4.1573 reviewsPrice
Free
Booking
First-Come
Sites
7 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
Free
Booking
First-Come
Sites
7 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Learn more about alerts →Childs Dispersed Camping Area
FR 502, near Verde River, 30 miles southeast of Camp Verde, AZ
Fall campers chasing river swims, soaks at Verde Hot Springs, and 70-degree days will get the best of this place. Seven first-come sites fill up, so arriving mid-week improves your odds. Bring all your water and food, Camp Verde is a full hour out.
Ignore GPS here. Reviewers specifically warn against FR 57 and FR 16 through Pine Mountain Forest. If your vehicle can't handle rough, wet-season mud or you're counting on a campfire, this setup will frustrate you before you even unpack.
Reference information about Childs Dispersed Camping Area sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>In 1908 the Arizona Power Company began construction of the Childs Power Plant. For more than 90 years, the water of Fossil Creek had been diverted by a system of pipes and flumes from its natural course to power the turbines of the Childs and Irving hydroelectric plants. During this time, Fossil Creek had been reduced to a mere trickle, compared with the normal one million gallons per hour flow once witnessed by early inhabitants of the region.</p><p>In 2004, APS, the current owner of the plants, agreed to decommission them and restore the creek to its natural flow. (From "<a href="http://www.pinestrawhs.org/childsirving.htm" target="_new">Pine-Strawberry Archeological and Historical Society</a>")</p><p>The area is now a very popular dispersed camping area. It sits below the remnants of the old power plant buildings on the edge of the Verde River. A short hike upstream and some wading will get you to the ruins of the Verde Hot Springs, a once famous resort.</p><p align="right"><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTQxNjAwjQL8h2VAQA9Dlhuw!!/?ss=110304&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=3379&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=null&position=null&ttype=photogallery&pname=Coconino%20National%20Forest-%20Recreation" target="_new"><strong>Photos & Multimedia</strong></a></p>
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Fall is the sweet spot. Daytime temps hit the 70s and 80s, nights drop to the 40s and 50s. The river's still warm enough for swimming, trails are less crowded than summer, and you avoid monsoon flash-flood risk. Summer pushes above 100°F, brutal for hiking but fine if you're planning to spend hours in the water. Winter nights can dip below freezing. Spring and fall rains turn the road into a muddy mess but green up the riparian corridor.
Fall described as the 'sweet spot': comfortable temps, warm river and fewer crowds.
Childs Dispersed Camping Area offers basic dispersed camping with no on-site amenities. The area is known for its natural surroundings and proximity to the Verde River and Verde Hot Springs.
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