Best Equestrian Camping near Payson, AZ

AMAZING campgrounds if you’re looking to escape the heat in the summer months. Spread out areas all up and down Young Road. Active wildlife from deer to coyotes to wild horses. Perfect for families with kids as there are also lakes creeks and caves within driving distance.

Campground sites are well spaced with lots of privacy. The dump and showers were out of service due to mechanical problems. The only downside is trying to find enough level sites when they are busy. The campground is also very close to Payson so you will hear Street noise if you listen.

We've camped at Houston Mesa Campground several times and consistently have a fantastic experience. Here's why we give it 5 stars: 

Amazing Staff: The camp hosts are incredibly friendly and helpful, adding to the welcoming atmosphere. 

Spacious Sites: We love the ample space at each campsite, allowing us to park comfortably and spread out for a relaxing stay. Our kids adore playing in the dirt and exploring the trees. 

Nature's Playground: The campground's proximity to swimming holes, hiking trails, and the charming town of Payson provides endless opportunities for exploration and adventure. Serene Setting: The abundance of trees creates a peaceful and shady environment, perfect for escaping the Arizona sun. 

Clean Facilities: The bathrooms are well-maintained and clean, ensuring a comfortable stay. 

Dry Camping Friendly: We appreciate the ability to dry camp at Houston Mesa, making it a budget-friendly option. 

Heads Up: While Verizon service isn't optimal, it's manageable. Additionally, campsites near the freeway can experience some road noise. However, the convenience of having Home Depot and Walmart nearby outweighs these minor drawbacks. Overall, Houston Mesa Campground is a fantastic choice for families and outdoor enthusiasts seeking a comfortable and scenic camping experience. We highly recommend it and will definitely be back soon!

I’m sure that for some, this is their favorite camping area, someplace to return to each and every spring with the family. It has everything one needs to get away from the valley, and out onto the lake for some motorized boating. 

The smallish spaced campsites are perfect for getting together with friends, yet large enough to accommodate big RV’s. As a plus, the noise of generators from every other campsite, means that if your group gets a little loud nobody will likely notice. Despite the area’s abundance of sunshine, making it perfect to run your camping rig on solar, this place takes the prize for the most generator impacted site that we’ve ever stayed in our lifetimes, which is saying something.  If you like that sort of thing, or can’t hear, this is your place and these are your people. I went for a 45-minute walk around the campground, and counted 13 different generators all going at different frequencies. It was not unlike a walk in a pleasant park while the maintenance staff gather all the leaves with the power of multiple leaf blowers. Despite this trend to all things big and gas-powered, the area is indeed lovely. 

We enjoyed a splendid paddle out on the water near sundown, after many power boats were already back up on their trailers. Across the road, lies the Tonto National Monument which shows off some terrific examples of early Puebloan cliff dwellings. The mountains surrounding the area are stunning, and there are some fantastic hiking trails in the area. 

The closest stores can be found at the either ends of the lake, a gas station and Marina store/ restaurant. Their selection is low and inversely proportional to the prices. Within 30 minutes to the north and south, respectively, lie the towns of Payson, and Globe where you can find any kind of supplies you need without the price gouging.

The campground is being totally overhauled. It looks great so far and the facilities are very clean and nice. there is a nice big pool. the major thing missing are trees for shade and some privacy. there are only a few spots with nice big trees, all other sites have nothing. Which is OK in the Arizona winter, but not when it is still hot.

We were here when it as really slow, not sure what it will like when the campground is full.

Beautiful 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).

Campground Review

What a great find!  We had no idea what to expect when we rolled down a long and lonely road from Phoenix out to Box Bar.  But other people sure knew about it! There were lots of party people there, playing music, floating in the river, and enjoying some BBQ.  

Box Bar is not fancy, but it is FREE!  There are no reservations and no set camp areas, but there are plenty of flat and shaded spots perfect for a tent.  There is a large dirt parking area that includes 3 port-o-potties. If you were going to camp here, the potties are quite far from the camp spots, so keep that in mind.  

The best part -- the gorgeous river!  The Rio Verde runs right through here and is the main attraction.  At Box Bar there is a small dam that holds the water in just enough for a calm small lake to appear.  There is also quicker waters that can be kayaked or floated on. Many kids were putting in and going around the bend, getting back out, and doing it over and over again!  The water is cool and refreshing in the Arizona sun.

When we went, it was a Saturday.  So I’ll be anxious to go back on a weekday or Friday to see if it is as crowded other days.  It wasn’t OVER crowded, but the loud music can get old :)

Overall, a truly great find.  Only 30 minutes from Phoenix too!

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time.  At Box Bar, I got to use the IceMule Pro Large Cooler.

Before heading out, we packed up sodas, juice boxes, apples, and a tupperware of cookies into the IceMule and poured ice all over the top.  The temperature that day was over 100 degrees, but when we got to the campsite and opened the top, the ice was still there and the drinks and food were freezing cold.  Never had such a refreshing soda! I’m used to having to drink a warm soda or water while adventuing, so this was quite the treat.

Besides keeping the refreshments ice cold, the backpack was also super comfortable to wear.  The straps are super padded, as well as the bag where is rests against the back. I am a super weak person and it was easy and fun to wear.  

I totally recommend this cooler to anyone wanting to reward a long hike, boat, or camp with freezing cold treats.  

For more info, visit: https://icemulecoolers.com/

The campground is RIGHT outside of town which is great if you forget a toothbrush BUT it is also very easily accessible and very crowded. The spaces aren't very far apart so you will hear your neighbors. From about half the campground you will also hear highway noise. The bathrooms are uneventful but present which is a plus. The roads are all well maintained (and paved) so most cars should be fine getting around the campground. The sites had picnic tables and metal fire rings with grills. The sites are fairly level and many have spaces for larger tents. The tree coverage isn't SUPER thick so if you go mid summer you may find it a bit warm during the day. There is water available for fire dousing and washing.