Best Glamping near McNary, AZ

Recent Glamping Reviews in McNary

48 Reviews of 7 McNary Campgrounds

• 

  Candy P.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 8, 2024

  Rainbow (AZ)

  Arizona’s best kept secret!

  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.

• 

  Rod D.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2024

  Rainbow (AZ)

  Still a great place to escape the desert heat

  It 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.

• 

  Brodie D.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 24, 2024

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Great spot!

  We pulled in after hours and a ranger kindly helped us find our spot. She recommended a cool hiking trail to check out the next morning. Bathrooms and showers are super clean and well maintained. There is only one designated bathhouse building so if you park far, you’ll be walking a ways. Did I mention the views are gorgeous? The views alone are worth staying here.

• J

  Joshua W.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 28, 2023

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Amazing

  The park was practically empty. The views are always amazing, and the weather was perfect. The wind picked up in the evenings to about 10 mph, but then was calm around 9pm. In the morning the lake was very calm, and taking the kayak out was so peaceful. I spoke with the ranger and ahead said next summer a vendor will have boat and jet ski rentals. Good and bad, but maybe that will help keep camping rates low. Highly recommend a trip here when you have a long weekend.

• 

  Carl L.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 22, 2023

  Brook Char Campground

  Bogus

  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....

• 

  Michael S.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 30, 2023

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Beautiful desert views

  Clean, quiet, open campground, tents, trailers and cabins. Very happy with the week we spent here

• D

  Dave N.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 8, 2022

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Lyman Lake state park

  FHU available Spacious sites Wind does come up Lake is down and good fishing Clean restrooms and showers Has store well stocked (no tobacco or alcohol) Fish cleaning station Nice viewing of stars at night
  Quiet, cabins, tent sites, FHU available, beach camping. Rangers on site along with hosts Black top roads Blacktop to park your rig. Some pull thru site Mostly back ins Large sites

• W

  William W.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 6, 2022

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Very interesting camp!

  Awesome cabins and the lake was great! The hiking and rock art was a cool addition !!

• m

  mark R.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 4, 2022

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Quiet place off the beaten path

  Nice campground out of the way. Very polite rangers. Sad the lake is so low ... climate change, but enjoyable 2 days. Petroglyphs were cool! Tip: best campsite would be #17 - trust me ;) Hottest, highest pressure (ie: exfoliating showers) I've ever had in a campground!

• D

  Dan N.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 16, 2022

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Great views of the lake.

  Once again we are the only ones here! It got a little cold this morning, down to 15 but the sunrise was awesome. Lots of nice spots, you can get everything from a small cabin to a dry spot down by the beach. Some of the bathrooms are closed for the winter but there are a couple still open. 30 and 50 amp power. Water at the pull through sites but you need to disconnect at night to avoid freezing.

• 

  Connor N.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 23, 2021

  Timber Camp Recreation Area and Group Campgrounds

  Decent campground, few amenities, in the middle of nowhere

  Enjoyed three nights and generally had the place to ourselves excluding the host. The host was very nice. The fee station was out of order during our stay, so we paid via daily tickets at a place in Globe on our way out. The campground is right off the highway so there was a fair amount of traffic noise, but not unbearable. Little to do in the way of hikes within walking distance, but we enjoyed walking around the campground and into the woods to the north and east. Verizon service was great the entire time. Sites are well maintained and level. Vault toilets were clean. Each site has a steel fire ring and grate as well as a nice metal picnic table. There a a few group areas with full grills and communal tables. The campground appears fairly new.

• 

  jaczxbox

  Guide

  

  Nov. 16, 2021

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Amazing!

  Quiet and secluded with a huge lake!

• 

  Christine S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 17, 2021

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Peaceful Stay

  Clean and peaceful area. Camped here as a jump point to the Petrified Forest Park the next morning.

• 

  Rebecca W.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 5, 2021

  Rainbow (AZ)

  Beautiful Hiking, Serene Camping

  Camped 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.

• 

  Chris P.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 4, 2021

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Nice campground

  Spots are close to the lake which is really nice. The overall campground is nice and the spots were spaced out nicely.

• 

  Sharron D.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 13, 2021

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Lyman Lake

  Great lake view from all sites. Cabins and rv sites have easy access and parking. Nice bathrooms.

• W

  William C.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 7, 2021

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Beautiful spot

  We stayed here for two days. There are some short trails with wonderful views of the lake and surrounding area, and there are petroglyphs to explore. Decent fishing, although the lake was flooded and murky while we were there, and we didn’t give it the best shot. It likely could be a really good fishing spot under ideal conditions. T-mobile service was awful, and the staff were super helpful and friendly. I’m sure we’ll be back.

• 

  Candy P.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 1, 2021

  Reservation Lake Apache Indian Res

  Cool spot, just not for us

  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.

• w

  warren

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 24, 2021

  Rainbow (AZ)

  Big Trees, clean air

  I 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.

• 

  Taryn S.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 2, 2021

  Brook Char Campground

  Some of the best tent camping in AZ

  We'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.

• D

  Doug C.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 30, 2021

  Second Campground

  Quiet camp sites.

  With your permit to hike Cibecue Falls it gives you one night of camping at the camp ground. There is no power or water. They do have a bathroom. It does make for a relaxing night after a short hike to the falls. The road back is a dirt road with a cliff on one side. Saw cars back there so not a bad road. Also there is no cell service.

• 

  Allan R.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 4, 2020

  Timber Camp Recreation Area and Group Campgrounds

  Great Spot to duck into.

  Great spot to relax after driving thru Salt Canyon. Very convenient, close to highway, with very little noise. ATT was full scale. We will return.

• 

  Candy P.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 30, 2020

  Brook Char Campground

  Tent Camping with a view

  This 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.

• R

  Renee H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 22, 2020

  Rainbow (AZ)

  Absolutely beautiful

  Quiet, beautiful, and clean. We even had visits from deer, a very bold skunk, chipmunks, squirrels, and blue jays. The camp hosts were delightful, too!

• 

  Jacob W.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 27, 2020

  Rainbow (AZ)

  Organized, developed, cool forest in August

  I 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.

• 

  Penélope F.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 26, 2020

  Lyman Lake State Park Campground

  Pretty Nice place...

  We only stayed a night but we liked it a lot. No internet service and poor phone reception (T-Mobile) which was a little issue for us as we are traveling cross country and we need to confirm some of our upcoming RV stops. We wished would have stayed longer to be able to enjoy the park but definitely coming back for a long stay visit.

• 

  Hannah L.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 24, 2020

  Brook Char Campground

  Unclear Directions

  The 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.