Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Blue, AZ has a lot to offer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Blue is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Blue. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
Rainbow is the largest campground in the Big Lake Recreation Area in eastern Arizona. Because of its proximity to the lake, size and the many amenities it offers, Rainbow is a favorite for families. Popular activities include hiking, horseback riding and fishing.
The campground is adjacent to 450-acre Big Lake, one of Arizona's top fishing lakes. The lake is known for its trout fishing, with rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Apache being the most sought-after species.
The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, birding and wildlife viewing. Curious campers can attend educational programs at the recreation area's visitor center.
The facility boasts 165 campsites organized into six loops. Four double sites are available for up to 16 people each, which is convenient for larger families, and two single unit accessible sites are also available.
A small store nearby sells gas, food, boat rentals and firewood. A campground host is available on-site for visitor assistance.
Rainbow Campground sits at an elevation of 9,000 feet in the White Mountains. It is a very scenic area, forested with ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, spruce and aspen trees, which provide ample shade.
Summer temperatures are pleasant and cool, a nice respite from the heat of the lower desert. Visitors should come prepared for cool nighttime temperatures and occasional summer thunderstorms.
Visitors can explore endless vistas and take part in many outdoor activities in the surrounding Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, which encompasses 2 million acres of magnificent mountain country in east-central Arizona and New Mexico. Springerville, Arizona is the closest town to the campground.
$18 - $80 / night
A small campground designed primarily for tent camping located on the west side of US Highway 180, between mileposts 23 and 24, north of Glenwood and Alma, New Mexico
Brookchar Campground is tucked on the banks of Big Lake in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. The campground is a small, tent-only facility comprised entirely of walk-in sites. Of the lake's five campgrounds, Brookchar is nearest to the water. The stocked lake draws anglers, and boat rentals and a boat ramp make it easy for campers to enjoy the lake's blue waters.
Big Lake is one of Arizona's top trout fishing lakes, with rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Apache trout being the most sought-after species. The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birding and wildlife viewing.
The campground sits in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest at an elevation of 9,100 feet. The area is scenic, forested with ponderosa pine, fir, spruce and aspen, interspersed with high elevation meadows. Summer temperatures are pleasant and cool, a nice respite from the heat of lower deserts. Visitors should come prepared for afternoon thunderstorms and cool nighttime temperatures.
Several other lakes can be found in the surrounding area. Visitors can also explore endless vistas and take part in many outdoor activities in the surrounding Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, which encompasses 2 million acres of magnificent mountain country in east-central Arizona and New Mexico.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.
$20 - $32 / night
Pueblo Park Campground is located in a large, cool stand of old growth ponderosa pines adjacent to the northern edge of the Blue Range Wilderness boundary with Dangerous Park Trail #515 on the northern end of the campground, and the WS Mountain Trail #43 immediately south of the campground entrance.
Legend
Rainbow campground at big lake is magical! This is the place to beat the heat and make summer memories. Tucked into the pines and aspens this campsite is a quick drive or hike down to the lake. You can’t go wrong with any of the sites, including the first come first serve loops.
GuideIt had been 28 years since we last camped at Rainbow. It is still a great place to escape the desert heat. It was 115 when we left the big city. Five hours later we found ourselves camped at 9100 feet, enjoying the cool temps in the mid 60's and the passing rain showers. Aspens, pines, and wildlife were all in abundance. Big Lake is a good fishing lake too.
The sites have plenty of space, shade, and privacy. Roads are paved and in good shape. The restrooms were constantly cleaned by the very friendly and capable staff from recreation resource management which operates the campground for the forest service.
Firewood and ice are available (stage 2 fire restrictions were in effect so no campfires), water was convenient as was gray water disposal. There is a centralized dump station, showers, and a small but educational visitor center. Trash dumpsters are centralized and easy to access.
If you don't fish there is still hiking to Mount Baldy, and short scenic drives to the very small towns of Greer and Alpine. We enjoyed exploring the miles of scenic forest roads, and wildlife viewing. We saw 4 Mexican gray wolves which was very special.
This is a very popular campground that accommodates all types of rigs. They do have first come first serve sites available, but it is recommended to make reservations at least 4 days in advance. Reservations can be made at recreation.gov. It's always best practice to print a copy of your reservation. There is no cell service in this area.
We look forward to camping again at Rainbow.
Legend
Cottonwood Campground: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: Not an appealing campground except as a stop over.
Security: no
Usage during visit: light
Site Privacy: no
Pad surface: Dirt
Reservations: No
Outside Road Noise: This cg is right off the highway. Some sites back up towards the highway.
Through Traffic in campground: No
Setting: Under tree canopy.
Solar: solar looks to be pretty good in most sites.
Insects: Did not seem to be a problem during our brief April visit.
Host: No
Sites: Near highway. Site 1 backs up towards the highway.
Legend
Bighorn, NM: great for stopover., As it is right off the highway (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 3 perfect for a stop over Security: no Usage during visit: light Site Privacy: no Site Spacing: OK Pad surface: dirt Outside Road Noise: some highway noise Through Traffic in campground: no Electric Hookup: no Sewer Hookup: no, Dump Station: no, Potable Water Available: no Generators: allowed Bathroom: pit toilet Showers: no Setting: parallel with creek, just off the highway. Solar: great Insects: none during our visit in April. Host: no Sites: along the creek bed, just off the highway.
Scout
Reserved site #13 on line for August 15th. On arriving this site has no flat areas and you must pass directly through site #12 to access. The entire campground was EMPTY except us. We decided to move to site #12 to get a flat area. I informed the host out of courtesy of our move to the empty adjoining site. He said NO! I had to pay him $20 to make the change. If I did it on-line, it would be zero fee. THERE IS NO CELL COVERAGE at this campground, so it is impossible to go online and make that useless change. Another caretaker drove by and said he didn't see a problem moving if it was his call. The dude at Brookchar would NOT budge...he wanted his $20 bucks ( I have a senior pass and at worst it would have been $8.00). Told him to stuff it and to contact his manager. He refused. The other caretaker guy drove away and and said he would discuss it with her. Bear in mind, the entire campground had zero reservations for that evening besides us. He returned later to inform me that the manger had "OK'ed" the change for no fee. It is zero fee to change a campsites....zero! Unbelievable,,,,Beware....
ScoutIt’s dry camping only meeting no water and put toilet. There are 12 sites with tables, fire pit, and barbecue reasonably level. Why a good location, because it’s between catwalk national recreational trail and the ghost town called Magpllon town
Legend
Ashley here from The Dyrt! We are so excited to welcome the owner of this unique cabin listing. Enjoy a soak in the hot tub, gaze at the starry night sky, and listen to the silence. Views of the Mogollon Mountain Range, and 300 yards from Whitewater Creek. Check them out and post your review!
GuideOnly three spaces, 1 up front closer to Hwy 180, 2 in the back. Clean pit toilet, fire rings and picnic tables, no fee. Dry wash along side that looks to carry water sometimes. We were the only ones there on a Friday in July. Fair amount of road traffic but mostly stopped after 10pm. Nothing special but a fine place to stay the night.
GuideCamped here in October 2016. My all-time favorite campgrounds. We tent camped and it was freezing cold, poured rain. We had huge sleeping bags and a little propane heater, and still really enjoyed it. Lots of area to hike and tons to see.
GuideNice place : water, sewer and electric Picnic table at my site but not at others . No public washrooms or showers. Didn’t see trash bins. Small place and close to town which is small also. Near Catwalk hike area in NM
Legend
You’re really roughing it here. The dirt washboard road getting in (45 mins) was enough for me to not love this place (I’m traveling with an infant and toddler). But, once you’re there it really is a beautiful place. The lake itself is awesome and the camping is primitive but awesome views. The little shop is closed, not covid related, looks as though it’s been boarded up and closed for a while. Make sure you get the correcting passes for camping and fishing permits since you’re on the reservation.
TravelerI have been coming up to the White Mountains since I was a kid. Rainbow campground has been our go-to spot for camping. There are 3 loops that are FCFS. The rest of the sites are reservations. The sites all have picnic tables and fire rings. There are full bathrooms throughout the area and pay showers when is not covid. Big lake is a short drive from the campground, where you can rent a boat, fish from shore and a small store with supplies. There is always wildlife around, especially skunks, so watch your pets. The sites are laid at where you don't feel like you are right on top of your neighbor. None of the sites in Rainbow have hook-ups, bit there is a dump station down the road. There is another campground for full hook-ups down the way.
GuideWe're frequent campers, and this is one of our favorite spots in AZ!
The tent-only campground is small, but the sites are large and have multiple great clearings for tents. Lots of shade and easy paths for walking around the grounds, plus there's potable water at several sites. Central bathrooms with running water are kept very clean, plus there's trash service and a (very friendly) camp host if you need anything.
Directly across a small road from Big Lake and the boat ramp. There are several places to go right down to the shore, and it's only a 5-6 minute walk along the road to the general store and boat rental area, where there's also a fish cleaning station. Brookchar is just down the road from the giant Rainbow Lake, so you'll hear some RVs and ATVs on the road, but very minimal.
We camped in site 12, which in our opinion is the best! Closest to the lake with water views, plus parking right outside your site for 2 vehicles (other sites, you park in a main lot). Bring your fishing gear and kayak/SUP (can also rent very reasonably)!
Over Memorial Day weekend, we saw highs close to 80 and lows in the high 30s/low 40s. Only sprinkled once!
It's also just an hour from Pinetop-Lakeside, so it's easy to make grocery stops or even grab a coffee (try Pinetop Coffee House + Roasters right on the highway!) on your way in/out.
TravelerSmall campground not where dirt says, but it's marked with a sign and right along the road. Free, clean pit toilet, didn't see water, picnic tables, good for all except the bigger rigs. Shaded, near road but little traffic.
Scout6 mile dirt road that was in good condition passable with a car and trailer. 11 large private sites, 2 single unisex vault toilets, we stayed for 4 days and the toilets were not cleaned and no paper. No water available. Not very busy, 3 out of 11 sites occupied. Nice hiking available but no information regarding hikes. No cell service from T Mobil or Verizon.
LegendThis tent walk in site has been our family favorite for decades. The sites have plenty of room for 2 tents. There is a clean bathroom in the campsite as well as water. This sites are across the small road from the lake. This is our favorite place to camp with other family members since the sites are close together. Easy walk to the lake.
TravelerQuiet, beautiful, and clean. We even had visits from deer, a very bold skunk, chipmunks, squirrels, and blue jays. The camp hosts were delightful, too!
RangerI spent 2 nights on my rode trip from El Paso to Provo. I reserved site 9 on Recreation.gov. The host expected me. The site was shaded encircled by pine trees and it was cool in late August. The squirrels are voracious and chewed through my stuff sack with sealed food that I left on the picnic table when I went for a bike ride around the lake.
NF Big Lake Rec Area is developed around Big Lake, which isn’t big. I asked the tackle shop clerk about swimming and he warned of hooks and lures. He said the water was fine except for a film of algae. I didn’t swim. The campground seemed used by anglers and off-roaders.
I found the first non-motorized trail off the gravel Forest Service road by the lake. It wasn’t walking distance from the campground. The forest had burned in 2011 according to warning signs, but by 2020 there was new growth and plenty of trees survived. The trail teamed with wildlife. There were squirrels and chipmunks everywhere. I spotted a group of elk cows and later mule deer bucks. I observed at least 5 species of birds. The forest was alive with activity. I didn’t see any people on the trail.
There were many dispersed camping spots throughout the forest and several campgrounds along black river.
I had a big juicy burger at the Alpine Grill and Still, whose bar area was open for dine in despite the coronavirus.
Despite the development, I recommend it.
GuideThe directions given on the site for how to find this campground were not very clear. We spent a lot of time double and triple checking where we were to make sure we were going the right way. We ended up giving up because it was getting dark only to find out later that we were very close to it. The drive to the campsite is incredibly beautiful, though. It is about 2 hours east of Show Low. I’m sure it would have been beautiful if it weren’t so hard to find and we had better directions.
Scout
Great place to hike, camp, rent a cabin or relax. Fishing in the area with cabins or camping depending on what you prefer. We have rented a cabin every August and the weather is wonderful. Some rain but very green and lovely outdoors.
TravelerThere is a loop around the East side with many different sites. There is a host there also.Tables and fire pit at most sites and some within walking distance to lake to fish. We went to fish and it was quite slow but going back end of May 2020 with an RV.
LegendWe camped here when we had a permit to fish at nearby Christmas Tree Lake. Christmas Tree Lake is a beautiful little lake nestled in the White Mountains of Arizona on Apache land. It boasts some amazing fishing for the native trout species- the Apache trout. The fish are stocked, so it may not be a true experience for some but most of the access to the native fish in their native habitat is restricted or non existent to protect these beautiful creatures. The lake offers paid access on a day to day basis. A total of 25 permits per day are offered to keep fishing pressure in check. But these permits are non refundable so don't reserve too early.
Permits and information can be found on the website but customer service can be difficult. Camping is available on a first come basis at Hawley Lake which also offers great fishing and beautiful scenery. Be aware that I did experience some free range cattle snooping through the camp at 2am which was a bit unexpected. Also, being in the mountains, it was pretty cold at night.
The area we camped in was open and the roads were well marked. Campsites were situated near fire rings with only the occasional picnic table. There were four pretty well maintained portable toilets near our camp as well. Be sure to review the rules and regulations on the website as some areas are off limits and to make sure you have all the proper permits for fishing and/or camping.(State and local licenses required for fishing)
TravelerHawley Lake is the perfect escape when you want to get out of the heat. Pristine views, cool weather during the summer and clean facilities almost make you feel like your not in Arizona anymore. Campsites are first come first serve and both times we went in August and there were plenty of spots to chose from. Be sure to get your fishing license and permits in town, it’s a long drive into town from the lake. Bring rope to protect your campsite from wild horses and wandering cows. Overall one of favorite places to camp!
Scoutspot 12 is the best for tent camping and closest to the water. bears frequent the area so you must lock up all food and trash in you car over night.
LegendCampground Review
I remember camping at Hawley Lake all the time as a kid and it was one of my favorite places to be. After this trip back as an adult I noticed things have changed quite a bit. Do not get me wrong… it’s a beautiful lake with plenty of camping in a pine tree forest. However, there were some areas for improvement.
For starters, the roads are not marked very well. For example, you do not know how to get to the general store until you are almost to the general store. Generally, this does not bother me because I just turn on Google Maps and find whatever I need but there is intermittent cell service at best (with Verizon). Once in a while I’d catch a bar of 4G but most of the time was on “analog” or had no service at all. Along these lines, the campsites are not designated at all. Basically, you can just park and setup wherever you want. I felt like we were a bit encroached upon because of this.
There are bathroom buildings but all the ones I saw were closed. They then would have a few port-a-pottys sitting out in front of the building. The port-a-pottys weren’t well kept and were rarely stocked with toilet paper. There was trash everywhere! We walked to the ramadas by the lake and the fire pits were full of plastics and other garbage. There were constantly beer bottles left next to the port-a-pottys and randomly around camp and the lake. There was a bunch of stray garbage (including a very sharp sheared off tent pole) left in our campsite before we arrived.
The icing on the cake was the attitude of the fellow campers. There were generators running almost all night, loud music, and like I said earlier there was some weird lack of boundaries between sites.
So now that I have told you what I didn’t like about Hawley Lake let me tell you what I did like. The lake is very large and very beautiful. Most of the shoreline is easily accessible for fishing or lounging lakeside. Words for the wise you can not swim in this lake. There is a little boathouse that offers boat rentals if you would like to venture out into the water.
The weather is a wonderful escape from the valley. There is rain almost every day (varying between light afternoon showers and heavy storms). The camping fees are paid by the car and are very affordable ($9/night/car). If you plan to purchase your camping permits at the lake be sure to bring cash. The General Store does offer some essential items and has a small café with hotdog/hamburger type foods. There are cabins available for rent lakeside as well.
Product Review
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. On this trip, I tested The ICEMULE Pro X-Large. The ICEMULE Pro X-Large was bigger than I had expected. It makes total sense once you think about it because it holds 24 cans and ice but it still surprised me. When I was filling the cooler or trying to get those last few precious cans out of the bottom I have to stick my entire arm in all the way in up to my armpit.
The cooler is made of a very thick and durable flexible plastic type material (kind of like an above ground pool siding). It has been super rugged and did not get scratched or torn up when we have used it on a pool deck, thrown it in the truck bed (with the scratchy spray in liner), or when being toted around camp and to the lake. The cooler has an adjustable bungee cord on the front. At first, I was not sure what we were going to use that for and the more we take out the cooler I find the possibilities are endless. We have been using it to carry our silicone cups, extra sunscreen, a spare hat, etc.
The cooler has a fold top design with a buckle. I do not have any other bags that close this way so it was a bit odd to get used to and is a bit harder to do when it was full. When properly closed the cooler will float. I was shocked to find that even full of cold beverages and ice the cooler floated when I pushed it into the lake. This is a great feature if you want to use it for boating, kayaking, or tubing.
We have been using the cooler quite a bit and in a few varied conditions. One of the examples I will share is that we used it for a poolside BBQ in Arizona. We filled it with 30 cans and bottles and about a bag of ice (which is far more stuff and less ice than suggested). Our beverages stayed perfectly chilled in 100+ degree weather even though we were in and out of it constantly and after 8 hours, there was still ice in the bottom.
We have also used it without ice. We put in 12 cold drinks to start with and even without ice they were cool 3-4 hours later.
The last example I will share is that we put 3 bags of ice and 6 cans in to it. After 48 hours there was about 75% of the ice still left in the cooler!
If you do use it to its full capacity, I suggest that you fill it on an elevated surface. With 24 cans and 3 bags of ice, you will be looking at around 40 lbs of weight and when I tried to pick ours up from the ground it threw me off balance a little. After that, I would fill it on a picnic table or counter top and it was so much easier to just turn around and pick it up from carrying height. The straps on the bag are very padded and very comfortable even when it is full. There is a chest strap but no hip strap. If I could offer a suggestion to ICEMULE for improvement, it would be to add a hip strap to help carry the weight.
GuideRainbow has lots of ecosystems, fun to hike and lots of boating fishing to enjoy too. The campground is very large and it’s quite wooded which is appreciated in AZ. Not much to say about the campground, it’s fairly basic but very pretty and there are hosts during most of the year to give you insider tips. The hosts told us that it’s an area known to have a lot of hummingbirds but unfortunately we didn’t see any (July visit). The trails aren’t too long but they are also pretty and lots of wildlife, and most of the people here were locals or RVs. This is kind of in the middle of nowhere but we were on our way and it was a very pleasant stopover.
TravelerSpent 4 days of solo camping at Brookchar. Located next to Big Lake, the campsite was in a great location. Firepit, picnic table and restroom facilities close by. The camp host Bob was very nice and had plenty of firewood for purchase. Elk, deer and plenty of skunks (who waddled thru the campsite but never raised their tails). Rained a couple of hours each night but it lulls you right to sleep. Definitely a return trip in the spring....
Camping near Blue, Arizona, offers a mix of stunning views, outdoor activities, and unique campgrounds. Whether you're looking to stargaze or enjoy a peaceful getaway, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful area.
Camping near Blue, Arizona, offers a unique experience with plenty of opportunities for adventure and relaxation. Whether you're in an RV or tent camping, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Blue, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Blue, AZ is Rainbow (az) with a 4.7-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Blue, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 glamping camping locations near Blue, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
