Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Payson, AZ

Houston Mesa Campground welcomes pets at all sites with multiple accommodation options including tent and RV camping. Located minutes from downtown Payson, this established campground features clean bathrooms with flush toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits with BBQ grill toppers. Each site provides good spacing between neighbors with ample shade from surrounding trees. Dogs must remain leashed throughout the campground, including on the nature trail that runs through the property. Payson Campground & RV Resort also accommodates pets with full hookup sites for both tents and RVs, though spaces are notably closer together than at Houston Mesa. The property is maintained well with clean facilities including showers, a pool, and a designated dog area, though some visitors note it's quite small compared to expectations.

Several dispersed camping options welcome pets in the surrounding Tonto National Forest, including Little Green Valley and FR414 sites. These free primitive camping areas require pack-in, pack-out practices with no facilities or amenities available. Dog owners frequently mention Water Wheel Falls, located about 15 minutes from Houston Mesa, as a popular spot with swimming opportunities in the small pool beneath the waterfall. Most campgrounds in the area maintain standard pet policies requiring dogs to be leashed at all times, cleaned up after, and not left unattended. Temperature differences between Payson and Phoenix can reach 30 degrees, providing relief for both pets and owners during hot summer months. Wildlife warnings, including bears, are provided by camp hosts upon arrival, making proper food storage and pet supervision essential for safety.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Payson, Arizona (198)

    1. Houston Mesa Campground

    37 Reviews
    Payson, AZ
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 468-7135

    $22 - $170 / night

    "Recreation.gov app said there were no sites available on a recent Sunday, but a drive through found 3 of every 4 sites open. The web site was more accurate."

    "And the closest site to Water Wheel which is about ten miles away and Arizona’s best kept secret."

    2. Payson Campground & RV Resort

    16 Reviews
    Payson, AZ
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (928) 472-2267

    "This is also right near the dog pin area.

    You are off a major road so near by shopping is a breeze but you will not be forced to hear the traffic so no worries there."

    "Great place, laundry, pool and close to town. Each spot is level and very clean restrooms. We spent two months there while my husband received treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix."

    3. Christopher Creek

    21 Reviews
    Kohls Ranch, AZ
    17 miles
    Website

    $24 - $80 / night

    "This a very beautiful spot off the highway, but far enough you can’t see or hear the traffic. Not too far out of Payson, about 15 minutes."

    "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."

    4. Little Green Valley - NF405A Dispersed

    8 Reviews
    Sun Valley, AZ
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 474-7900

    "The woods were awesome and very little noise besides cars driving along the road. Thr road was a very easy drive. Only downside is the campsite was very close to the road."

    "This is just a dirt road off of the highway."

    5. Ponderosa Campground (AZ) Tonto National Forest

    10 Reviews
    Kohls Ranch, AZ
    12 miles
    Website

    $22 - $100 / night

    "This is one of my personal favorite campsites in Arizona, for many reasons.  It's very clean, with drinking water and well maintained toilets/trash facilities."

    "The only drawback to this popular weekend campground near the Mogollon rim, is its proximity to the highway."

    6. FS 609 - Dispersed Camping

    15 Reviews
    Strawberry, AZ
    16 miles
    Website

    "I'd recommend driving further in to be away from the noise of the highway. I saw some reviews saying the gate was closed, but it was open when we were there in July 2022."

    "Pulled in after 10:30 pm and could tell right away the area was quiet, likely because there’s no highway signage, making it a not-so-obvious place to camp."

    7. Molitor Spot Along Rim Road - Dispersed

    9 Reviews
    Pine, AZ
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 527-3600

    "A ton of pull offs to choose from and far enough away from other campers. I had service there with AT&T. It gets cold- low of 30s and windy"

    "The view was absolutely stunning and depending on where you stop you won’t be next to any campers but once you turn onto rim road it gets a little bumpy but doable with any car"

    8. Oxbow Estates RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Payson, AZ
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 474-2042

    $50 / night

    "Decided to do a fairly short notice shakedown trip to Payson memorial day weekend."

    "Payson, Arizona. Off the busy roads so very quiet. Nice level spots, good hookups. Nice clean showers and bathrooms. Situated in a rural setting with trees and farm animals nearby."

    9. FR414 Dispersed Camp Site

    5 Reviews
    Payson, AZ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 474-7900

    "Close to the main highway, road was easily accessible. saw a few other people camping a couple miles away. tons of spots!!"

    "Easy to find and off of the highway. Verizon was good. Highway was quite ish."

    10. Kehl Springs Campground

    9 Reviews
    Pine, AZ
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 477-2255

    $8 / night

    "Easy access to surrounding areas. Only problem is the proximity to the road with a lot of ATV/UTV and general traffic who seldom follow the speed restrictions."

    "Despite evidence nearby of past burning (plenty of dead trees), Kehl Springs campground is situated in a healthy stand of mature ponderosa next to a small meadow, which is fed by the slightly stagnant"

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Payson, AZ

1171 Reviews of 198 Payson Campgrounds


  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 24, 2024

    NF-414 Dispersed Site - Tonto NF

    Thieves

    Nice area been here 3 days left my camp site to go grab supplies everything was stolen ( tent stove table propane tank) stay far away from Payson az 04/23/2024

  • M
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Houston Mesa Campground

    Nice 'in town' campground

    Nice campground with lots of space and trees between sites. Pull throughs and pull-in sites. Hosts are helpful. Recreation.gov app said there were no sites available on a recent Sunday, but a drive through found 3 of every 4 sites open. The web site was more accurate. The dump station costs $10, regardless of camping here or not. There IS a lot of traffic noise - and there's a Home Depot across the road from the entrance. Less than 10 minutes from Payson.

  • Penny A.
    Jun. 9, 2020

    Ponderosa Campground (AZ) Tonto National Forest

    One of Favorite campsites in Arizona!!

    This is one of my personal favorite campsites in Arizona, for many reasons.  It's very clean, with drinking water and well maintained toilets/trash facilities. The camp hosts are very diligent about quiet hours so you can rest assured that the nights will be peaceful. This is also a short drive from Payson so easy access to supplies and at times, cell phone reception if needed.

    This is one of the first campgrounds you will find when hitting the Mogollon Rim so it can get warmer due to lower elevation in the summer months. It is a great jumping off point though for exploring other regions of the area and a short drive from the Horton Creek Trail starting point.

    This is a large campground and A loop is right by the road so will be very loud with trucks. D loop has the largest campsites and the most privacy between your neighboors.

  • Sonja T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Manan Spring on Forest Road 135

    Pretty quiet camping off N Lake Mary Rd

    We tried finding some dispersed camping near Payson though all of the sites we visited were full. We ended up 35 miles south of Flagstaff off FS 135. After having to leave Payson we arrived very late at night. At the base of the campsite there were a lot ofvRVs set up. This was technically the FS 135 dispersed site. However we continued in for about 3 miles to the Mahan Ranch site. We got lucky and found an empty site off FS135 and FS135B. We spent a ptetty quiet week there at the base of Hutch Mountain. The next morning we found quite a bit of trash around the site. We cleaned it up and packed everything out when we headed out. There are quite a few cows in the area so watch where you step. OHV traffic wasn't too bad, much quieter than our stay at Badger Flats in Colorado. Folks were friendly and passing on the narrow roads was easy. The entire campsite was pretty quiet, a couple of generators off in the distance. Pretty much the loudest part of the stay was tge cows, lol.

    Where we setup there were maybe 5 sites along the 3 mile stretch of 135B. Plenty of RV sites closer to the highway. After our week there may have been about 50 or more larger RVs setup in the msin area near Lake Mary Rd. Sedona, Flagstaff, Cottonwood were the major cities webused for water and food. Each within an hour drive. The FS roads were fairly smooth, our Hyundai Santa Cruz had no issues. But DO watch out for small stumos near the edge of the roads and for Deer and Elk. For us cell service with ATT/Cricket was NONEXISTENT. We had to get up to about mile marker 315 on Lake Mary Rd or into Mormon Lake. Service heading into Sedona and Cottonwood along Stoneman Lake Road was unavailable until we got within a mile of I17. Of course cell services was decent in Flagstaff, Sedona and Cottonwood. Spotty coming diwn 89A from Flagstaff into Oak Creek.

    I gee up in the area in the 80s, much has changed, Sedona is quite a bit larger with a ton of traffuc, prices are also very high. Lunch at McDonald's ran us $35 for two people and shopping at Bashas in Sedona put a big dent in our food Budget. Water in Flag, Sedona Nd Cottonwood was around 50 cents a gallon at automated machines. We found the General Store in Mormon Lake to be the best place to refill at 20 cents a gallon. They even have laundry and bathrooms at the Lodge. No trash servuce though, they ask you to oack it out, the dumpster was reserved for the paid sites at the lodge. Though the Lake Mary recreation area about 5 miles north had a large dumpster to use.

  • Jeni G.
    Oct. 18, 2019

    Tonto National Forest Riverside Campground

    Cool spot, too much trash

    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.

  • Paulina B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 6, 2024

    Thousand Trails Verde Valley

    Our favorite Thousand Trails campground!

    This place is huge! Nestled in the red rock country of Arizona, this Thousand Trails campground offers a scenic and tranquil escape. The sites are well-spaced, and the amenities include a pool, hot tub, 2 dog parks, hiking trails, river access and clubhouse. Its proximity to Sedona, Jerome and local wineries makes it an excellent choice for those seeking relaxation and exploration.

  • 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.

  • J
    Jun. 1, 2022

    Verde Ranch RV Resort

    Very good site for large rigs. All sites have loose rockbase.

    All hookups available at all sites. There is a dog park and a walking path along the river in which the dogs took a dip.

  • M
    Jun. 13, 2022

    Zane Grey RV Village

    BEAUTIFUL campground! Plan at for at least a couple of nights!

    This was just a stop along our route, and we were so bummed we only stayed here one night! Shady, lots of trees, pristine condition of all facilities including dog park, walking trail next to the creek, and large enough sites for our 42' rig. There was live music on night! Furthermore, they were generous and understanding of an emergency situation that happened on the day we needed to leave. The owner even brought my kids popsicles while we packed up! Ask him what he used to do for a living... he'll have a fun telling you about it. Beautiful campground I couldn't recommend more.


Guide to Payson

Payson, Arizona, offers a variety of pet-friendly camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to enjoy nature with their furry companions.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Payson

  • At Houston Mesa Campground, pets are welcome, and the spacious sites allow for plenty of room for dogs to roam and play.
  • Aspen Campground is close to hiking trails and a lake, making it perfect for adventurous pups who love to explore.
  • Enjoy the serene environment at Christopher Creek, where you can take leisurely walks along the creek with your dog.

Tips for camping with dogs near Payson

  • Always keep your dog on a leash at Bear Canyon Lake and Camping Area to ensure their safety and the comfort of other campers.
  • Bring plenty of water and snacks for your pet, especially when visiting Payson Campground & RV Resort, where amenities are available but outdoor adventures can be tiring.
  • Make sure to clean up after your dog to maintain the natural beauty of places like Mogollon Campground, which is known for its well-kept grounds.

Dog owners appreciate the spacious sites and clean facilities

  • Families with pets enjoy the ample space at Sharp Creek, where the camp hosts maintain a clean and welcoming environment.
  • Ponderosa Campground features large sites that provide privacy and a peaceful atmosphere, ideal for relaxing with your dog.
  • The friendly atmosphere at Kehl Springs Campground makes it a favorite among pet owners looking for a comfortable camping experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Payson, AZ is Houston Mesa Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 37 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 198 dog-friendly camping locations near Payson, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.