A high-country ranch fly-in north of Prescott with a backcountry feel, from a pilot who flies the field.
Big Springs Ranch Airpark, near Prescott (Updated Q4 2026)
By Clayton Wolfe, Partner at The Agency · Published November 2, 2026 · Last updated November 2, 2026
I'm Clayton Wolfe, a commercially rated pilot and Partner at The Agency in Scottsdale. Big Springs Ranch is a high-country ranch fly-in community about 22 nautical miles north of Prescott, with a backcountry character.
The field has a long but unpaved runway at high elevation. This is a backcountry-style airpark: more rugged than the metro fields, suited to a pilot comfortable with a dirt strip and density altitude. For the statewide picture, see Arizona's most expensive airpark homes.
Field | Value |
|---|---|
FAA identifier | AZ27 (private use) |
Runway | 06/24, about 4,200 ft, 75 ft wide, dirt |
Field elevation | about 4,421 ft MSL |
Pattern | left-hand; VFR, private use |
Location | about 22 nautical miles north of Prescott |
Source: FAA registry and airport facility data via public sources; confirm current figures in the FAA Chart Supplement before operating. As of November 2, 2026.
Density altitude and surface. At about 4,421 feet, Big Springs is a high field, so summer density altitude cuts performance. The runway is long at about 4,200 feet, but it is dirt, so braking, soft-field technique, and surface condition after rain all matter. This is a field for a pilot comfortable operating off an unpaved high-elevation strip.
Taxiway, hangar, and HOA rules. Big Springs is a ranch-style through-the-fence community with hangar homes. Operations are VFR and private. Request the current community and airpark documents before offering; on a backcountry-style field the based-aircraft mix and the surface maintenance arrangements matter as much as the written rules.
Fuel, lots, and hangars. Assume no on-field fuel unless confirmed; plan to carry your own margin to and from Prescott. Lots are large ranch parcels that pair a home with a hangar and plenty of land; size the hangar to a backcountry-capable aircraft.
Big Springs is for the backcountry soul who wants land, altitude, and a dirt strip to call their own. I would base a high-wing, backcountry-capable airplane here in a heartbeat, though I would not want to operate anything less off dirt at 4,400 feet in July.
If you fly tailwheel or a capable high-wing and love wide-open high country, this is a dream. I speak to this as a commercially rated pilot who can walk the field with you, not as an aviation-service provider; I sell real estate and do not operate flights, charters, or aircraft sales. Fly in, land on the surface, and feel it before you commit.
Short answers to the questions I hear most. Each one is covered in more depth above.
Runway 06/24, about 4,200 feet by 75 feet, dirt, VFR and private use, left-hand pattern, at about 4,421 feet field elevation. Confirm current figures in the FAA Chart Supplement before operating.
No. It is a dirt runway, so braking, soft-field technique, and surface condition after rain all matter. It suits a pilot comfortable off an unpaved strip.
About 22 nautical miles north of Prescott, in high-country ranch land.
Assume no on-field fuel unless confirmed, and plan to carry your own margin to and from Prescott.
No. It is a private, through-the-fence residential airpark with no public access. The runway serves residents and their based aircraft.
Clayton Wolfe, Partner at The Agency, Scottsdale. Luxury real estate specialist for Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and Arcadia, with a niche in airpark and hangar-home properties. $100M+ in closed sales. RealTrends Verified #59 in Arizona by sales volume. Member of REALM. Founding member of the American Real Estate Association. Commercially rated pilot, 2,000+ hours.
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