Best Glamping near Strawberry, AZ

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.

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.

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!

The Thousand Trails Verde Valley RV Resort is a lovely Thousand Trails RV park located in Cottonwood, Arizona in the Verde Valley. The park is very well-kept and maintained and the staff is friendly and helpful. The premium sites are unbelievably huge in size and have upgraded FHU. The views from them are worth the extra $5-7.50 per night alone! They are level and gravel which makes parking a dream! The amenities here include pool, sauna, community room, shuffleboard, volleyball, basketball, tennis, mini golf, hiking trails, game room, pool tables, horseshoes, ping pong, dog runs, etc. The park is located just down the road from Cottonwood and the historic downtown district. There is a lot of things to do nearby including hiking trails, wineries and vineyards, shopping, historical sites, state parks and more! The only downside we have found to this park is the Wifi. Our signals have been pretty spotty here. This is definitely one of the nicer Thousand Trails parks we’ve been to and we will certainly be back. 👍🏻

For campground videos and more, check out our YouTube channel: Jeff & Steff’s Excellent Adventure.

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 day at Houston Mesa!  We are from Phoenix and the weather has been 115 every day, so we needed a break from the heat.  This campsite was only an hour and a half from our house, and there was a 30 degree temperature drop.  Loved the relief!

Each of the sites has a lot of space and are well spread out and mostly shaded.  Our site was gorgeous with big trees and no one we could see or hear nearby. When we arrived, one of the camp hosts came right to our spot in a golf cart to check if we needed anything and to give us a pamphlet on bears (yikes!).  

There are several bathrooms with flush toilets, and each was clean and well cared for.  Showers are there and are coin operated ($3 for 6 minutes). Firewood is also available to purchase for $7 a bundle.  

Features we loved: privacy, clean bathrooms, and they even had an adorable nature trail!  The kids loved running from sign to sign. There is also an amphitheater there, if you were having a family or group gathering.  

The campground is rather close to the highway, so you do get some noise off of that, but it really wasn’t bad and didn’t bother me a bit.

Really recommend this place, we can’t wait to come back!

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time.  At Houston Mesa, I got to test out some OOFOS OOahh Sport Slide Sandals.

These sandals are SO SOFT and SQUISHY!  They claim to absorb 37% more than other foam type shoes, and I sure believe it.  They are incredible soft and take a lot of pressure off my feet.

I chose the slip on ones because I like to wear socks with my sandals (haha) especially while camping.  Going in and out of the tent I could put these on and off so easily, I loved it.

The only negative thing I have to say about them, is that I got a small blister on my instep while wearing them (barefoot).  This is hardly a negative remark because I have VERY sensitive skin (my feet always get blisters if I’m not wearing socks) and I have been wearing these all day every day since I got them!  

I promise these will be your new favorite sandals!  Perfect for camping, the gym, around town, or lounging around the house!  

Grab your own pair at https://www.oofos.com/

For a video of the campground from our trip, visit: https://youtu.be/ZAtHtVGTjU4

Campground Review

We LOVE Houston Mesa!  This is our second time staying here, and we had an even better time this time then last time  (and we had an amazing time last time, so that was hard to beat).

Located just 1.5 hours from Phoenix, this is a super easy getaway from The Valley.  Houston Mesa Campground is also right off the main highway of town, so if you forgot something (or just want McDonalds instead of hot dogs) you can find civilization about 2 minutes away.

This time we went up with friends and stayed at sites Black Bear 4 and 5.  These sites were PERFECT to book together, since they made one huge space when connected.  We had 3 families, each with large tents, and had plenty of space. We will stay at these same sites next time.  The bathroom is also right next to site 3, so it was easy to walk to.

Bathrooms are clean and have flush toilets.  There are showers available at a central shower building, but we did not use those.

Each site comes with a picnic table and a fire pit (complete with BBQ grill topper).  I also found the sites to be freshly racked on arrival, so that was nice.

There is also a great nature walk at the park that you can do with young kids.  Every few feet is a sign describing local animals and plants.

A short 15 minute drive away is the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park --  a must see in the area! Beautiful and easy hike to see a absolutely gorgeous natural wonder.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - at Houston Mesa I was testing the GrubStick Deluxe Kit.  

Wow. Wow.  WOW. This set is a GAME CHANGER for campfire cooking.  We have been using dinky little forks forever and having to buy new ones every few trips because they get bent out of shape or burned up.  This kit will last you FOREVER. They are so well made!

This kit includes two grippy telescoping handles, and then a ton of accessories (2 fork toppers, a cage for whole S’mores, a cage for burgers, a small metal rod to make bacon cups, and a large metal rod to cook dough). There are also 4 other accessories, like hot pags and cage openers that are thoughtful additions.  AND they come in their own mini duffel bag!

My friends were seriously blown away when they saw our set and were asking so many questions about it.  My favorite part was the dough rod, because we made delicious campfire cinnamon-sugar crescent roll cylinders!!

5 Stars for GrubStick, can’t wait to try out new recipes!

Check out my video review here: https://youtu.be/JPNznJ7wApE