Of all the abandoned places in Arizona (and there are quite a few), the Red Butte Airfield is definitely among the eeriest. Not only is this long-forgotten airport tucked away in the dense Kaibab National Forest, but it’s also slowly being reclaimed by nature after being left to decay in the elements for years. Take a look…

At first glance, this plot of land nestled deep within the Coconino National Forest appears to house nothing but vegetation for miles in all directions…

YouTube/Canyon Raven

…but when you take a closer look, you’ll discover a long-abandoned building that nature has been reclaiming for decades.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

The Red Butte Airfield was the Grand Canyon’s first official airport, opened in 1927 by retired Army pilot J. Parker Van Zandt and engineer B. Russell Shaw.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

Originally named “Scenic Airlines, Inc.,” the airfield was only in operation for a few years before the owners were forced to sell due to the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

The new owners settled on the name “Grand Canyon Airlines” - today, you can faintly make out both names on the building’s exterior.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

A handful of noteworthy guests used the airfield over the years, including Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

In 1967, a new airport for Grand Canyon National Park was opened, and Red Butte Airfield was quickly forgotten about.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

Many of the buildings on the property burned down during a fire in 1994. Afterward, a local ranch began using the remaining structures, however, all operations were ceased in 2003.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

For two decades, the airfield has sat abandoned, left to decay in the elements - although it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

Paint continues to chip off of roofs and walls, trees and shrubs are sprouting up all over the property, and nature is slowly restoring balance to the area.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

Although much of the airfield is in a stark state of disrepair, there are a few exceptions. This work table, for example, looks as though it could’ve been in use yesterday!

YouTube/Canyon Raven

As with all abandoned places in Arizona (and anywhere else), please check with local authorities to make sure urban exploration is allowed if you choose to visit.

YouTube/Canyon Raven

Check out this YouTube video by Canyon Raven for a virtual tour of the property:

Have you ever driven past Red Butte Airfield? If so, did it look as eerie in person as it does in photos? Tell us your thoughts in the comments! Don’t forget to check out our previous article to learn about a section of the Grand Canyon that only receives 10% of the park’s total visitors.

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Address: Coconino County, AZ, USA