Land for Sale in Navajo County, AZ
Navajo County covers 9,960 square miles of northeastern Arizona with 106,717 residents (2020 census), from the Mogollon Rim forests around Show Low, Heber-Overgaard and Pinetop-Lakeside to the high desert near Holbrook and Winslow. Much of the county is reservation land, so private land is limited. Wildfire is the biggest buyer issue in the forests, and this guide covers it.
Navajo County at a glance
- County seat: Holbrook. Cities: Show Low, Winslow and Holbrook; towns include Snowflake, Taylor and Pinetop-Lakeside; Heber-Overgaard is a census-designated place.
- 2020 population 106,717; about 9,960 square miles.
- About 6,633 square miles of the county is federally designated reservation land, including the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Reservation and Fort Apache.
- Part of Petrified Forest National Park and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are in the county.
- Highways: Interstate 40 and State Routes 77 and 260.
The Navajo County land market
Because about two-thirds of the county is reservation land, private land is concentrated along the Mogollon Rim and the I-40 and SR 77 and 260 corridors. Buyers look for pine-forest lots and acreage in Show Low, Heber-Overgaard, Pinetop-Lakeside and Snowflake, ranch and desert land near Holbrook and Winslow, and homesites with views.
Wildfire history and insurance
The Rodeo-Chediski Fire started in June 2002, burned about 468,000 acres, hit the Heber-Overgaard area directly, destroyed hundreds of structures and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents. The Wallow Fire of 2011 later surpassed it as the largest in Arizona history. Burn scars remain on parts of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, and ponderosa pine forests carry fuel built up by decades of fire suppression. A county-wide risk score says little about one lot, so get a parcel-level wildfire report, check for defensible space and ember-resistant features, and get insurance quotes before you make an offer, since homes at the edge of the forest can face high premiums or non-renewal.
Lot splits, access and water
Arizona's subdivision definition covers land divided for sale into six or more lots or parcels, and it excludes divisions where every parcel is 36 acres or more (A.R.S. 32-2101), but counties and towns set their own land-split rules, so ask the Navajo County planning office before you rely on a split. Confirm recorded legal access, zoning and water: many rural lots rely on private wells, hauled water or small water companies. Winters in the pines bring snow, so confirm plowed access. Check reservation boundaries, since tribal land cannot be bought and built on like private land.
Before you buy land in Navajo County
- Parcel-level wildfire risk, defensible space and homeowner insurance quotes.
- Whether the land is private, state trust, national forest or reservation land.
- Recorded legal access, zoning and whether the parcel is a lot split or part of a recorded subdivision.
- Well, water company or hauled water, septic and power.
- Winter road maintenance.
How to verify legal access to landLand due diligence checklist
Frequently asked questions
Is wildfire a risk in Heber-Overgaard and Show Low?
Yes. The 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Fire burned about 468,000 acres and hit Heber-Overgaard directly, and the 2011 Wallow Fire was larger. Get a parcel-level risk report and insurance quotes before you buy.
How much of Navajo County is reservation land?
About 6,633 square miles of its 9,960 square miles is federally designated reservation land, including the Navajo Nation, Hopi Reservation and Fort Apache.
What is the county seat of Navajo County?
Holbrook.