Freidlein Prairie

Freidlein Prairie provides the closest motorized access to the Kachina Peaks Wilderness and Kachina Trailhead and fourteen high-elevation designated campsites. Views of the peaks are limited by the beautiful alpine forest. Mexican Spotted Owls, a protected species, live in the area, and the campsites are closed for their breeding season. For those visiting the Snowbowl ski resort on the west side of the peaks for activities in the summer, access to 522 is located conveniently halfway up Snowbowl Road. The hiking trailhead parking lot at the end of Freidlein Prairie is within a few hundred yards of the Kachina Wilderness boundary and the demanding but enjoyable Kachina Trail.