Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Thatcher? Find the best tent camping sites near Thatcher. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Roper Lake State Park is located 6 miles south of Safford in Graham County in southeast Arizona and sits at the base of Mt. Graham. There are three different campgrounds for lakeside camping as well as fishing, bird watching and water activities. This park is home to a large variety of bird species, offers great seasonal fishing, and is within close proximity to one of Arizona's most beautiful "Sky Island" mountain ranges. Comfy camping cabins dot the shoreline, and neighboring Dankworth Pond State Park offers hiking trails and more water access.
$20 - $70 / night
Mt. Graham camping and Riggs Flat Lake at Riggs Flat Campground. Experience Some come to fish in it, some to boat on it, and some just to enjoy the reflective beauty this small (11 acre) lake adds to such a scenic area. The dam was financed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 1957 to provide trout fishing for forest recreationists. Information about stocking Riggs Lake is available from Arizona Game and Fish Department.
$10 / night
When early settlers ventured up Mount Graham, the Arcadia area was usually as far as they got on the first day. A little later in the history of the Pinaleños, Arcadia was the site of one of several Civilian Conservation Corps camps established in the 1930s to provide jobs for workers idled by the Great Depression. Today, Arcadia Campground, which has 19 campsites, is the first campground visitors encounter on their way up Mount Graham by way of the Swift Trail (AZ 366), which was built by those Depression-era workers. Arcadia Campground is shaded by stands of tall ponderosa pine interspersed with Gambel oaks and Arizona walnuts. Such a diverse habitat makes this an excellent area for bird watching. Watch for poison ivy. Note: Black bear area.
$20 / night
Located in an oak woodland at an elevation of 5,200 feet, Round-the-Mountain campground is pleasant year-round. This campground includes 3 campsites, a restroom, horse corrals, and a trailhead.
Upper Arcadia sits along Swift Trail in southeastern Arizona, providing an escape from desert heat and a pleasant place to take in the high desert scenery in spring and fall. Visitors enjoy hiking, camping, birding and picnicking.
The campground lies along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive, which takes visitors from the Sonoran Desert at 2,900 feet to alpine meadows and forest on the 9,000+ foot ridges of the Pinale__o Range. Because of its diverse habitat, the area is well-known for birding and wildlife watching.__ The Swift Trail provides access to a number of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails, along with several other campgrounds that invite you for an afternoon picnic. A trip up to Riggs Lake, stocked with trout by Arizona Game & Fish, or to the Columbine Visitors Center could make a worth-while day trip as well.____ The Arcadia Trail #328 starts at the Upper Arcadia Campground and leads up the mountain to Shannon Campground. A 1-mile spur off this trail leads to the top of Heliograph Peak, one of the highest mountains in southeastern Arizona.__
The group camping area can accommodate up to 75 people. Amenities include drinking water (available seasonally), vault toilets, picnic tables, and campfire rings with grills. Bear-proof food lockers and trash cans are provided to keep visitors and wildlife safe. Dead-and-down firewood may be collected in and around the campsite. Several first-come, first-served sites are located nearby (must pay separately).
The shady campground is in a thick forest of tall ponderosa pines interspersed with Gambel oaks and Arizona walnuts, at an elevation of 6,700 feet.__ The Coronado National Forest covers 1.78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Elevations range from 3,000 to 10,720 feet in 12 widely scattered mountain ranges, or "sky islands," that rise dramatically from the desert floor, supporting biologically diverse plant communities.
The Mount Graham Wilderness Study Area, which includes the 10,720-foot Mount Graham, the tallest mountain in southern Arizona. Columbine Visitor Center, Riggs Lake, and a variety of trails can be accessed along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive.____ The town of Safford is approximately a 30 minute drive from the Upper Arcadia campground, heading north on SR 191. Safford is home to our Ranger Station, where you can go to find information about trails, camping, hunting and fishing, and other questions you may have about our district (open Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm).
Please review the Rules & Reservations Policies page on recreation.gov
$25 / night
Clark Peak corrals is the last campsite on HWY 366 up the mountain. It is 34.5 miles up from junction 191 on HWY 366. It has 2 campsite units. There are pit toilet restrooms, trash cans, and picnic benches. Elevation 9000’.
Soldier Creek Campground Campsites at Soldier Creek (map) are nestled in a forest grove where large granite boulders sculptured by the forces of nature help separate the sites and add to the area’s scenic beauty. Just a short walk from camp, an abrupt drop-off provides good views of the lower slopes of the Pinalenos, of the Aravaipa Valley and the Galiuro and Winchester mountains. Soldier Creek is especially popular with campers during mid-summer because it is one of the coolest areas on the mountain. The area is also popular with the mountain’s large black bear population, so be doubly careful with food and garbage. Bear Warning: To avoid putting a bear’s life in danger and risking the loss of some of your own property, please dispose of all garbage in the bear-proof containers provided. Also, remember to keep all food out of reach and out of sight of these curious and powerful animals.
Roper Lake State Park is located 6 miles south of Safford in Graham County in southeast Arizona and sits at the base of Mt. Graham. There are three different campgrounds for lakeside camping as well as fishing, bird watching and water activities. This park is home to a large variety of bird species, offers great seasonal fishing, and is within close proximity to one of Arizona's most beautiful "Sky Island" mountain ranges. Comfy camping cabins dot the shoreline, and neighboring Dankworth Pond State Park offers hiking trails and more water access.
$20 - $70 / night
Mt. Graham camping and Riggs Flat Lake at Riggs Flat Campground. Experience Some come to fish in it, some to boat on it, and some just to enjoy the reflective beauty this small (11 acre) lake adds to such a scenic area. The dam was financed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 1957 to provide trout fishing for forest recreationists. Information about stocking Riggs Lake is available from Arizona Game and Fish Department.
$10 / night
When early settlers ventured up Mount Graham, the Arcadia area was usually as far as they got on the first day. A little later in the history of the Pinaleños, Arcadia was the site of one of several Civilian Conservation Corps camps established in the 1930s to provide jobs for workers idled by the Great Depression. Today, Arcadia Campground, which has 19 campsites, is the first campground visitors encounter on their way up Mount Graham by way of the Swift Trail (AZ 366), which was built by those Depression-era workers. Arcadia Campground is shaded by stands of tall ponderosa pine interspersed with Gambel oaks and Arizona walnuts. Such a diverse habitat makes this an excellent area for bird watching. Watch for poison ivy. Note: Black bear area.
$20 / night
Located in an oak woodland at an elevation of 5,200 feet, Round-the-Mountain campground is pleasant year-round. This campground includes 3 campsites, a restroom, horse corrals, and a trailhead.
