4.5456 reviews
Price
$15 - $30/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
10 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$15 - $30/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
10 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Shannon Campground, Coronado National Forest, AZ
Tent campers who can arrive early on a weekday in June or early July will find real solitude here. The Arcadia Trail to Heliograph Peak starts right from camp, the long-tenured host keeps things running smoothly, and $15/night is hard to argue with.
No potable water is a real logistics challenge, so if hauling a filter and enough water for your whole stay isn't your style, this first-come-first-served, 10-site spot with compact layouts and vault toilets will frustrate you.
Reference information about Shannon Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p><img alt="Shannon Campground" src="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd767418.jpg" title="Shannon Campground" /></p><p>Shannon Campground is small and tucked away along the upper reaches of Marijilda Creek, a pleasant little brook that winds through a setting of tall trees and green grass. Campsites are shaded under mature Engelmann spruce and Douglas-fir. Two three-sided wood shelters of the type originally developed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York add to the historic atmosphere of this campground.</p><p><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coronado/recarea/?recid=25528">The Arcadia Trail</a>, which leads down the mountain to <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coronado/recarea/?recid=25576">Arcadia Campground</a>, has been designated a National Recreation Trail. A one-mile spur leads from this trail to the top of Heliograph Peak, a vantage point with a history as well as a view. This 10,022-foot vantage point once served as a location for signal mirrors used to communicate messages during the Apache Wars of the late 1880s. Today you’ll find a Forest Service lookout tower on the mountaintop as well as some of the most panoramic views in southeastern Arizona.</p><p><strong>Note: </strong>Black bear area. Store and dispose of all food in bear-proof containers and trash bins, or keep it locked in your vehicle with windows all the way up. </p>
The elevation is 9,100 ft. The campground, located in the Pinaleno Mountains among Engelmann spruce and massive Douglas firs, stretches along Marijilda Creek. Some camp sites overlook the creek while others meander up the mountainside. Rumex, a relative of rhubarb and unique to the Pinaleno, Chiricahua, and Huachuca mountains, can be found along the creek. A few camp sites have Adirondeck-type log shelters. This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques. Bear-proof food containers are located at some site.
Open April 15 through October 31 - weather dependent
The parking aprons are dirt. A free RV waste station (no potable water) is available at Safford Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1395 W. Reclamation Way, Safford, AZ. Coronado National Forest 166
In Safford, AZ, at intersection of US Hwys 191 and 70, take Rt. 191 south for 7.9 miles to Mt. Graham signs. At sign turn right onto Rt. 366 and go 21.7 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign and go 0.1 miles to campground. NOTE: Although paved and well maintained, Rt. 366 is steep and curvy with switchbacks. The last 7.3 miles are dirt, rocky, rough, and mostly wide single lane with some switchbacks. An official state sign, near the beginning of Rt. 366, recommends vehicle TOTAL length not exceed 40 feet; the authors concur.
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Summer offers the best conditions. While the valleys bake, daytime highs here hover around 65-75°F with nighttime lows in the mid-30s to mid-40s. The forest greens up after monsoon pulses in July and August, though afternoon thunderstorms are common then. Early summer (June) and weekdays see lighter crowds than July-August weekends when valley residents escape triple-digit heat. The season runs mid-April through October.
Best season: cool highs ~65–75°F, popular in summer per reviews; green after monsoons.
Potable water is not available at this site.
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