Camping options near Vernon, Arizona feature varied terrain in the White Mountains region at elevations around 6,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically range between 70-85°F during the day, making it a popular retreat from desert heat. Cell service can be spotty throughout the region, particularly in more remote camping locations away from the main highways.
What to do
Wildlife viewing: Campers at Hon-Dah RV Park often spot wild horses in the evenings. "Wild horses venture through the camp in the evening!" notes one visitor who appreciated this unique wildlife opportunity.
Cycling opportunities: The region offers excellent biking trails accessible from many campgrounds. Near Venture In RV Resort, one camper shared: "We rode our eBikes to get to just about everything" while another at Ponderosa mentioned "plenty local attractions: lakes, rivers and streams, wilderness and national forests... biking (wish I brought my mtn bike)."
Fishing access: Multiple lakes and streams within 30 minutes of Vernon provide fishing spots. Campers can use Springerville RV Park as a base camp, noting it's "close to town" with "Safeway Grocery store about a 5 minute drive down the road" for supplies.
What campers like
Quiet atmosphere: Many visitors appreciate the peaceful settings. A Waltner's RV Resort guest noted it's "close to town but you'd never know it. Among the pines and cedar trees of the White Mountains."
Level sites: Several parks offer well-maintained, level camping spots. At Springerville RV Park, a reviewer mentioned: "The whole campground is graded level with fresh gravel each spring. Which makes it nice to park and to get level you just have to raise or lower your tongue jack."
Wide spaces: Many campgrounds provide roomier sites than typical RV parks. "The spots are big and spread out" reports a visitor to Snowflake Arizona RV Park, while another at Ponderosa RV Resort mentioned it's "a reasonably quiet RV park in the pines... with back-in and pull through gravel sites."
What you should know
Reservation timing: Summer months fill quickly at most parks. A Gristmill Farms RV Park visitor highlighted the "great online reservation system. Even same day," but at Hon-Dah RV Park another camper cautioned: "It is very busy so advance reservations are the norm."
Internet limitations: WiFi varies significantly between campgrounds. One camper reported: "There is WiFi offered for a fee" at Venture In, while at Springerville RV Park a visitor found "a very limited WiFi... our Fire TV can't connect enough to watch."
Entertainment options: Many parks lack television reception. A Springerville visitor noted: "Tried to do an over air scan with our TV, but no stations found. So you will need to bring your own Satellite system or your own DVD's or movies to watch."
Tips for camping with families
Activities: Consider campgrounds with community spaces for kids. Springerville RV Park has "the very big flat oval drive way around the pull through area the kids could ride their bikes around, have seen a few doing that."
Playgrounds: Limited play areas exist at most RV parks. One visitor noted Springerville has "no play grounds for kids" which earned a 4-star rather than 5-star rating.
Swimming options: While many parks lack pools, some provide alternatives. At Encore Venture In, "They do not have a pool or hot tub but will give a free pass to the Show Low aquatic center for use."
Tips from RVers
Site access challenges: Be prepared for tight turns at some parks. At Venture In, "Almost all the sites have a tree planted right at the front next to the road. Some of the trees are a bit wide which really makes getting into the site difficult."
Road conditions: Watch for speed bumps in campground driveways. At Hon-Dah, campers warn to drive slowly as "the roads are gravel and packed gravel that handle the rain nicely."
Surface materials: Gravel pads may affect mobility. One visitor at Venture In mentioned sites "are covered in cinders which are a bit of a pain. They present a somewhat soft surface which is like walking in about 6 inches of soft sand."
