Black Mesa National Forest was established as the Black Mesa Forest Reserve by the United States General Land Office in Arizona on February 22, 1897 with . After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 the forest was divided among Sitgreaves, Tonto, Apache and Coconino National Forests and the name was discontinued.