Established Camping
Upper Hospital Flat Group Site
Upper Hospital Flat Group Site is located in the Coronado National Forest near Safford, AZ. The terrain consists of forested areas with flat open spaces suitable for group camping. Temperatures can range from 30°F in winter to 90°F in summer, and nearby attractions include Mount Graham and Roper Lake State Park.
Description
National Forest
Coronado National Forest
Overview
Upper Hospital Flat is a great place for groups to escape the summer heat of surrounding deserts and retreat to a scenic meadow in the Pinale__o Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The area is known for camping, scenic driving, picnicking, birding, wildlife viewing, hiking, mountain biking and history. In the 1880s, the campground served as the site for a field hospital for ailing soldiers from nearby Fort Grant, hence its name. The restorative powers of this cool, high-elevation location also attracted officers and their families seeking a summer refuge from desert heat. Today, Hospital Flat serves as popular getaway for outdoor enthusiasts and campers.
Recreation
The campground lies along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive, which takes visitors from the Sonoran Desert at 2,900 feet to alpine meadows and forest on the 9,000+ foot ridges of the Pinale__o Range. Because of its diverse habitat, the area is well-known for birding and wildlife watching. Nearby Hospital Flat Campground includes a 0.75-mile nature trail that gives interpretive information about the meadow and its plant and animal inhabitants. The Swift Trail also provides access to a number of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails, along with several other campgrounds that invite you for an afternoon picnic. A trip up to Riggs Lake, stocked with trout by Arizona Game & Fish, or to the Columbine Visitors Center could make a worth-while day trip as well.
Natural Features
The campground sits along Big Creek in a mixed conifer forest, adjacent to a meadow that comes to life with wildflower blooms in late summer. The 9,000-ft. elevation offers pleasant summer temperatures. The Coronado National Forest covers 1.78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Elevations range from 3,000 to 10,720 feet in 12 widely scattered mountain ranges, or "sky islands," that rise dramatically from the desert floor, supporting biologically diverse plant communities.
Nearby Attractions
The Mount Graham Wilderness Study Area, which includes the 10,720-foot Mount Graham, the tallest mountain in southern Arizona. Columbine Visitors Center, Riggs Lake, and a variety of trails can be accessed along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive. The town of Safford is approximately a 1 hour drive from the Hospital Flat campground, heading north on SR 191. Safford is home to our Ranger Station, where you can go to find information about trails, camping, hunting and fishing, and other questions you may have about our district (open Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm).
Charges & Cancellations
Please review the Rules & Reservations Policies page on recreation.gov
Fee Info
This site is now first come, first serve and is fee-free.
Location
Upper Hospital Flat Group Site is located in Arizona
Directions
From Safford, Arizona: Take State Route 191 south for 6 miles. Turn right onto State Route 366/Swift Trail and travel 23.3 miles to the Upper Hospital Group Site entrance on the right (MM 137.2). From Tucson, Arizona: Take I-10 east for 90 miles. Take exit 352 for State Route 191, and turn left toward Safford. Drive 26.3 miles north and turn left on State Route 366/Swift Trail. Continue for 23.3 miles to the Upper Hospital Group Site entrance on the right (MM 137.2).
Address
711 14th Ave., STE D
Safford, AZ 85546
Coordinates
32.6669444 N
109.8744444 W
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiAvailable
- VerizonFair
- AT&TAvailable
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
