Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Forest Lakes, AZ

Sitgreaves National Forest Canyon Point Campground welcomes pets in both tent and RV sites with spacious, shaded campsites under tall ponderosa pines. Dogs are permitted throughout the campground's 113 sites spread across two loops, with both back-in and pull-through sites available. The campground maintains clean facilities including restrooms, showers, and a dump station, making extended stays with pets comfortable. Some sites offer electric hookups for RVs, while others are more suitable for tent camping with pets. Canyon Point features hiking trails directly from the campground, including the Sinkhole Trail approximately ¾ mile each way with great tree coverage, perfect for morning walks with dogs. Several reviewers note that the campground hosts sometimes carry dog treats for four-legged visitors, though they appreciate campers following leash rules.

Dispersed camping options near Rim Road and Forest Road 171 allow pets with more flexibility and privacy in natural settings. These free camping areas permit dogs with no additional fees, though they lack facilities like restrooms or water hookups. Bear Canyon Lake and Camping Area provides another pet-friendly dispersed option with toilets and trash service while still allowing fires and pets. The proximity to several wonderful lakes allows for pet-friendly water activities where dogs can cool off during warmer months. Campers should be prepared to pack enough water for themselves and their pets when choosing dispersed sites, as drinking water is not available at most locations. The roads throughout the area can be bumpy but generally passable for most vehicles, though some areas become soft in early spring and require caution with heavier RVs.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Forest Lakes, Arizona (138)

    1. Aspen Campground

    26 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-9859

    $35 / night

    "It’s just a short walk to Woods Canyon lake. It’s fully stocked over the summer month with trout. They have kayak rentals available also and electric trolling motors are allowed on the lake."

    "Beautiful location, Large sites. Camp hosts very friendly. The only downside is it very busy on the weekends. People swarm the place to get away from the heat in Phoenix."

    2. Sitgreaves National Forest Canyon Point Campground

    16 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-9859

    $38 - $260 / night

    "Campground Review Canyon Point is located in a beautiful Pine and Aspen wooded area just above the Mogollon Rim. The area has plenty of hiking trails, streams, and lakes."

    "The sites are similar to other campground around the area. The sites are kind of close together but that’s to be expected."

    3. Christopher Creek

    21 Reviews
    Kohls Ranch, AZ
    13 miles
    Website

    $24 - $80 / night

    "I have been coming here since i was a kid, my parents made sure we come here every year in the summer to enjoy cooler Arizona weather."

    "This is a good campsite just a short drive from Phoenix.  Campsites are on the smaller side and close to each other so would recommend mid-week camping over weekend."

    4. Bear Canyon Lake and Camping Area

    20 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-7300

    "I’ve camped here twice and not only it’s great spot for the kids to roam around, it’s also nice having the lake close by."

    "Most of the campsites closer to the lake entrance were designed to have multiple tents. There was loud music and gunshots (even though there is no target shooting allowed) well past midnight."

    5. Black Canyon Rim Campground (apache-sitgreaves National Forest, Az)

    11 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-9859

    $20 / night

    "Only one water source and bathroom near the entrance so plan on a long walk or drive to use facilities if you are on the far end of the campground."

    "Unlike some of the more popular lakes in the area, Black Canyon Lake offers more serenity. Don't expect a great fishing experience, however, as the lake is rarely stocked any more."

    6. Sinkhole Campground

    9 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-9859

    $25 / night

    "My dog and I love it up here during an Arizona summer. Nice and cool with the Willow Springs lake nearby. Clean good camping."

    "We visited here for a night get away from Scottsdale. It's amazing! We sadly only camped one night."

    7. Mogollon Campground

    11 Reviews
    Kohls Ranch, AZ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-9859

    $18 / night

    "For the distance it is away from Phoenix you can beat it ! 2hrs drive time!"

    "Just a 1/2 mile on dirt road so that’s nice but the walk in spots for this campsite are SMALL and VERY tight/close together. Not only that but all spots are parallel."

    8. Rim Road

    6 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    3 miles

    "We came up from Phoenix to get away from city life for 48 hours and this place is beautiful. We just got here and I have at least some reception because I’m doing the review from the site."

    "There are places to get away from the main roads and places near the roads for those with toys. The further from the toys and noisy people, the better for us."

    9. Spillway (AZ)

    6 Reviews
    Forest Lakes, AZ
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 535-9859

    $36 - $190 / night

    "Site #15 was very open and easy to back into and right by the lake. Good shade. Our spot has a large table, metal fire ring and charcoal grill. The campsite has 26 spots."

    "Very nice campsites with a short walk to woods canyon lake. Access to restrooms but not too close to neighboring campsites."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Forest Lakes, AZ

745 Reviews of 138 Forest Lakes Campgrounds


  • Kim and Spence S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 2, 2019

    Fr 171 Campground

    Nice area and easy to access

    We are fairly new to camping in Arizona. We decided to go camping last minute this past weekend, so we had no reservations. We found this area randomly, and we were very pleased. It was easy to access, and dispersed campgrounds lined the road. Tons of space between sites. There were plenty of other campers near us, but it still felt fairly private. The fire pits were well maintained. Our site had a beautiful set up of stones surrounding the pit. The campsite was very clean. The area was pretty, but not spectacular. There is road noise from the highway, but that’s the price you pay for easy access. It didn’t bother us for a quick getaway.

  • Stacy R.
    Sep. 20, 2025

    Tonto Creek Trail RV Park

    Quiet Desert Gem with Beautiful Mountain Views

    We loved our stay at Tonto Creek Trail RV& MHC! From the start, the staff was warm and welcoming, making us feel right at home. The park is peaceful, clean, and well-maintained—exactly what we were looking for in a relaxing getaway. The location couldn’t be better. Nestled in Tonto Basin, the park is just minutes from Roosevelt Lake, which was perfect for fishing, boating, and soaking in the views. We also enjoyed exploring the nearby Tonto National Forest trails—ideal for hiking and ATV adventures. As pet owners, we were thrilled that pets stay free! The community is very pet-friendly, which made traveling with our furry family stress-free. The grounds are safe and quiet, with beautiful mountain views all around, giving us plenty of space to relax after a day of exploring. Between the friendly community vibe, the great amenities, and the unbeatable location, this is a hidden gem in Arizona. We’re already planning our next trip back to Tonto Creek Trail RV—highly recommend it!

  • M
    Jul. 10, 2019

    Sitgreaves National Forest Canyon Point Campground

    Clean area with great services

    The best thing about canyon point is the fact that it’s one of the other campgrounds that have showers available, that’s a huge plus after a couple days of being outdoors. The sites are similar to other campground around the area. The sites are kind of close together but that’s to be expected. Nice paved roads, close to forest lake estates, and Payson is a short drive away for anything you might have forgot or need.

  • Lyf Uninterrupted ..The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 22, 2020

    Encore Venture In

    Great RV Park located in the AZ Forest

    Nice wide sites for your RV.  This park is located in the forest area of Show Low, AZ.  At this time, the amenities (due to COVID 19), except for the laundry room, are closed so was unable to give it a 5 star rating.  Location is central to everything.  In fact, we rode our eBikes to get to just about everything.  Temps are warm in June and then cool down significantly after the Monsoon rains begin.  Nice people in the park.  Nice dog park and dog run.

  • Jacob S.
    Sep. 23, 2019

    Colcord Ridge Campground

    Amazing Camping off Yound Highway

    Big open spots with lots to do nearby. There are multiple places to pull of of this road and camp. This is a pack in/pack out site with trees and fresh air. It is part of Tonto National forest so fire restrictions and usually in place through the summer. Tall pines are everywhere with junipers here and there. You can get some amazing views of the Mogollon Rim depending where you stop.
    Forest Lakes and the rim lakes are close by. They are great for kayaking, fishing and camping. The fish hatchery is a fun stop for kids but the hours are pretty specific.

  • Mstwister E.
    Sep. 5, 2021

    Payson Campground & RV Resort

    Not what I was expecting.

    Well I felt a bit deceived by the website… it said there was a basketball court, a dog park, and a playground but honestly they are the saddest excuses of any of those things I have ever seen. The pool is very nice, if not a bit cold and seating is limited. Bathrooms/ showers are very clean. Getting in and out is pretty crazy as you’re on a steep hill. The weather was nice but I was looking for a more family friendly campground and this was not it. Great as a stop on your way somewhere maybe but not a good weekend getaway unless you have stuff in town to see or do.

  • Melissa S.
    Sep. 1, 2019

    Spillway (AZ)

    Woodsy

    Site #15 was very open and easy to back into and right by the lake. Good shade. Our spot has a large table, metal fire ring and charcoal grill. The campsite has 26 spots. It’s fully stocked over the summer month with trout. They have kayak rentals available also and electric trolling motors are allowed on the lake. They have a small convenience store down by the lake with some essentials you may have forgot. Closest town is Forest Lake (10miles) with gas and groceries. No service with Verizon at all. Highly advise taking the trail to the rim to one of the lookouts.

  • Melissa S.
    Aug. 31, 2019

    Aspen Campground

    Fantastic

    Site #102 was very open and easy to back into. Good shade. Our spot has a large table, metal fire ring and charcoal grill. The water spigot is right across the street and the vault bathrooms are just a few spots down. The campsite has 140+ sites and over half are available to reserve 6 months ahead of time. It’s just a short walk to Woods Canyon lake. It’s fully stocked over the summer month with trout. They have kayak rentals available also and electric trolling motors are allowed on the lake. They have a small convenience store down by the lake with some essentials you may have forgot. Closest town is Forest Lake (10miles) with gas and groceries. The entire campground is paved which makes it nice for children who like to ride bikes or scooter around. No service at all at camp

  • S
    May. 19, 2021

    Encore Venture In

    Nice But Sites a Little Tricky

    This is really a Park Model Resort that has about 25% of their sites set aside for RVs. The RV sites are scattered throughout the park but they have tried to group them together as much as possible. The sites are pretty level, really wide, and fairly deep. There is a concrete patio with each site. Sites are covered in cinders which are a bit of a pain. They present a somewhat soft surface which is like walking in about 6 inches of soft sand. Almost all the sites have a tree planted right at the front next to the road. Some of the trees are a bit wide which really makes getting into the site difficult. Even though the sites are wide the RV parking area is between the patio and the sewer connection which is about 11ft wide. When you combine that with landscaping and patio covers on some of the park models and getting in some sites can be real challenging for a larger rig. We have a 40ft motorhome and have been to this park probably 8 times. So far we have made it in and out but with some new scratches and a bit of maneuvering. Cell service is pretty bad here. We have Verizon cell phones which usually worked for phone service but sometimes cut out. We have Verizon and AT&T hotspots. AT&T worked the best but not fast enough to stream anything most of the time. There is Wi-Fi offered for a fee but we have not tried that. They also offer cable TV which I believe is free. They have a couple of dog parks, nice common areas, laundry, and a small gym. They have some other clubs and activity rooms but all of those have been closed due to Covid.


Guide to Forest Lakes

Discover the perfect spots for pets-allowed camping near Forest Lakes, Arizona, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.

Tips for camping with dogs near Forest Lakes

  • Ensure your pet stays hydrated by utilizing the drinking water available at campgrounds like Christopher Creek.
  • Keep your dog on a leash and clean up after them to maintain the natural beauty of places such as Aspen Campground.
  • Choose campgrounds with spacious sites, like Mogollon Campground, to give your pet plenty of room to roam.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Forest Lakes

Pet-friendly campgrounds include

  • Ponderosa Campground, known for its tall pines and spacious sites, is a great choice for camping with pets.
  • Sharp Creek offers a peaceful environment with clean facilities, perfect for a relaxing getaway with your dog.
  • Spillway Campground features a woodsy setting and is conveniently located near Woods Canyon Lake, making it ideal for outdoor adventures with your pet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Forest Lakes, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Forest Lakes, AZ is Aspen Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 26 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Forest Lakes, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 138 dog-friendly camping locations near Forest Lakes, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.