The only drawback to this popular weekend campground near the Mogollon rim, is its proximity to the highway. The drone of logging trucks and other vehicles is mostly a nuisance in the early hours and in the evening when you'd rather just listen to the sound of crickets and nocturnal birds. Of course, the further into the camping area you go the lesser the impact from the road. 

Otherwise, this campground is a lovely example of Arizona mountain country, with tall Ponderosa Pines and hearty shrubs covering the forested landscape. This campground provides a shaded refuge from the sun with opportunities to hike, bike, or drive, to some inspiring viewsheds.   We run on solar, so found one of the only spots with enough sun to keep us charged up.

While it was super busy on the weekend, the mid-week peace of this place was priceless. Just down the road near Upper Tonto Creek, there are many popular, multi-use trails for hiking, horseback and mountain bike riding. The creek is stocked with trout for fly fishing enthusiasts. The fresh water is very palatable (which is rare for AZ) and the pit-toilets are efficiently kept clean by the annual resident camp hosts who work hard keeping this large campground tidy. They will also sell you some firewood or chat you up about the area or just about anything else.   

The town of Payson is less than 20 minutes away and has all the services and restaurants you could want. I highly recommend going to Alfonso’s Mexican take out– absolutely worth it.  We went for dinner, then couldn't resist a breakfast burrito the morning we left.