Northern Arizona University Campus Recreation

Mission

Northern Arizona University (NAU) Campus Recreation is a vibrant, diverse and inclusive department that empowers individuals to embrace a lifestyle of physical, emotional and social wellness.

Description of Facility(s)

Indoor Facility

Located in the Health and Learning Center, our Recreation Center is the heart of student activity. The Rec provides many opportunities for students to stay active from our scheduled programs to informal recreation. Our weight room was renovated in June of 2023 with brand-new Matrix equipment.

Through student feedback, we made changes to give students more of the equipment they wanted and maximize the space we have. In addition to the main weight room, we have pockets of workout areas for students to participate in their individual workouts all outfitted with new equipment as of June. Along with spaces for workouts, we have two wood basketball/volleyball courts and a MAC Gym where we can hold three volleyball games, two basketball games or one indoor soccer game. Our facility holds three multipurpose fitness studios, one of the only indoor tracks in the city of Flagstaff, an outdoor courtyard for functional movement, and a wellness suite for our mindfulness-based programming.

Outdoor Fields

The South Campus Recreation Fields Complex was opened in Fall 2009 and features two fully lit artificial turf fields to accommodate soccer, lacrosse, rugby, flag football, softball and open recreation. The complex also features two sand volleyball courts and an 18-hole disc golf course adjacent to the fields. NAU also has the Observatory Field Complex, which was opened in Spring 2014. These fields feature a natural grass and artificial turf field to accommodate soccer, ultimate frisbee, quidditch and open recreation.

Programming

Group Fitness/Personal Training

The group fitness program provides a variety of fitness classes at no extra cost for the NAU community including yoga, cycling, Zumba, Pilates, kickboxing and more. Our certified instructors guide participants through safe and enjoyable workouts, and all equipment is provided. We recently converted one of our racquetball courts into a space dedicated to personal training. Now participants can work out one-on-one while being in a private, judgment-free space.

Intramural Sports

Intramural sports are a great way for students to stay active and competitive while also building friendships. We offer four seasons in the academic year. Each semester has one indoor and one outdoor season. Some of the sports we offer are basketball, dodgeball, flag football, wallyball, cornhole and more. We also offer One Day tournaments such as a three-point contest or a ping pong tournament.

Sports Clubs

NAU currently has 27 sports clubs, and new clubs are created every semester. Many of the clubs here at NAU date back to the early 70s, founded by professors and students. The majority of clubs play home games here on campus, allowing for the NAU students to attend and see their peers at play. Some of our clubs include men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse, rugby, ultimate frisbee, racquetball, tennis, ice hockey, volleyball, rodeo, logging sports, and more

Outdoor Adventures

Outdoor Adventures runs trips almost every weekend. Because of our proximity to nature, we’re able to show students places such as the Grand Canyon and other amazing locations. NAU has a 38-foot tall climbing wall with options for both top rope and bouldering. Campus Recreation has both an outdoor and indoor challenge course to facilitate team building all year long. Outdoor Adventures also rents gear like backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, paddleboards and more. Students can explore the area on their own terms without needing to purchase their own gear.

Fun Facts

NAU is the highest elevation four-year college in the country.
Our disk golf course was recently renovated and was featured in the Professional Disc Golf Association World Tournament in July 2023.
NAU is the closest university to the Grand Canyon, a natural wonder of the world. Outdoor Adventures runs approximately 15 trips at the Grand Canyon per year.
NAU has an observatory on campus where students can admire the solar system.
In Flagstaff, recreation goes far beyond our student population. Athletes travel from all over the world to train in our facilities at a high elevation.