Looking for the best options for tent camping near Kohls Ranch? Finding a place to camp in Arizona with your tent has never been easier. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
While much of the Forest is open to dispersed camping, there are several sites set aside as designated dispersed camping sites, listed below. Pick up or download a free Motor Vehicle Use Map to know where it is legal to drive. See Guidelines for information and policies, and Specific Sites for more details and contact information.
Know before you go! Be aware extreme winter weather or flooding risks can necessitate the closure of forest roads at different times of the year. Many forest roads that lead to dispersed campsites may be closed during seasonal road closures, so please check the Forest Road Status web page for more information about the status of forest roads in each District.
Fire restrictions may be in place. During fire restrictions, campfires, fires, and charcoal fires are not permitted in dispersed camping areas. This includes both Stage 1 and Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Gas operated devices with an on/off switch are allowed. Where can I have a campfire during Stage I Fire Restrictions?
The Lower Tonto Creek Campground is tucked away right next to the main highway just south of where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. Families may enjoy fishing at both Tonto and Horton Creeks or pass time hiking through nearby Horton Creek Trail or Derrick Trail. The Lower Tonto Creek Campground has a large open-space parking lot and paved walkway makes it accessible with only a light hike to the creek. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you will be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. You will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as this area has limited or no cellular service. There is no adjacent parking spot to any camp site. Walk-in access only to all campsites (paved sidewalk is provided). Map to campground here. Please note: This campground is right next to Hwy 260 and receives a considerable amount of traffic noise and light throughout the day & night.
The union of Tonto and Horton Creeks is at the north end of the Upper Tonto Creek campground. Fishing in both creeks is a popular sport. The trailheads for Horton Creek Trail 285 and Derrick Trail 33 are located in the Upper Tonto Creek campground. Both of these trails access the Highline National Recreation Trail (#31
Located just South of where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. Campsites are dotted along a paved sidewalk surrounded by tall Pines, situated just next to Tonto Creek. Please note: This campground is right next to Hwy 260 and receives a considerable amount of traffic noise and light throughout the day & night.
$20 / night
The campground is a fishing area with a picnic ground situated in a mixture of ponderosa pine, juniper and pinyon pine. Chevelon Canyon offers spectacular views and opportunities for hiking and fishing. NO trash collection available. This is a Pack-it-in / Pack-it-out area. Take your trash with you when you leave.
Airplane Flats Airplane Flat campground is made of dispersed units and set in an open stand of mature Ponderosa pine. Canyon Creek is known for its trout fishing. Arizona Game & Fish Department Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery has self-guided tours. Wildlife includes: Abert squirrel, black bear, mountain lion, elk, turkey and deer. Pack it in, Pack it out.
Be aware extreme winter weather or flooding risks can necessitate the closure of forest roads at different times of the year. Many forest roads that lead to dispersed campsites may be closed during seasonal road closures, so please check the Forest Road Status web page for more information about the status of forest roads in each District.
Ranger
We read one review on this campground and it stated the campground was dirt. We pulled up and were taken away by the beauty. So many trees and beautiful campsites. With only 16 campsites, you have your own piece of camping paradise. There is 2 vaulted toilets, very well maintain, and new. There is an easy trail that runs along the campground, maybe a mile and half, easy walk. You can use wood from the forrest or buy some from the host. We did tent camp and I wish we would of brought a rake to remove rocks from our tent site. Our tent is 11ft and fit wonderfully! Plenty of space to put up tent,bbq grill, stove, and have your vehicle along side of you. There are Rv sites there as well. In our spot you could of easily placed a pop up and move it in. There is water at the host area, no cost. Before you get to the campsite there is a general store that has many items if you forgot something. We did wonder down to go find the graces of Scott Stott and Wilson, but we were not able to. We followed the GPS and reviews and people stated it was close to the campground. We walked a good 30 minutes and found nothing. We believe it is in a canyon which we did not feel comfortable hiking down. We road out a crazy storm, and the canyons made the thunder sound like a really mad Greek God. If you enjoy some antiques and thrift stores Heber-Overgaard offer some unique and great stores. Black Canyon Lake is just a shirt trip down the road. beautiful to walk around and lots of room to fish. Lake was low when we went. This campground has made it to the list of favorites!
Scout
Great spot for tent camping. Awesome for beginners and young families. Bathrooms were clean. Fellow campers were respectable. Site overall very clean. Would go again.
Ranger
Group campground that is reasonably priced and can accommodate big groups. Has pit toilets and potable water access, ramadas, grills and campfire location. Good for campers and tent camping
Guide
This is a great state campground. Not a lot of sites but they're REALLY BIG and gives a sense of being in the forest but still has toilets nearby for those who need them. Great place for tent camping but most sites can support MH & Trailers.
TravelerWe enjoyed a couple of days car/tent camping at this multiuser campground . We parked on a private shaded pad next to a fire pit and table. Very quiet (mid week). Showers were closed but the bathrooms were spotless. Camp host on grounds firewood for sale. Close by Payson.
Guide
Small camp ground with not much parking, looks like it was designed for tent camping but the thing fill with 30 foot trailers making it very crowded. I have a 18 foot trailer and I felt it was too big for the place! Otherwise very nice and clean! Camp host was very nice!
Guide
Overall great experience camping here. Wife and I tent camped here for 2 nights 3 days. Sucked that we couldn’t have a fire due to a fire state-ban. Close to the highway but not bad on highway noise. Our site was 7 which faces east. Lake is half a mile or so we kayaked so we drove it.
Traveler
Went back in May of 2019 for a family tent camping trip. Friendly Staff, Clean, Well Maintained, and the Lake was great for fishing and kayaking. One of the best features is the large sights, as we had no problem fitting 3 large tents and didn’t have to listen to anyone snoring! Pet and Kid friendly. Looking forward to taking out pop up camper up there later this year.
Guide
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. This doesn’t make it very convenient unless you are tent camping which we were not. Close to the Mogollon Rim paved path which is amazing, reference the picture for that! The hosts were great...hence why I gave the 4 stars! But I wouldn’t be going back here anytime soon.
Guide
Very nice clean rv park with well spaced campsites. Have yet to use the vault toilets or dumpsters so no opinion yet. Reserve and FFS sites there is a dumpsite and water, and some of the sites have electric. There are tent sites as well. Having been here through the afternoon/evening, I have to add that this campground is a bit noisy with hwy traffic and pets. I have to add that the staff here are very nice and helpful.
Guide
I tent camped right near the lake with a larger group of people. While exploring the area, I discovered many camp areas that were perfect for larger groups. The area we were in is all primitive. No water, electric or toilets. This is a pack in and pack out area. Unfortunately, not all abide to this rule as evidenced by the litter shrewn throughout the areas. So, if you go..please be a good environment steward and take all you waste and trash with you..perhaps even clean up some left behind by others.. We did!
TravelerSolo camping experience, first timer. Went on a Sunday and tent camped one night. Scoped the site out first and found a lot of great options available. There were still plenty of people up there that I wasn't totally alone, but enough sites opened up that there was a good selection. I opted for one right on the rim itself. The hosts were there and there were clean supplied vault toilets within a minute drive. Went for a hike at Woods Canyon Lake. Each site was just far enough away that you couldn't really hear each other but you were sort of in sight of people if needed. But still private and very quiet. You can choose between a rim site or go across the street and opt for a forest site. There is cell service.
Legend
We spent 3 nights here in February, and while it was chilly, the place was very quiet and the stars were amazing! There are no hookups here, but there are bathrooms with flush toilets (some have showers), and there are faucets with potable water. There's also a boat launch and a few playgrounds for the kids.
There were mostly RVs here, but the waterfront tent sites are amazing if you don't mind walking in from the main parking area (it's not a far walk).
Each campsite has a picnic table with a shaded awning and a fire pit, but you have to bring in your own wood or gather it from the surrounding forest. Saw lots of birds here - cactus wren, quail, finches, warblers, and road runners.
Guide
We wanted one last tent camping trip before it got to cold and chose a quick trip up to Camp Verde. (We’re from Phoenix) It was a short hour and a half drive up the 17. Clear Creek Campground is about a 10 min drive passed Camp Verde, so if you forget any supplies it’s a quick trip into town. The Campground itself is pretty wide open, which is not my cup of tea normally but we found a cute spot that is right next to the exit. It’s great! It’s totally hidden and separated from the rest of the camp. Bathrooms were clean, plenty of water pumps and the host is super on top of things. We had issues with some other rude campers ,so beware. I have a feeling it’s an amateur campground, so if it’s summer and you want peace and quiet, this is not the place. Our timing was great Tue-Thur, Oct 9th thru the 12th. The Creek is just across the dirt road. It’s so peaceful and beautiful! Has a nice little trail that runs next to the creek.
Scout
We had a blast at Christopher Creek Campground! The kids played in the creek all day and caught hundreds of crawdads. We even took a day and went to Willow Springs lake , which was only a 15 minute drive. We had site 1,2, & 8 blocked for our family members. 8 was super spacious, right near the bathroom and the creek. We loved waking up to the creek every morning. The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is because of the issues we had with campsite 1&2. We reserved the spots because we had travel trailers and they said they could accommodate them. 1 definitely didn’t have the space. It is right in the main circle and there is a stairway separating the spots so you can’t pull in. 2 had a 4ft wall that if you were able to park a trailer and not block the road, you could kill yourself trying to get in and out. It took some creativity and convincing the camp host to understand our reasoning for wanting to move, but luckily she was able to come up with a solution. Most of the sites parking was on the road, but 8 was doable. From what we saw, if you have a camper, 13 looked the best. Do your research before booking. Tent camping is no problem at any site.
Ranger
Bear Canyon campground and lake located off AZ260 north east of payson. Near Woods Canyon lake(larger and more accessible), and Knoll lake(smaller than Bear Canyon)
Bear Canyon campground is easily accessible and free. No reservations. No water/electric hookups. No picnic tables. No trash service-pack it in, pack it out. It will fill up on weekends during the summer as the weather is so temperate. We came up on a weekday and stayed to the beginning of the weekend and it wasn’t too crowded.
Pros: The weather was amazing. High of 75-78 in the day and high 40’s at night. There was a constant breeze which kept it cool and fresh feeling. The lake is a short hike(0.2 miles) from the trailhead. And provides good fishing from the shore. There is plenty of free firewood’s around; just bring a saw and splitting axe. Near the Rim and other lakes (Woods Canyon and Knoll). Pit toilets were a far walk depending on where you camped but they were clean.
Cons: This entire area is very rocky! We have a pop up but I can’t imagine tent camping without an air mattress. Each campsite maybe has a fire pit and that’s it. Boats and Kayaks would be a real challenge to bring down and up as the trail is very steep, rocky, and loose.
Overall, we were disappointed that we were unable to use our kayaks but the weather make up for it and it was a great, relaxing trip.
TravelerThis is a well known campsite on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona, I remember camping there as a kid and they were one of the only sites that had showers. It is still a nice spot with very large campsites and nice drinking water. Those are two of the best selling points though as everything else feels run down, from the toilets to the campsites themselves. Was there over the July 4th weekend in 2020 and there was yellow tape on broken items at many campsites. The bathrooms are old and even as just pit toilets, could be improved on. The water spout nearest our site dripped unless properly turned off, resulting in a flooded area and lots of bugs. Instead of fixing it or posting about how to properly turn it off to prevent the water spoilage, it was also closed off with yellow tape. We stayed in site 71, loop B, which was very large and had tons of great shade trees/space for hammocks. Across from us though was an RV who insisted on running their very loud generator for long periods of time, 6 hours in one stretch until 10pm. While the campground allows for generator use up until 10pm, this was too loud and sounded like a lawn mower was running well into the night. The RV owner even yelled at the campground in a very threatening manner at 10pm one night when multiple people cheered that the generator was off. The camp hosts advised that generators must be below 85 decibels but never returned to test it and most of the time, appeared to be socializing with the offender, even though multiple people complained. It's understandable that tenter's and RV campers have different priorities but there should still be a level of respect between the two groups so that peace and respect an be maintained. I for one wouldn't mind seeing large campgrounds such as this one to have RV only sections so that their additional devices do not disturb those of us who enjoy the peace and quiet of tent camping. Its location is stellar, right by Woods Canyon Lake and perfect elevation to escape the heat. Beware favoritism though with camp hosts. They also were not enforcing the social distancing rules listed on their own website, to advise that you are not allowed to socialize with other campsites and one family per campsite. One pair of camp hosts were walking around each evening having drinks at various campsites. Sad to see at this stage of a public health crises.
Scout
The river was beautiful! The camp spots were close to the river with nice big fire rings. Just like a lot of low desert camping in Arizona it’s dusty and dry with lots of prickly plans. But the trail and the trees near the river were lush. My biggest complaint about the spot was all the garbage everywhere. Come on people, burn your trash or take it home! There’s no need to trip over piles of water bottles & beer cans, cigarette butts, McDonald’s wrappers and plastic bags.
Traveler
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.
TravelerCholla Recreation Site is located on Theodore Roosevelt Lake, central Arizona’s largest lake. It offers expansive views of the Four Peaks Wilderness, Salome Canyon, and the Sierra Ancha mountain range. The campground contains an extensive selection of both RV and tent-only sites, and is one of the largest solar-powered campgrounds in the United States. Potable water, toilet buildings, showers, playgrounds, and a paved boat launch with a courtesy dock are available for campers. Cholla RV dump station, located across from Christmas Loop, is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm.
$25/site/night for individual camp unit; $50/site/night for double camp unit; America the Beautiful Interagency Senior or Access Pass holders receive 50% discount (persons over 62 or have a permanent disability) for single camp units only.
Campground fees must be paid for at the fee machine located at the campground. When we arrived the machine wasn’t working so we checked in with the camp host and flagged down a ranger to let them know.
Guide
camping in a 2 man tent, traveling in a raised 2WD. We took the dirt road to the end looking for a nice secluded spot, we passed a handful of sites for both rvs and tent. We found a small site in a dried out run off area past the second cattle guard.
We ventured down as far as we could go and carried our tent the remaining 20 or so meters.
Lots of dried wood around for kindling, enough stones to make a fire ring.
The sunrise and sunset here were spectacular, the lake provides an awesome blue.
GuideLocated in the scenic Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in north central Arizona near the town of Heber.
Beautiful campground. Very well taken care of. Sites are large and spread out. Very quiet. Great tall pines for nice shade in Arizona summer.
No organized activities. Not much to do for children if they are looking for activities.
Showers and bathrooms are very clean but showers only open at 8:00am.
Legend
Ashley here with The Dyrt. I love that this space can fit those extra large RV's or tents. With your own platform to picnic on or pitch your tent, and yard games to play, this is a cozy and cute spot to visit on your next adventure. The free firewood is a sweet touch. Come give them a try and leave them some love!
Guide
Ok so we decided to stay here since we have young kids and thought having a pool and showers available would be great. Well the pool was great but the showers were lack luster at best. We stayed 3 nights and two of the 3 nights there were people so loud is ruined the experience. It seems the people who are in charge of enforcing quite time weren’t interested in it. We had one of the biggest sites there was, site 91, so that was a bonus but it was up a large hill and hard to get in and out of since the “driveway” was uneven with lots of dips that has loose dirt. Also i called ahead to see if our site could accommodate our large family tents. They said yes. Thankfully we opted to being one large and one small tent otherwise there would not have been room. There was barely enough flat ground for our two tents. Some of the sites were so small only a small tent would fit and nothing else. Also fire rings are not included which we knew ahead of time but is still annoying. Also if you want a specific site you have to pay extra when you reserve or they could move you to a smaller or less ideal location. Also you can hear the noise from the main road that runs right next to the campground. I had read reviews that said you couldn’t. Well we could.... all night long. We will not be returning to this campground.
TravelerKnoll lake campground is very clean and well kept. Designated areas for tents that were raked up. The bathrooms were cleaner than most restaurants.
RangerBeautiful retreat in the Arizona forest. Saw many different birds while there, especially hawks. Could smell skunks but none seen at the campground. Was warned by rangers that bears had been spotted in the area, so keep that in mind with food and trash.
Each site I saw had a good amount of space and wasn't right next to other campsites. We were lucky and got shade in our campsite. Plenty of hiking opportunities nearby, and a caves not too far away.
The restroom facilities were clean and included flush toilets. Showers were available for $3 (coin operated).
Gear Review: This contains a review of the LuminAID Packlight 16 and the LuminAID Packlight Spectra, which were provided to me free of charge***
LuminAID's lanterns are a gamechanger. Seriously. They are incredibly lightweight, bright, float when inflated, and most amazingly are solar powered.
The Packlight 16 resembles a pillow and has several settings depending on how bright you want it. I was able to read a book with the Packlight 16 hanging from the ceiling of my tent. Everyday I set it outside to charge for a couple hours and have yet to see it run out of energy, even when left on the dimmest setting for several hours.
The Packlight Spectra is a fun little box shaped lantern that has seven colors (including white) and a color-changing mode (see the video I included in this review). The first color is red, which is nice when you don't want to scrub your nightvision.
I'll definitely be ordering these for my friends. They are great for hiking and the perfect addition to an emergency kit (when folded the Packlight 16 is about the size and weight of an emergency poncho).
TravelerThis site is well kept and spacious. And the closest site to Water Wheel which is about ten miles away and Arizona’s best kept secret. I usually set up camp the afternoon before and get up early to make the drive to Water Wheel and get in a day hike. This place has extraordinary water falls and swimming holes. I have probably camped at Mesa Houston more than any other place in Arizona just so I can hike Water Wheel and have never had a negative experience. Payson is beautiful and this camp site is near amenities and great hiking spots.
Tent camping near Kohls Ranch, Arizona, offers a serene escape into nature with stunning views and a variety of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several excellent options to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Kohls Ranch, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Kohls Ranch, AZ is Molitor Spot Along Rim Road - Dispersed with a 5-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Kohls Ranch, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 38 tent camping locations near Kohls Ranch, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
