Forest Highlands Canyon
Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish's original course at Forest Highlands, completed in 1988 high in the ponderosa pines above Flagstaff. A par 71 of about 7,001 yards played at around 7,000 feet, where the cool mountain air and the towering trees feel a world away from the desert courses two hours south.
Photo: Forest Highlands Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Most golfers think of Arizona as desert and cactus, but Forest Highlands tells a different story. Set at around 7,000 feet in the ponderosa pine, oak and aspen above Flagstaff, the Canyon course was the club's first, completed in 1988 to a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish routing, the partnership behind some of the finest mountain golf in the West. It is a private club, cool and quiet in the high country, and a favorite summer escape for golfers who want pine framed fairways instead of saguaro.
It is a par 71 of about 7,001 yards, and the altitude is part of the experience, the thinner air adding noticeable carry so the course plays shorter than the card suggests. Weiskopf and Morrish used the natural canyon land, the elevation and the trees to shape a layout that is strategic, scenic and genuinely fun, and it remains one of the most admired courses in Arizona. For the traveling golfer it is the high country counterpoint to the valley desert courses, best enjoyed in the warm months when Phoenix is at its hottest.
Forest Highlands Canyon at a glance
- Opened
- 1988
- Designer
- Weiskopf and Morrish
- Type
- Mountain parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 7,001 yds
- Green fee
- Members
Designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. The Canyon is a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish par 71 of about 7,001 yards, completed in 1988 at around 7,000 feet near Flagstaff. Forest Highlands is a private members club with no published public green fee; access is generally limited to members and their accompanied guests, so always confirm any visit and arrangements directly well in advance.
The holes worth the trip
The Canyon plays through corridors of tall ponderosa pine, so the tee shot is about position and trajectory rather than raw power, with the trees framing every fairway and punishing the wild drive. The altitude is the great equalizer, the thin air adding carry so even mid handicappers find a little extra length, which makes the course as enjoyable as it is testing.
Weiskopf and Morrish used the rolling canyon land to vary the holes, with elevated tees offering long downhill views and approaches played to greens set naturally into the terrain. The par 3s are a highlight, several of them dropping through the pines to well guarded greens where club selection in the mountain air takes some judgment. The short game is rewarded throughout, the greens true and quick on the high country bentgrass.
Conditioning is to the high private club standard the membership expects, the fairways immaculate and the whole property cared for as a mountain retreat. The Canyon is a course built for the pure pleasure of the game in a spectacular setting, scenic, strategic and a complete change of pace from the desert golf to the south. It is the kind of place that quietly earns a spot near the top of Arizona ranking lists.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; play generally limited to members and their accompanied guests |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest arrangements are made through a member (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Arrange any visit through a member or your trip planner well in advance |
| On the day | Walking is enjoyable on the rolling mountain terrain; carts available. Smart golf dress expected |
| Getting there | South of Flagstaff in northern Arizona, about 2 hours and 15 minutes north of Phoenix Sky Harbor airport |
| Best months | May to October; the high country club typically closes for the snowy winter |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Forest Highlands is private and seasonal, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Flagstaff is the natural base for a high country golf trip, a historic mountain town with hotels, restaurants and easy access to the San Francisco Peaks, the Grand Canyon and the wider Colorado Plateau. Staying in or near Flagstaff keeps the cooler air, the scenery and the golf conveniently together in the warm months when the desert is too hot to play.
For golfers combining the high country with the valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale are around two and a quarter hours south, which makes it possible to pair desert and mountain golf in a single trip. We can shape an itinerary around the best courses you can book and advise on Forest Highlands where a connection allows.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and lodges in Flagstaff and northern Arizona.
Build an Arizona golf trip
We build Arizona golf trips that pair the high country with the valley desert courses, book the lodging and sort tee times and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Forest Highlands Canyon questions
Who designed the Forest Highlands Canyon course and when did it open?
The Canyon course at Forest Highlands was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish and completed in 1988, the original course at the Flagstaff club set among the ponderosa pines.
What is the par and length of the Canyon course?
Canyon is a par 71 measuring about 7,001 yards from the championship tees, played at around 7,000 feet of elevation where the thinner mountain air adds carry to the ball.
Can visitors play Forest Highlands Canyon?
Forest Highlands is a private members club. Access is generally limited to members and their accompanied guests, so there is no public green fee. Arrange any visit through a member or your trip planner well in advance.
When is the best time to play Forest Highlands?
Forest Highlands plays in the cooler months of the year, roughly May to October, when the high country is open and the valley courses around Phoenix are at their hottest. The club typically closes for the snowy winter.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; access and seasonal details verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.