NEIGHBORHOOD
Northridge and Westridge
Northwest Flagstaff off Thorpe Road, inside city limits. MLS data as of October 2026
Home›Flagstaff Neighborhoods›Northridge and Westridge
Northridge and Westridge are a small, wooded pocket of five-acre homesites on Flagstaff's northwest side, inside the city limits and about two miles from downtown, with Observatory Mesa open space at the edge.
Highlights
Northridge and Westridge, at a glance
City or county
Inside Flagstaff city limits; City Rural Residential (RR) zoning on the large lots
Typical lot size
5 acres on most streets; about 2 acres on Venus Drive
Water and sewer
Mostly hauled water to cisterns and septic; shared wells in Arrowhead Estates
HOA
No mandatory master HOA; a voluntary Westridge association for trash and roads
Wildfire setting
Ponderosa pine next to Observatory Mesa open space
Build-out
Mostly built out; custom homes from the 1970s to the 2010s
Snow and plowing
Dirt and gravel roads; a mix of City and private maintenance
Homes sold, last 12 months
1 (single-family)
Short-term rentals: city license
City of Flagstaff (inside city limits, rural residential acreage)
Because these lots are inside the city, the City of Flagstaff's annual short-term rental license applies, along with an Arizona TPT license and written notice to neighbors. City updates that took effect in July 2026 added a $500,000 liability coverage requirement and guest registry checks. The lots sit in several small subdivisions, so we read any recorded restrictions for the exact parcel before you write.
Getting around
Thorpe Road and Kinlani Road to downtown
Most homes are reached from Thorpe Road by way of Kinlani Road and Curling Smoke Road, and the Venus Drive homes from Fort Valley Road by way of Crescent Drive. Thorpe Park is about a mile away and downtown is about two miles. Distances are road estimates.
Northridge and Westridge sit on the forested slope northwest of downtown Flagstaff, west of Fort Valley Road and north of Thorpe Park. Most homes are on five-acre lots in tall ponderosa pine along dirt lanes like Curling Smoke Road, Hogan Drive, Pack Trail Drive and Westview Trail. Arrowhead Estates and a short stretch of Venus Drive off Crescent Drive share the same MLS area, and City open space on Observatory Mesa borders the neighborhood, with trails close by.
We think of Northridge and Westridge as acreage in the pines without leaving town, and we enjoy helping buyers work through the water and road questions that come with it.
Sales here are rare, so we use a 36-month window. From October 2023 through October 2026 (MLS data as of October 2026), two homes closed, both single-family: a five-acre home in Arrowhead Estates sold for $1,550,000 in January 2025, and a newer home on 1.96 acres on Venus Drive sold for $1,199,999 in June 2026. That is a median of $1,375,000. The two homes were about 3,400 and 2,400 square feet, and they spent 75 and 46 cumulative days on market. No homes were listed for sale as of October 2026. With this few sales, we would also look at acreage sales in nearby neighborhoods when pricing a home here.
Water is the main thing to understand. Most listings on the five-acre lots show a cistern filled by hauled water, Arrowhead Estates uses shared wells, and septic is the norm, while the Venus Drive homes are on public sewer but still haul water. The City's RR zoning requires five-acre lots where public water and public streets are not available, which is why the lots stay large. Roads are dirt and gravel, with City, private, and association maintenance depending on the street, and the lots are in pine near open space. We check the water setup, any shared well or road agreement, the septic system, who plows the road, and defensible space before you write.
Questions buyers ask us most about Northridge and Westridge
What do homes in Northridge and Westridge cost?
Sales are rare. From October 2023 through October 2026 the MLS shows two closed homes, at $1,199,999 (1.96 acres, June 2026) and $1,550,000 (5 acres, January 2025), a median of $1,375,000. No homes were listed for sale as of October 2026.
Do homes in Northridge and Westridge have city water and sewer?
Is Northridge and Westridge in the city, and can I run a short-term rental?
Is there an HOA in Northridge and Westridge?
Terrain & Access
The neighborhood, mapped
Northridge and Westridge sit on the wooded slope northwest of downtown, west of Fort Valley Road and north of Thorpe Park. Zoom out to see the route in from Thorpe Road and the Observatory Mesa open space to the west; switch to satellite to see how heavily treed the five-acre lots are.
In the Area
What's changing around Northridge and Westridge
Forest thinning on Observatory Mesa
Thinning of small and medium ponderosa pine on about 530 acres of Lowell Observatory's Observatory Mesa land began in July 2026 to reduce wildfire fuels, with larger trees kept. The work is funded through Coconino County and managed by the Greater Flagstaff Forests Partnership, and it was expected to take about six months.
lowell.eduCity updates its short-term rental code
The Flagstaff City Council adopted Ordinance 2026-11 in May 2026, effective July 2026. It adds a $500,000 liability coverage requirement, guest registry screening before each stay, and equipment standards such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers.
flagstaff city councilA trail plan for Observatory Mesa
In June 2025 the City Council adopted the Greater Observatory Mesa Natural Area Plan, which proposes about 20 miles of new natural-surface trail, more formal access points, and restoration of unauthorized trails and old roads. Work depends on funding, and the City's open space commission listed Observatory Mesa projects as a priority in December 2025.
flagstaff city councilNeighborhood
Areas within Northridge and Westridge
Westridge
Five-acre lots along Hogan Drive, Pack Trail Drive and Curling Smoke Road, with homes from the 1970s through the 2010s. Listings show hauled water and septic, and some include barns or detached shops. A voluntary association handles trash dumpster access and road upkeep.
Northridge
Northridge Estates lots on the north end of Westview Trail, Vista Drive and Sacred Mountain Road, also about five acres. Listings here describe City open space and the Flagstaff Urban Trail System right behind the lots.
Arrowhead Estates
Five-acre lots on Westview Trail and Blackhawk Lane served by shared wells and septic. The higher of the two sales in the last three years, $1,550,000 in January 2025, was here.
Venus Drive
A few roughly two-acre lots reached from Crescent Drive off Fort Valley Road, on public sewer with hauled water and no HOA listed. The drive in crosses the Flagstaff Urban Trail System.
Recent Sales in Northridge and Westridge
Listing Provided By Coldwell Banker Northland
Listing Provided By Congress Realty
Currently Available in Northridge and Westridge
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What makes this neighborhood unique
Northridge and Westridge offer something rare in Flagstaff: five acres of ponderosa pine inside the city limits, about two miles from downtown, with Observatory Mesa trails close by. What you trade for that is city convenience. Water is hauled or comes from a shared well, septic is the norm, and the roads are dirt. Only two homes sold here in the last three years, so pricing takes care. Before you write, we would confirm the water source and its cost, any shared well or road agreement, the septic system, who plows your road, and the short-term rental rules for the parcel.
Compare
Compare with similar neighborhoods
Neighborhood
Rockridge
Rockridge is the next pocket east, off Beal Road and Conifer Road, with lots of about a quarter acre to just over an acre. Choose Rockridge for a smaller lot closer to Fort Valley Road; Northridge and Westridge for five acres in the pines.
Neighborhood
Cheshire
Cheshire is the in-town neighborhood along Fort Valley Road around Cheshire Park, with City water and sewer. Choose Cheshire for a park, city utilities and a lower price point; Northridge and Westridge for acreage and privacy.
Neighborhood
Coconino Estates
Coconino Estates is mostly 1950s and 1960s homes on about a fifth of an acre with public water and sewer. Choose Coconino Estates for a classic in-town street; Northridge and Westridge for land and forest.
Neighborhood
Fort Valley and Baderville
Fort Valley and Baderville are acreage northwest along US 180 in unincorporated Coconino County. Choose Fort Valley for more land and county rules; Northridge and Westridge for acreage about two miles from downtown.
Ready to look closer at Northridge and Westridge?
A private consultation: acreage comps for a neighborhood that rarely trades, the water, well and septic setup for the lot, and who maintains and plows the road.
Request a Neighborhood Briefing