Best Tent Camping near Tonto Basin, AZ

Tent campers seeking outdoor experiences in the Tonto Basin area have several options amid the scenic Arizona landscapes. Lower Tonto Creek offers tent sites with picnic tables and fire pits within Tonto National Forest, while Hackamore Road Dispersed camping provides free, primitive tent camping with both drive-in and walk-in access. The Point Campground offers boat-accessible tent sites along the shoreline of Roosevelt Lake, complete with picnic tables and fire rings.

Most primitive tent sites in the Tonto Basin region have minimal amenities, with vault toilets available at established campgrounds like Lower Tonto Creek and The Point Campground. Dispersed camping areas typically lack facilities altogether, requiring campers to pack in water and pack out waste. Fire restrictions are common during dry periods, particularly in summer months. Terrain varies significantly, with many tent sites situated on uneven ground or requiring campers to clear small rocks before setup. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing more remote tent camping areas. A visitor commented, "The drive is one lane and very steep. Watch for oncoming traffic and be ready to squeeze by another car."

The proximity to water features provides a key advantage for tent campers in this region. Sites near Tonto Creek offer access to fishing opportunities and the soothing sounds of flowing water. A camper noted, "From your camp site you can hear the rumbling of Tonto Creek which is just perfect for relaxing into sleep." Summer temperatures can exceed 100°F in lower elevations, making shaded sites particularly valuable. The higher elevation campgrounds offer respite from valley heat, with temperatures typically 15-20 degrees cooler than Phoenix. Road noise can be an issue at some locations, particularly those near Highway 260. Wildlife sightings are common, with some areas providing opportunities to spot desert bighorn sheep along the shorelines of Roosevelt Lake.

Best Tent Sites Near Tonto Basin, Arizona (39)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Tonto Basin, AZ

847 Reviews of 39 Tonto Basin Campgrounds


  • Tara S.
    Feb. 22, 2023

    Roosevelt Lake - Cholla Campground

    Peaceful Spot in the Winter

    We spent 3 nights here in February, and while it was chilly, the place was very quiet and the stars were amazing! There are no hookups here, but there are bathrooms with flush toilets (some have showers), and there are faucets with potable water. There's also a boat launch and a few playgrounds for the kids. 

    There were mostly RVs here, but the waterfront tent sites are amazing if you don't mind walking in from the main parking area (it's not a far walk).

    Each campsite has a picnic table with a shaded awning and a fire pit, but you have to bring in your own wood or gather it from the surrounding forest. Saw lots of birds here - cactus wren, quail, finches, warblers, and road runners.

  • R
    Feb. 29, 2020

    Roosevelt Lake - Schoolhouse Campground

    Quiet with Gorgeous Views

    Right on beautiful Theodore Roosevelt Lake. Nice sites, decently spaced (except 204 and 205 are pretty tight), beautiful 360* mountain views. Well kept. Nick, the host, is friendly and helpful. There are no showers, but there are a few flush toilets. No water hookups, but potable water is available at the restrooms. No electric sites, but we had all the 110 power we needed from our solar panels/inverter system. I’d give this 5 stars if there were a dump station, but there isn’t. The boat launch is very nice.

  • Donna V.
    Apr. 8, 2022

    Houston Mesa Campground

    Nice and quiet

    We enjoyed a couple of days car/tent camping at this multiuser campground . We parked on a private shaded pad next to a fire pit and table. Very quiet (mid week). Showers were closed but the bathrooms were spotless. Camp host on grounds firewood for sale. Close by Payson.

  • Shaun S.
    Apr. 11, 2017

    Christopher Creek

    Family Fun!

    So this campground has it all! The creek, bathrooms, paved roads and space! Site's are clean and well taken care of! Bring firewood or buy it from the host because there is none laying around! The creek is stocked with trout and makes for calming background noise! We will be back for sure! $20 a night per site! Group sites available! Bear boxes at every site and trailers are limited to 22'. No hook ups available but there is a dump station a few miles away at ponderosa!

  • Audrey R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2018

    Bear Canyon Lake and Camping Area

    Just don't go on a holiday weekend

    If you go during the winter months (that is, if roads are open), you may likely be the only one there! The lake is not very easily accessible for camping but it's an easy hike down for fishing, photography, and simply enjoying nature. Keep your eyes peeled, you may spot a bald eagle. The actual campground is usually crowded with no privacy. Perhaps suitable for a large group. Restrooms, never mind, just bring a shovel and use the woods; it's cleaner. Just don't be disgusting and leave it all out. Leave No Trace, PLEASE. Also, you'll need to carry out all your trash. On a holiday weekend (Labor Day especially) there are so many visitors but otherwise only a few venture out that way. Your best bet for solitude is to drive 2-4 miles passed the campground which will be on your right and find a good dispersed spot. Just bring ribbon or rope to mark a tree from the road in case you need to travel down to Woods Canyon Lake store or out to a Rim viewpoint for cell service.

  • Whither W.
    Feb. 1, 2021

    Bartlett Flat

    Crowded and loud on weekends, peaceful when not

    Super accessible from the Phoenix area, very easy to find. You can choose your own camping spot, and there are many existing stone fire rings and pits that are spaced out decently across the area. The earlier you arrive, the more spots you'll have to choose from; most are filled by sundown. A sedan can easily get across the Flat with some careful maneuvering. Vault toilets are all the way at the entrance of the Flat so plan accordingly. (Or... bring a trowel.)

    Lots of families, which means kids, music, and laughter. Never a bad thing, but even if they're not particularly loud, there's no trees or shrubs on the shoreline to dampen the sound and it carries pretty far—especially when kids figure out the lake is basically a giant echo chamber!

    The wind can really whip across the lake when it picks up, and it makes it hard to pitch a tent or run a stove. I recommend setting up camp up by the trees if you don't plan on boating/fishing/RV camping to give yourself a bit of shelter from the wind.

    No hiking or trails to be had here, but definitely a relaxing, pretty spot.

  • April H.
    Nov. 1, 2025

    Christopher Creek

    Nice, Convenient Campground

    This campground is reservable on Rec.gov and you can get sites half price with your Lifetime Senior Pass.  It's situated right off the highway just below the Mogollon Rim.  It's nicely wooded so plenty of shade is available.  A lot of the sites, mine included, are situated along the creek.  (the site with my name was really close to the pit bathroom and the smell was intolerable.-fortunately the ranger let me change sites)  The sites were dirt.  I was tent camping and we did get some rain but not enough to cause a mud issue.  All sites have the standard table and fire ring.  Normally they have water but when I was there the water pump was broken so I had to drive to another campground to get water.  There are no showers.  There wasn't a lot of privacy but the sites were far enough apart to make you feel you had plenty of space.  This seems to be the case with National Forest campgrounds.  There are multiple hiking trails close by and supplies available in the little town of Christopher Creek.

  • Krista Z.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2019

    Woods Canyon Group Campground

    Ranger Review: RovR RollR 60 at Woods Canyon Group Campground

    Campground Review:

    Woods Canyon Group Campground was a great area! There are 12 usable spots most of which I would consider double if not triple occupency. The roads were well maintained and would be easy to drive into even with a car. Each site had a metal fire pit with grill grates and a picnic table. We didn't end up using the fire pits at the individual sites at all because there was a huge (probably about 3 foot wide) metal campfire ring in the middle of the group loop. We easily sat about 20 folding camp chairs around the pit each night. There is also a large concrete area with about 10 picnic tables and 2 huge grills. There are also 2 prep tables and 2 poles with hooks you can use to hang lanterns and trash bags. The only real downside to this area is that it was not covered so mid day sun may be really warm and rain could get in the way. 

    The loop has it's own vault style bathroom building with a men and a women's side. They were very clean and kept well stocked (probably because there is a designated host to the group site and he was very attentive). There are 2 potable water faucets in the loop. When we arrived the water was really murky brown but by the time we left it was running clean. If I had to guess it was because we were the first ones to run water through the pipes in a while. There is also a designated dumpster near the entrance/exit so you don't have to tote your trash home.

    There is only 1 entrance/exit to the loop and it made it really nice for the kids. They were able to ride their bikes around the loop and play in the grassy area in the center without a lot of traffic in and out. There are multiple hiking trails in the area and the lake is just a short walk away. 

    At the entrance there is a sign with prices for the sites per night so I imagine that if you go up on a night that the entire loop is not rented they will rent out single sites. The site is a bit hard to find and can get confusing because it's called Woods Canyon campground at Woods Canyon Lake but there are actually 4 or 5 other campgrounds around Woods Canyon Lake. The sign at the entrance was also broken so it could be easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. I drove up using Google maps and it did take me right to it. With as close as it is to the main road leading to the lake we didn't hear much of the traffic (except for the loud side by sides and quads).

    .....................................................

    Product Review:

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I am testing the RovR RollR 60. This cooler definitely has some cool features that help it stand out. The first thing is the all-terrain puncture resistant rubber tires. I was able to roll this thing through camp and over rocks about the size of baseballs with no issues. If for some reason you do manage to damage the tires they are replaceable! The RollR 60 was very easy to pull. They have a dual sided aluminum handle with rubber grips. The design was made specifically with your heels in mind. You actually pull the cooler off to the side so it isn't constantly bumping into your heels.

    The RollR 60 is certified grizzly bear resistant. It has a rotomolded foam insulated lid and body which helps the ice retention (up to 10 days with proper use) as well as making it super durable. We used it for 3 days and had very little ice melt even with the cooler sitting in the warm mid-day sun. The lid seals with an airtight gasket and I can confirm when it is latched it is leakproof. The cooler has a removable dry bin inside which is one of my favorite parts. This bin attaches to the inside with a removable screw and it keeps all of the water out so no more soggy bags or cardboard! The center divider of the dry bin is cut out and it works great to fit a full size loaf of bread or carton of eggs.

    On top of the RollR 60 is a removable canvas storage bin. The one it comes with is almost an off white color and does show dirt fairly easily so if you are going to be getting filty you may want to upgrade to the designer tote. Even though the tote is collaspsible it is very sturdy when it is set up and can handle a lot of stuff inside. Our fold up camp chairs were hanging out the top and still didn't topple the tote. When the tote is folded down it velcros to the lid for easy storage and then doubles as a make shift padded seat.

    RovR has gone above and beyond with the accessories available for this cooler. They have a prepping board that can attach to the side (perfect for sandwiches, cheese boards, or cutting limes). There is an optional umbrella/rod holder. Again, you could carry the rods or umbrella in the storage tote but this would keep the rod from getting banged up with the other items in there over rough terrain. There is a cup holder because sometimes a flat surface can be hard to find and setting things on the ground can always be risky. There is also a BikR kit you can use to attach it to a bike for easy towing. The accessory I was able to demo was the stash bag. It was a fleece lines drawstring bag with 2 zippered pockets on the outside. It was perfect for putting in my keys, phone, and wallet for easy access and to keep them off the ground and prevent them from getting lost.

    As with all things there are bound to be features that you aren't in love with. When it comes to the RollR 60 these features aren't deal breakers for me but worth calling out. The RollR 60's handle is not adjustable. I'm 5ft 7in and it worked well for me as well as a few other people that tried it all in the 5-6ft height range. However, I could see it being difficult for someone a bit shorter than that (for example a child). When my son was rolling it around he managed to tip it backwards and because it wasn't latched there was ice everywhere. We played around with it and figured out that if you lifted it much beyond 45 degrees it would roll backwards since the handle doesn't lock open. This could be problematic if you were dragging it up a steep incline. The handle is also just about the same height as the cooler and when it hangs down it often hit the ground and did get pretty dirty. 

    The cooler doesn't have a specific lock location. It does have the metal bars where you attach the accessories that you could use a larger padlock on but not a standard sized lock. The drain plug is not attached to the cooler in any way so be sure when you are draining it that you don't set it down and lose it. My biggest peeve was the weight of the cooler. I literally could not lift it by myself when it was loaded so getting it in and out of the truck was a 2 person job. (thankfully, because of the wheels I was able to move it around camp by myself without any issues)

    Overall I really liked the RovR RollR 60. If you like to bike to the beach and take a cooler or to do walk-in campsites this is the way to go. It was so nice to have the additional storage bin on to to help minimize the amounts of trips we needed to make back and forth and it was so easy to pull. Make sure you are either super strong or plan to have help loading and unloading the cooler from a vehicle (again, this would be a great reason to just tow it behind a bike).

  • csey R.
    Jul. 6, 2022

    Houston Mesa Campground

    Houston Mesa Campgrounds AZ

    • Great location
    • close to Phoenix
    • close to Payson
    • close Tonto Natural Bridge
    • close to undian ruins, creeks, hiking, and fishing
    • we came the day after July fourth Independence Day! Many of the holiday campers did not clean. Leave no trace! The Campgrounds stewards slow to cleaning campsites.
    • overall camp host are great and helpful and the campsites nice

Guide to Tonto Basin

Tent campsites near Tonto Basin, Arizona range from established campgrounds to dispersed options throughout the surrounding public lands. Bachelor Cove provides basic tent camping with toilets and trash service, while Hackamore Road Dispersed camping offers free primitive sites for those seeking a more rugged experience. The Point Campground provides an unusual boat-in tent camping experience about two miles upriver from Mormon Flat Dam, with four official tent sites maintained by Tonto National Forest.

Access roads to many dispersed camping areas require careful navigation, particularly at Hackamore Road where multiple reviews warn of difficult conditions. A visitor commented, "The road is a bit tricky. I got here pretty smooth on my RWD Xterra, so while 4WD isn't necessary, I wouldn't come out here without high clearance and decent suspension." Most tent campsites lack amenities such as drinking water, requiring campers to pack in all necessary supplies. Fire regulations vary seasonally, with some areas permitting campfires while others maintain year-round restrictions due to wildfire concerns.

The desert landscape provides unique tent camping experiences with minimal tree cover or shade at most sites. Campers should prepare for temperature extremes typical of Arizona's high desert environment. Tent sites at The Point Campground include covered picnic tables and fire pits, with composting toilets available on site. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, "The sites were in a bit of disrepair and the bathroom wasn't stocked and smelled a bit, but the views and location of this site can't be beat!" Wildlife viewing opportunities include desert birds and bighorn sheep, particularly along water corridors. During peak seasons, dispersed tent camping areas may experience increased traffic from off-road vehicles and local visitors, making weekday visits preferable for those seeking quieter experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Tonto Basin, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Tonto Basin, AZ is Orange Peel with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Tonto Basin, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 39 tent camping locations near Tonto Basin, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.