HOUSTON MESA CAMPGROUND
Houston Mesa Campground is located in the forested northern section of Tonto National Forest, just one mile north of Payson, Arizona and less than two hours from Phoenix.
With family, equestrian and tent-only campsites, this campground can accommodate a range of visitors and offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, including several miles of hiking and horseback riding trails nearby.
As the fifth largest forest in the United States, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited urban forests in the United States approximately 5.8 million visitors annually. Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.Many visitors come to Houston Mesa to horseback ride, hike, camp and picnic. Houston Mesa Loop Trail is a 9-mile round trip through a pinyon and juniper woodland and can be accessed from the horse camping area. The Houston Mesa Interpretive Trail is a 0.5-mile self-guided trail.
Houston Mesa has 74 campsites, including 29 equestrian sites for campers with horses or mules, and 17 tent-only sites for those who want a quieter experience. There are several amenities to make campers feel at home, including showers coin-operated and flush toilets. All of the sites are accessible. The horse camping section Mule Deer Loop is across the street from the main campground and features 29 individual sites with tables and grills. Corrals are also available. Campers who reserve these sites must have horses or mules.
The campground is located at an elevation of 5,200 ft. in a mixed forest and shrub area, with spacious campsites offering both sun and shade. Winters are pleasant and cool with cold nighttime temperatures, while summers are warm and sunny, providing a nice getaway from the hotter deserts around Phoenix. Hawks, eagles, javelina, deer, fox, skunk and coyote live in the area.Campers who make the quick trip to the town of Payson, one mile south, will find restaurants, shopping and other conveniences.
Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest, which embraces almost 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim.
Burnt Corral Campground
Burnt Corral Campground and Recreation Area elevation 1914' is about 5.8 miles south of Roosevelt Dam along the Apache Trail AZ Hwy 88 along the shoreline of Apache Lake. It is nestled amongst the saguaros, mesquites, and palo verdes, and offers opportunities to boat, swim, fish, relax, hike, and sightsee.
Burnt Corral Campground includes 76 camp
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Cholla Campground
Cholla Campground at Roosevelt Lake, is one of several campgrounds on the shores of the largest lake/reservoir located entirely in the State of Arizona. It is situated within a lush sonoran desert landscape at an elevation of 2168'. Cholla Campground is also the largest solar powered campground in the United States. Each of its 206 campsites have shade
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Christopher Creek Campground
With an elevation over a mile-high5640 ft, Christopher Creek Campground's crisp, fresh air and vibrant views are a joy to behold. The facility is tucked along the banks of the spring-fed Christopher Creek, which passes just below the Mogollon Rim.
The Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as muggy-own, is a 200-mile long cliff in northern Arizona that
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Frazier Horse Camp
The Frazier Horse Campground is nestled into a Sonoran desert landscape at Roosevelt Lake, one of Arizona's most outstanding water-based recreation areas. The lake is the largest of four reservoirs within a 2-hour drive of Phoenix and Tucson. The facility has the first lakeside horse camp built in the Southwestern Region of the Forest Service. From the
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Grapevine Group Site - Goose Loop
Groups are drawn to Grapevine Campground's unique setting and expansive facilities. The site's location near Roosevelt Lake's shoreline and nestled in the Saguaro cactus-studded Sonoran Desert and facilities such as a boat ramp and event area provide a perfect setting for fishing tournaments, family reunions, and even weddings year-round.
In addition to
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Lower Tonto Creek Campground
The Lower Tonto Creek Campground is tucked away right next to the main highway just south of where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. Families may enjoy fishing at both Tonto and Horton Creeks or pass time hiking through nearby Horton Creek Trail or Derrick Trail. The Lower Tonto Creek Campground has a large open-space parking lot and paved walkway makes it
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Ponderosa Campground
Named for the towering pines under which it sits, Ponderosa Campground is tucked in the rolling forests of northern Arizona.
As the fifth-largest forest in the country, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited urban forests in the United States, boasting about 5.8 million visitors annually. Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the
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Schoolhouse Campground
Schoolhouse Campground is located in close proximity to the eastern shores of Roosevelt Lake with an elevation of 2,100 feet. Roosevelt is Arizona's largest lake offering a number of great water based recreation opportunities such as fishing, motorized and non-motorized boating, and lakeside hiking.
Two National Scenic Byways AZ Hwy 88 Apache Trail and
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Sharp Creek Camp Grounds
Sharp Creek is a small campground located in an area of central Arizona known for its pleasant temperatures, spectacular scenery and outdoor recreation. There are tent-only, family and group sites to accommodate a wide range of visitors.
Sharp Creek is a small campground with 28 campsites conveniently spread out into 3 loops. Campsites are spacious,
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Timber Camp Recreation Site
Timber Camp Recreation Area has one of the most popular family and group campgrounds in the Tonto National Forest offering both day-use sites and over-night areas.
Brundrett 2 is a group camping area available for advanced reservations for overnight and day use. The stay limit is 14 days, and trailers must be less than 45 feet. Brundrett 2 accommodates
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Tortilla Campround
Tortilla Campground is a winter campground just outside of the Phoenix metropolitan area. From October through April each year, urban dwellers take advantage of cooler temperatures and enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, rock climbing and scenic driving throughout the surrounding Tonto National Forest. Campers awake to a scenic backdrop of rugged bluffs,
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Upper Tonto Creek Campground
The Upper Tonto Creek Campground is tucked away from the main highway where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.
This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are
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Windy Hill Campground
Located on central Arizona's largest lake, Windy Hill offers great water recreation opportunities to the public. Because of its close proximity to the Lake, Windy Hill allows fishing, non-motorized and motorized boating, along with hiking trails. There are plenty of developed campsites available at Windy Hill, which allows for an easy, quick escape during
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