Cool Arizona cabins for your summer vacation: Flagstaff, Sedona and more

There is no Arizona summer getaway like a cabin in the woods. It’s just right for the season. You’re not sleeping on the ground in a tent and you’re not cooped up in a cookie-cutter motel room. Cabins are the sweet spot of comfort and back-to-nature peacefulness.

You can find cabins that are rustic, ones that are luxurious and plenty in between. They offer a soothing escape in Arizona’s high country far from the desert heat. But don’t wait too long to book your trip, because plenty of other folks will have the same idea about skipping the scorching triple-digit afternoons.

Here are a dozen great options to help you find the perfect Arizona cabin in the woods.

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Flagstaff: Arizona Mountain Inn and Cabins

Nestled in the ponderosa pines, you’ll find the widest variety of cabins in the Flagstaff area. Surrounded by Coconino National Forest, Arizona Mountain Inn offers a high mountain escape in the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks.

Cabins of all styles and sizes, from a cozy one-bedroom to a large cabin that can sleep 16 people, are hidden away on 13 secluded acres. Each cabin has a wood-burning stove or fireplace and a fully furnished kitchen or kitchenette. Dogs are welcome in most of the accommodations. Cabins start at $227.

Details: 4200 Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff. 928-774-8959, www.arizonamountaininn.com.

Christopher Creek: Cabins at Creekside

Mogollon Rim country and cabins just seem to go together. There’s something about putting the desert in your rearview mirror as you climb toward a cool green forest that makes you yearn for a relaxing little cottage.

Cabins at Creekside offer a welcoming getaway in this quiet oasis with flat-screen televisions and Keurig coffeemakers. There are a couple of smaller cozy units but most include an upstairs loft and can sleep six. Cabins sit just a short walk from the stream yet are close to the restaurant and bar with a sprawling patio.

Enjoy the best of both worlds here — a woodsy retreat with plenty of comforts and good food. Rates start at $149 for weekdays, $169 for weekends.

Details: 1520 E. Christopher Creek Loop, east of Payson. 928-478-4557, www.cabinsatcreekside.com.

Flagstaff: Kendrick Cabin

This retired fire guard station was built in the 1960s to house firefighters. It has been adopted into the U.S. Forest Service Rooms with a View program. The rustic three-bedroom masonry and wood cabin nestles in the Kendrick Park area north of Flag with excellent views of the San Francisco Peaks.

It can accommodate groups of 10 people, or more with prior approval. The cabin has running water during summer and an outside bathhouse with a flush toilet and shower, propane stove top, small refrigerator and solar lighting but no electrical outlets. $125 per night.

Details: Reserve at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

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Pinetop-Lakeside: Northwoods Cabins

These family-owned cabins back up against a big swath of national forest. Fourteen cabins come in a variety of sizes and styles, including a two-story chalet that sleeps 16. There’s a play area for the kids and dogs are welcome.

Each cabin features a covered porch because no one travels to the White Mountains to hunker inside. Walk out the door and onto a hiking trail, just a short jaunt to the White Mountain Nature Center and Woodland Lake. Cabins start at $129.

Details: 165 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop-Lakeside. 928-367-2966, www.northwoodsaz.com.

Flagstaff: Log Cabin Home Vacation

Built in 1978 by a couple who raised their family here, this classic log cabin has four bedrooms, three baths, a full kitchen and satellite TV.

It sleeps 10 and is full of homey touches, including alligator juniper countertops and natural wood branch door handles. Greet the pine-scented morning with a cup of coffee from the big covered porch. $550 per night, with a three-night minimum.

The Cabin on the Hill Log Guest suite is perfect for smaller groups, sleeping four. It rents for $255 per night, with a two-night minimum.

Details: 2100 S. River Valley Road, Flagstaff. 928-699-8288, www.logcabinhomevacation.com.

Greer: Lazy Trout Cabins

Sitting at an elevation of 8,500 feet with the Little Colorado River meandering through the heart of town, Greer is the ultimate summer escape for heat-weary desert dwellers. The little hamlet is surrounded by national forest land veined with hiking trails.

The dog-friendly Lazy Trout Cabins come in different sizes and have full kitchens, satellite television and Wi-Fi. From the property, it’s an easy walk to all that Greer has to offer. Smaller cabins start at $139.

Details: 98 Main St., Greer. 928-735-7888, www.lazytrout.com.

Sedona: Briar Patch Inn

If you think of a bed and breakfast as someplace quaint, bristling with knickknacks and doilies, the Briar Patch Inn obliterates that perception with 19 luxury cabins spread across nine acres of shady woods in Oak Creek Canyon. The same family has operated Briar Patch for 39 years.

Cabins vary in size, but each brims with rustic charm and a celebration of Southwestern style. Most have fireplaces and all have private patios but no television, phone or internet. A healthful breakfast is included and during summer months is served on a beautiful terrace overlooking the creek. A classical duet performs on weekend mornings through the summer. No pets. Rates start at $369.

Details: 3190 N. State Route 89A, Sedona. 928-282-2342, www.briarpatchinn.com.

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Pinetop-Lakeside: Whispering Pines Resort

The cabins at Whispering Pines are spread across 13 acres of pine and oak timber abutting the national forest. It creates a nice backwoods feel, yet shopping and restaurants are surprisingly close. Choose from studio cabins, one-, two- or three-bedroom units and even an elegant Victorian.

This is an older property with a lot of charm. Cabins are well maintained, fully furnished, carpeted and stocked with firewood. There’s a small playground for the kids and hiking trails. With over three dozen cabins, you can easily find one that fits your budget and family needs. Starting at $115.

Details: 237 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop-Lakeside. 928-367-4386, www.whisperingpinesaz.com.

Flagstaff area: Mormon Lake Lodge

Built in 1924, Mormon Lake Lodge has provided summer escapes to generations of families.

The 300-acre resort south of Flagstaff includes 23 cabins and a campground with 74 campsites. The cabins come in a variety of sizes and styles. Guests also have access to miles of trails, horseback riding, a country store, a mini-museum, a Western saloon that often features live music on summer weekends, and a steakhouse and pizzeria.

Mormon Lake may be Arizona’s largest natural lake, but it has a tendency to dry out during times of drought. Winter snowmelt helped refill it this year, but it’s generally more of a picturesque marsh loved by wildlife and birds than a fishing destination. Starting at $159.

Details: 1991 Mormon Lake Road, south of Flagstaff. 928-354-2227, www.mormonlakelodge.com.

Clay Springs: Deer Springs Inn

When you’re looking for some real seclusion, head into the timber between Heber and Show Low. Deer Springs Inn is tucked a few miles down Forest Road 139 with no neighbors around.

The three rustic cabins are popular with hunters during the season, and with folks eager for a quiet getaway in the summer. Propane powers the appliances and a generator keeps the lights on, but there’s no spare electricity for televisions, computers or gaming consoles. Come for the serenity and a chance to play amid the vast pine forest.

Cabins range from a cozy one-bedroom to one that sleeps 10, each with a fully stocked kitchen. Dogs and horses are welcome at this family-owned property. Rates start at $75.

Details: 928-528-7350, www.deerspringsinn.com.

Greer: Greer Lodge Resort & Cabins

This makes a sweet getaway for anglers, with all cabins on or near the water. Guests just have to choose whether they want a cabin on the small trout ponds or on the Little Colorado River. They offer 20 well-appointed log cabins. The largest can sleep 12. Several are dog friendly.

Built in 1948, Greer Lodge borders a national forest and includes a play area, basketball and volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits. Watch for deer and elk grazing the meadows. Cabins start at $199 for weeknights.

Details: 80 Main St., 928-735-2304, www.greerlodgeaz.com.

Alpine: Meadows Edge Cabins

Sitting just outside the high mountain town of Alpine in eastern Arizona, Meadows Edge Cabins deliver what the name promises. Herds of elk can often be found grazing in the big pastures right out the front door.

Three cozy cabins have been recently remodeled and feature full kitchens with everything you need. Each also includes a charcoal grill. The televisions are to play DVDs only. There is no Wi-Fi. You’re in the White Mountains, just minutes from Luna Lake and plenty of other lakes, rivers, streams, and hiking trails. This is time much better spent outdoors anyway.

Cabins cost $135 for per night for two people. Cash or check only. A minimum two-night stay is required.

Details: 25327 U.S. 191, Alpine. 928-245-5558, www.meadowsedgecabins.com.

Meet Roger Naylor, get summer travel tips

Roger Naylor will be in metro Phoenix on July 25 to talk about his latest book, "Awesome Arizona: 200 Amazing Facts About the Grand Canyon State." There will be a slide presentation with travel tips, and Naylor will answer questions and sign copies of his book ($16.95). And there will be coffee and pastries.

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 25. Georgia T. Lord Library, 1900 N. Civic Square, Goodyear. Free. https://mcldaz.org/en-US/georgia-t-lord.

Find the reporter at www.rogernaylor.com. Or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RogerNaylorinAZor Twitter @AZRogerNaylor.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cool Arizona cabins for your summer vacation