Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, St. Johns, AZ is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. St. Johns is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near St. Johns, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
Upper Campground
$25 - $65 / night
Enjoy this gorgeous slice of Arizona's White Mountain region from your personal campsite! Listen as a gentle breeze blows through pine boughs, watch big, white, fluffy clouds careen through the sky, and feel the cool northern Arizona chill on your skin. Experience the magic of watching a herd of elk feeding lakeside, or the exhilaration of a fish on the end of your line. We'll provide the possibility of adventure, all you have to do is show up and make memories!
Non-hook-up (Tent Only) Sites 31 sites: Maximum of two vehicles and six adults per site, 10 people total. Concrete pads, fire ring and picnic table, restrooms and showers. RVs are not allowed in non-hook-up (tent only) sites.
Electric RV sites 92 sites: 30 Amp service (some 50 Amp available). Can accommodate up to 40-foot rigs. Water available at all sites. Mallard and Redhead Loops also have sewer available. Maximum of two vehicles and six adults each, 12 people total.
April 1 through Oct. 30, there is a two night minimum stay for weekend camping: you must reserve both Friday and Saturday night.
$25 - $70 / night
We are an RV and tent property in the white mountains located in Vernon, AZ. We have plenty of bare land that we maintain to pick a spot and start camping on, we have a fast food restaurant/grocery store on property that offers drive in/outdoor movies on designated nights. The peaceful tranquil property is located at the foot of Cerro Montoso Volcano where the Antelopes roam. We have limited Free electricity due to solar power and are working extending this limited free electricity to sites. We are also in process of building a shower/outhouse across from the store.
$10 - $15 / night
Million dollar sunsets on an ever changing bluff over a valley. Various wildlife, lots of scrub juniper and wildflowers. Very quiet. Beautiful start filled night skies.
Primitive camping. I'm just starting and getting water set up with outdoor showers by next season.
You must have a high clearance vehicle to access property. 4-wheel drive might be needed in rainy/snowy times.
I have a central fire pit. No fires at camp sites. Friday night s'mores depending on weather and campers interested. Well behaved Kids welcome with parent/guardian/ 15 years old or older well behaved sibling.
Holiday dinners and gatherings upon interested guests. Let me know and we can Cowboy it up.
$10 - $200 / night
If getting completely away from it all and experiencing the outdoors for all it has to offer is your camping ideal then plan your camping vacation in the Big Lake Recreation Area. Big Lake itself is 575 acres, and makes a convenient base for other local lakes like Crescent Lake, Lee Valley Lake and the East and West Forks of the Black River. Choose your site from one of nine campgrounds and experience exceptional hiking and mountain biking trails, wildlife viewing, and trout fishing. Campers have the convenience of paved roads, a dump station and showers, but no electric hookups. Apache Trout, the largest campground can accomodate RVs (max 45 feet) as well as in sections of Grayling Campground. Two campgrounds give tent campers the entire campground all to themselves. A visitor center and naturalist programs offer plenty of knowledge about the area.
120 Acres easy access to I-40. (One mile of county maintained primitive road to property, dirt roads on property) Several boondocking/tent areas to choose from whether you enjoy wide open space or nestled near beautiful Juniper trees. Limited electric sites, we do not offer trash removal, dump station or water filling facility. Pack it in/Pack it out please. Community house open 24 hours for bathroom, showers, cooking. (donations accepted).
Recommend arriving before dark, black skies here unless you arrive under a full moon! Please follow map that we will provide upon booking. GPS wants to lead you down a "damaged road". This road is marked in RED on the map and now has a PRIVATE DRIVE sign to deter campers from entering. Please drive all the way over the hill to the north road before turning left.
We are in the challenging process of cleaning/rehabbing the property with the intentions of stewarding a working Eco-village with the focus on helping travelers/nomads. Please join our Facebook group LunaGaia Nomadic Village and/or Nomads Helping Nomads Network (website in progress).
$10 - $20 / night
We are an RV and tent property in the white mountains located in Vernon, AZ. We have plenty of bare land that we maintain to pick a spot and start camping on, we have a fast food restaurant/grocery store on property that offers drive in/outdoor movies on designated nights. The peaceful tranquil property is located at the foot of Cerro Montoso Volcano where the Antelopes roam. We have limited Free electricity due to solar power and are working extending this limited free electricity to sites. We are also in process of building a shower/outhouse across from the store.
$10 - $15 / night
Million dollar sunsets on an ever changing bluff over a valley. Various wildlife, lots of scrub juniper and wildflowers. Very quiet. Beautiful start filled night skies.
Primitive camping. I'm just starting and getting water set up with outdoor showers by next season.
You must have a high clearance vehicle to access property. 4-wheel drive might be needed in rainy/snowy times.
I have a central fire pit. No fires at camp sites. Friday night s'mores depending on weather and campers interested. Well behaved Kids welcome with parent/guardian/ 15 years old or older well behaved sibling.
Holiday dinners and gatherings upon interested guests. Let me know and we can Cowboy it up.
$10 - $200 / night
If getting completely away from it all and experiencing the outdoors for all it has to offer is your camping ideal then plan your camping vacation in the Big Lake Recreation Area. Big Lake itself is 575 acres, and makes a convenient base for other local lakes like Crescent Lake, Lee Valley Lake and the East and West Forks of the Black River. Choose your site from one of nine campgrounds and experience exceptional hiking and mountain biking trails, wildlife viewing, and trout fishing. Campers have the convenience of paved roads, a dump station and showers, but no electric hookups. Apache Trout, the largest campground can accomodate RVs (max 45 feet) as well as in sections of Grayling Campground. Two campgrounds give tent campers the entire campground all to themselves. A visitor center and naturalist programs offer plenty of knowledge about the area.
Traveler
The entire Mallard loop has generous paved sites. There is a picnic table and nice fire pit. Plenty of paved space to set up. Pines surround each site and provide ample shade. Each site has easy access to the lake. The bathrooms have showers and were spotless.
Scout
Gorgeous place, beautiful landscape (awesome sunsets and sunrises), very welcoming hosts and a real sense of community.
This is NOT your ordinary campground.
Some sites with electrical hookups...
less expensive... quieter...
Not far from the petrified forest.
Short dirt road travel off I-40.
Scout
Great fire pit and some flat spots for a tent. The highway got quieter in the middle of the night for a little while. We stayed right next to some ruins and all three of us had wild dreams about ghosts, ghost horses, and animals. The next morning we found we were only a few steps away from a mountain lion kill site! WOW! So many kinds of animals. Elk. Coyote. Cow. Sheep. You name it! It was an exciting way to spend the evening. Enjoy!
Scout
Got here at night and found it quite easily. Not the most scenic as the lake is dried up and the highway is visible (and audible). Trash cans were overflowing with trash, and a few of the sites were trashed as well. I also think I saw human poop by the bushes. At around midnight some guy came by our tent asking if we knew where the portopotties went, and said the site we were at is where he usually stays…
Legend
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.
Traveler
Great overnight stop after a visit through The Petrified Forest. Location awesome. We went to the area through the gate past the sheltered electric camp spots. There were cement pads as well in the fenced area. We positioned our trailer to block the light from the Crystal shop so we could photograph the milky way. Felt very safe.
The Crystal shop opens at 8am. Bought a few affordable crystals, friendly and knowledgable staff. A few photo opps with old cars weighed down with petrified rocks.
Scout
Your article made me want to pack my bags and go immediately! Thanks for sharing. Play game planet clicker with me!
Traveler
Nice couple of sites with a variety of trees not just Ponderosa Pine. Logging tucks noisy during the day. At 9200 ft elevation got cold at night in September.
Ranger
Wonderful campground with flat sites, well spaced. Pit toilets and a shower. Dump on site! A bit expensive for dry camping but there in no dispersed camping in Greer and the neighboring apache res requires a $9 permit to dispersed camp. Three reservoirs nearby to hike to or fish at.
Ranger
Very large CG with full hookups, level sites, flush toilets and showers. Casino and its restaurants next door. Wild horses venture through the camp in the evening! Spots are pretty close together, it is very full and mostly full timer/long term campers. Staff was helpful and courteous. We did not have a reservation until that morning. It is very busy so advance reservations are the norm. casino offers first timers a players pass with $6 for food and $5 casino credit.
Scout
Only a couple logging trucks on a very nice maintained road. All alone on a mountain top!! Me and my dog are living the life!
Traveler
Park is looking great. Great location between Show Low and Pinetop with Highway access.
Ranger
Right along the highway on a big climb from both sides. Maybe when the b/w photo was taken it was cool with 10% of the traffic now? The road is crazy busy these days. I would not recommend this location.
GuideEasy to get to, close to town, clearly marked trails and roadways. Hiking views were spectacular.
GuideIt 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.
TravelerNot much to it, just some picnic tables on slabs next to parking spots. But if u plan to go into the park in the morning it makes sense.
Ranger
This is not a campground, but a spot to pull off the road when logging trucks are coming up.
Ranger
Always great fishing here. There is NO camping here. I repeat, NO CAMPING. But plenty of dispersed to be found up the road further all the way to Terry Flat. There are trails up the road and some OHV and a Jeep trail. There is housing when coming off the highway. Be respectful and don’t drive 45 down the road. Take your time and take it in.
Ranger
Quiet place not far off a Forest Service Rd.
Ranger
Nice quiet area. Small lake. Didn’t fish, so unsure. No amenities at all, which is fine. Road is a little rough going in, in places.
ScoutA little hard to find but Janet was so helpful! There’s a shower and a communal cooking space and tons of options for camping. There’s not really designated camp spots, so pretty bare bones, but you can’t beat the price.
Scout
Both host phone numbers disconnected.
Campgrounds in disarray. Abandoned cars in lot. Animal skulls mounted on fence posts.
We’re pretty much up for anything… but no, just no - went on to Holbrook and got a hotel with no worries for the same price.
Zero stars if we could.
RangerGreat, great free camping. ~20 sites, most official sites have concrete pads & trashcans but a few more primitive spots just have driveways & rock campfire rings. Great Verizon Service. WINDY. Pretty, too.
Scout
Super close to petrified forest, roads are easy to get over with any awd car with decent clearance. Host was very nice and easy to contact! Just make sure to ask/clarify directions before going it's not too obvious when you get in initially.
ScoutWe actually didn’t stay as it just felt uncomfortable. Unfortunately Janet was not there and while we spoke on the phone, the person who was to greet us was not there. No signage at all which would have been helpful. The area is somewhat unkempt - the few rigs there were in rough shape and looked as though they had been there for a while. Sites were not obvious. An old wrecked car is near the site. We were just kind of creeped out so didn’t stay.
Guide
Pretty uneventful. They're still putting the place together but all hookups are ready to go. Great online reservation system. Even same day
Guide
Just an overnighter, very quiet, looks to very new. Good internet reception. Very level site, we didn't have to unhook.
Camping near St. Johns, Arizona, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near St. Johns, Arizona, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near St. Johns, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, St. Johns, AZ offers a wide range of camping options, with 102 campgrounds and RV parks near St. Johns, AZ and 14 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near St. Johns, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near St. Johns, AZ is Lyman Lake State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 18 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near St. Johns, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 free dispersed camping spots near St. Johns, AZ.
What parks are near St. Johns, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 7 parks near St. Johns, AZ that allow camping, notably Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and El Morro National Monument.
