4.52184 reviews
Price
$20 - $40/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
11 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$20 - $40/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
11 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Learn more about alerts →Gordon Hirabayashi Campground
5700 N. Sabino Canyon Rd., Tucson, AZ 85750
Hikers and equestrians who pack in all their own water and don't mind first-come-first-served. The Molino Basin and Bug Springs trails leave straight from camp, and on a clear morning Mount Lemmon turns gold from your tent. Arrive early on weekends; 11 sites fill fast.
No potable water on site or anywhere in the recreation area is a genuine logistical problem, not a minor inconvenience. RVs over 22 feet won't fit. Reviewers also flag theft of gear and report encounters that left some campers feeling unwelcome, so if you're traveling outside the
Reference information about Gordon Hirabayashi Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p><img alt="Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site" src="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd767423.jpg" title="Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site" /></p><p>This site is also known as Prison Camp.The site was a Federal Honor Camp beginning in 1937 to house federal prisoners supplying labor to build a road for access into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Prisoners had been convicted of federal crimes ranging from immigration law violations to tax evasion to bank robbery.</p><p>During World War II, many of the prisoners of this camp were conscientious objectors whose religions prohibited them from serving in the military. Some were Japanese Americans protesting the Japanese American Relocation, the largest forced removal and incarceration in U.S. History that started after the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941. Over 100,000 Japanese Americans, many American Citizens, were imprisoned in internment camps for fear they would conduct espionage and sabotage along the west coast.</p><p>Gordon Hirabayashi was a senior at the University of Washington in 1942. He challenged the constitutionality of internment based on race or ancestry. He turned himself in to the FBI rather than report for relocation. He was convicted and sentenced to serve at the Federal Honor Camp in the Santa Catalina Mountains.</p><p>In 1987, Hirabayashi’s case was overturned. A federal commission determined that the internment had been motivated by racial prejudice and wartime hysteria. In 1988, the Civil Liberties Act was signed by President Ronald Reagan, which acknowledged the injustice and apologized for the internment.</p><p>In 1999, the Coronado National Forest renamed the site in honor of Dr. Hirabayashi and the other resisters of conscience who were imprisoned there. Dr. Hirabayashi and others attended the dedication ceremony.</p>
The elevation is 4,700 ft. The campground is a single spur stretching up a seasonal stream, that could flood in heavy rains, and ends in a large loop. Inside the loop are a number of small pole corrals for horses. This means equestrian campers can camp in the nearby campsites while their horses are kept close by in the corrals. Several campsites are in clusters of two giving a community or family camping feel. Although campsites can accommodate both tent and recreational vehicles, placement might require some creative leveling. Lantern poles and bear-proof food storage containers are provided. Previously called "Prison Camp," in 1937 it became known as Federal Honor Camp. It housed federal prisoners and supplied laborers to build a road providing access into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Occupants of the Camp were essentially both conscientious objectors and Japanese Americans protesting the "Japanese American Relocation." One of those protestors was Gordon Hirabayashi, at the time a senior at the University of Washington, In 1987, Hirabayashi's case was overturned. Then, in 1999, the Coronado National Forest renamed the site in honor of Dr. Hirabayashi and the other resisters of conscience whose imprisonment was based on "racial prejudice and wartime hysteria." The campground is convenient for many things to see and do in and around Tuscon. Notable among these are the Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon, Colossal Cave, and a drive along Catalina Scenic Byway up to Mt. Lemmon, all explained below. 1. The Saguaro National Park is divided into two districts - Saguaro East and Saguaro West. Saguaro East is the closest to the campground and is the district the authors visited. It is located at the foot of the Rincoon Mountains and is comprised of an aging Saguaro forest. There is an interesting 8-mile loop drive and 128 miles of trails. 2. Sabino Canyon is referred to as a "desert oasis" in the Coronado National Forest. Part of it can be viewed from a privately owned open-air shuttle bus. The ride is 45 minutes and departs from the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center. Call (520) 749-2861 for information and tour schedules. 3. Explore the Colossal Cave, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The cave was discovered in 1879 and is dry or dormant. In other words, due to lack of water, the formations are not growing. Call (520) 647- 3299 for additional information. Coronado National Forest 149 4. Experience an amazing drive up the Catalina Scenic Byway (a.k.a. Sky Island Scenic Byway/General Hitchcock Hwy.) to Mt. Lemmon. The trip ". . . can be compared to a trip from Mexico to Canada, with vegetation ranging from Saguaro cactus in the lowland deserts to pine, fir, and spruce at the highest elevations." The drive has many gorgeous views of the Santa Catalina Mountains and rises some 5,000 feet above Tucson.
Open November 1 through April 30
The parking aprons are gravel. Leveling might be a challenge on some campsite parking aprons.
In Tucson, AZ, at the intersection of I-10 and Houghton Rd (Exit 275), take Houghton Rd north 15.1 miles to Catalina Hwy. Turn right onto Catalina Hwy. and go 10 miles to campground sign. Turn left after the campground sign into campground. NOTE: Catlina Hwy. is also known as General Hitchcock Rd. and later Sky Island Scenic Hwy.
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Winter and spring bring the easiest conditions. Days in the 50s to 80s, nights in the 30s and 50s. Summer pushes past 90 degrees, but elevation provides some relief from the valley heat. Monsoon season brings dramatic afternoon storms and flash flood risk. The cooler months are popular for hiking and climbing. Summer requires careful timing and weather awareness.
Open Nov–Apr; winter days 50s–80s and popular season; some snow possible at 4,700 ft.
Potable water is not available at this site. There is no potable water at this location or within the Recreation Area.
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