8738 Ranger Road, Happy Jack, AZ, 86024

Rock Crossing Campground sits at 7,316 feet in Coconino National Forest, where ponderosa pines provide relief from Arizona's lower-elevation heat. The 33-site campground is a base for exploring the nearby Mogollon Rim and accessing C.C. Cragin Reservoir. Nightly fees range from $20 to $40. No cell service.

1009 East Highway 260

Christopher Creek Campground sits at 5,640 feet along a spring-fed creek in Tonto National Forest, about 30 miles east of Payson. The 43 sites spread across two loops accommodate tents and RVs up to 22 feet, with fees ranging from $24 to $80 per night. The campground earns a 4.7/5 rating from 372 reviews, though visitors note privacy varies significantly between sites.

10 Organ Pipe Dr.

Twin Peaks Campground sits in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument at 1,726 feet elevation, offering 208 sites spread across tent-only, RV, and group areas. Sites cost $20–$50 per night and come with picnic tables, flush toilets, showers, and a dump station. Natural desert vegetation creates privacy between sites, which can handle RVs up to 45 feet on concrete pull-throughs.

Picacho Peak

Picacho Peak State Park Campground sits at 1,873 feet in the Sonoran Desert, 40 miles south of Casa Grande off I-10. The 78 sites include paved pads with electric hookups, ramadas, picnic tables, and fire rings. Campers pay $25-$50 per night for reservation-only access (gates close at 8 p.m.). Modern facilities include hot showers in individual rooms, flush toilets, a dump station, and vendor WiFi for a fee.

1009 East Highway 260, Payson, AZ 85541, USA

Sharp Creek Campground sits at 6,000 feet in Tonto National Forest near Payson, offering 28 sites across three loops. Nineteen sites take reservations, nine operate first-come first-served. Sites run $29-$150 per night and include picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. The campground accommodates tents and RVs up to 37 feet, with group sites holding up to 75 people. It closes seasonally on November 3.

COCONINO

Pinegrove Campground sits at 6,939 feet in Coconino National Forest, offering 46 sites beneath ponderosa pines near Flagstaff. Sites run $34 per night and include hot showers, flush toilets, and potable water. The campground operates two loops: one reservable, one first-come first-served.

PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST, BRADSHAW RANGER DISTRCIT, 344 S. CORTEZ ST., Prescott, AZ, 86303-4398, USA

Eagle Ridge Group Campground offers two reservable group sites in Prescott National Forest, each accommodating 15-75 people. Perched at 5,700 feet in the Bradshaw Mountains, the campground sits a quarter-mile from 55-acre Lynx Lake. Fees run $50-125 per night depending on group size and site selection.

APACHE-SITGREAVES

Spillway Campground sits on the shore of Woods Canyon Lake at 7,500 feet in the Mogollon Rim country. The 26-site campground fills quickly on summer weekends for good reason: direct lake access, ponderosa shade, and friendly hosts. Fees run $36–$190 per night depending on site type. Sites are close together, so expect to hear your neighbors.

MILE POST 287 - HIGHWAY 260, FOREST LAKES, AZ, USA

Canyon Point Campground sits at 7,500 feet on the Mogollon Rim in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, offering 113 campsites among ponderosa pines and aspens. Sites accommodate everything from tents to 75-foot motorhomes, with electric hookups, hot showers, and both flush and vault toilets. Fees run $38–$260 per night depending on site type. Reviewers consistently praise the cleanliness and spacing, though some call it overpriced for a Forest Service campground.

Spencer Canyon Campground, Catalina Highway, Coronado National Forest, Tucson, AZ

Spencer Canyon Campground sits at 8,000 feet in the Coronado National Forest, about an hour south of Tucson. The campground has 66 sites spread across four sections (Ponderosa, East Fork, Spencer, and Turkey Track), all first-come, first-served. Fees range from $15.50 to $49 per night. Mature ponderosa pines shade the sites, and the elevation keeps temperatures 20-30 degrees cooler than the desert floor.

APACHE-SITGREAVES

Woods Canyon Lake Group sits at 7,000 feet on the Mogollon Rim, hosting up to 100 campers in a single reservation area. The site costs $275 per night and sits near the lake itself, with potable water and vault toilets. You'll find trout fishing, hiking trails, and boating access steps from camp.

5700 N. Sabino Canyon Rd., Tucson, AZ 85750

Gordon Hirabayashi Campground sits at 4,700 feet in the Santa Catalina Mountains, 11 sites tucked along a seasonal creek north of Tucson. Named for the civil rights leader who challenged wartime internment orders, this former Federal Honor Camp now serves hikers, climbers, and equestrians exploring the rugged desert mountains. Sites cost $20-40 per night and accommodate tents and RVs, though leveling is often needed on the gravel pads.

8738 Ranger Rd, Happy Jack, AZ, 86024

Moqui Group Campground offers three large sites in a ponderosa pine, oak, and aspen forest at 6,915 feet near the Mogollon Rim. Each site accommodates up to 50 people and costs $85 per night. Simmons and Spooner accept up to three RVs or trailers (22 feet max), while Ernst works best for tent camping. With a 4.9 rating from 51 reviews, campers consistently praise the cleanliness, friendly hosts, and quiet setting.

BONITO CAMPGROUND, FR 545, FLAGSTAFF, AZ 86001

Bonito Campground sits 18 miles northeast of Flagstaff at 6,900 feet, where 44 sites sprawl among Ponderosa pines atop the Bonito Lava Flow. Half the sites take reservations, half work first-come-first-served. Sites run $34/night and include flush toilets, potable water, fire rings, and picnic tables. Open May through October. No showers, no hookups, and cell service is nearly nonexistent.

15257 Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001

Lakeview Campground sits on a terraced hillside in Coconino National Forest, 6,932 feet above sea level and a short distance from Lake Mary. The campground has 30 sites for tents and small RVs, managed by friendly hosts who keep facilities clean. Sites cost $30 per night and book up fast on summer weekends.

5075 N. HWY 89, FLAGSTAFF, AZ 86004, USA

Kendrick Cabin sits at 7,910 feet in the pines 22 miles north of Flagstaff, a former Forest Service fire guard station from the 1960s now accommodating up to 10 guests. The three-bedroom cabin runs $75-125 per night and offers views of Kendrick Mountain, the San Francisco Peaks, and surrounding grasslands. Cell coverage is limited to non-existent.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest

Fr 169 Campground sits in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest at 7,756 feet, offering free dispersed camping among forested terrain. The area receives consistent praise for its quiet, shaded setting about two hours from East Valley, though campers should expect occasional road noise from FR 169 and bring plenty of water since there are no amenities.

Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area Campground, Show Low, AZ, USA

Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area sits at 6,302 feet in the ponderosa pines near Show Low, Arizona. The campground has tent and RV sites with concrete pads and patios, plus full access to a 150-acre lake. Fees run $3-$9 per night. With 4.7 stars from 126 reviews, it's popular enough that advance booking matters.

1009 E. Highway 260, Payson, AZ 85541

Upper Canyon Creek Campground sits at 6,600 feet in Tonto National Forest near Payson, where Ponderosa pine, white fir, and Douglas fir grow together in a mature forest. The campground has 10 dispersed sites suited for tents, small RVs, and vehicles with trailers under 16 feet. Canyon Creek runs through the area, stocked with rainbow trout.

, , , WILLIAMS AZ 86046

Kaibab Lake Sites and Group Areas sits at 6,800 feet in Kaibab National Forest, about 20 minutes from Williams and an hour from the Grand Canyon's South Rim. The campground has 63 sites spread across multiple loops, with large, paved pads that fit RVs up to 40 feet. Fees run $32-$225 per night depending on site type. Expect vault toilets, no showers, and no hookups.