here. That is your call to make, and it is the one thing we would think hard about.

Right outside the door. The forest roads and the open National Forest around the lodge are good for walks. There is also a dog pen on the property.

Bring waste bags and pack out what you collect. There is no dog park nearby. The forest is the dog park.

There is no vet in Happy Jack. The nearest clinics are in Flagstaff and Payson, each about 45 minutes away.

Both towns have emergency veterinary options after hours. Look them up and save the number before you drive into the forest, where the signal is thin.

Check out by 11:00 am. The full instructions are in the guidebook at the lodge.

Not much. The cleaning is our job, not yours. A few things help:

Start the dishwasher. Put used towels in the closet bin. Bag the trash, take it to the outside bins, and put the weight or the bungee cord back on the lid. Turn the thermostats down to a reasonable setting. Make sure every fire is fully out. Lock the doors.

The full check-out notes are in the guidebook at the lodge. You should be able to just leave. If you had a good time, come back, and tell a friend.