Are you looking for a place to stay in Young with your horse? Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Arizona horse camping excursion.
Houston Mesa Campground is located in the forested northern section of Tonto National Forest, just one mile north of Payson, Arizona and less than two hours from Phoenix. With family, equestrian and tent-only campsites, this campground can accommodate a range of visitors and offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, including several miles of hiking and horseback riding trails nearby. As the fifth largest forest in the United States, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited "urban" forests in the United States (approximately 5.8 million visitors annually). Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.
Many visitors come to Houston Mesa to horseback ride, hike, camp and picnic. Houston Mesa Loop Trail is a 9-mile round trip through a pinyon and juniper woodland and can be accessed from the horse camping area. The Houston Mesa Interpretive Trail is a 0.5-mile self-guided trail.
Houston Mesa has 102 campsites, including 46 standard sites, 27 equestrian sites for campers with horses or mules, and 29 tent-only sites for those who want a quieter experience. There are several amenities to make campers feel at home, including flush toilets. The horse camping section (Mule Deer Loop) is across the street from the main campground and features 27 individual sites with tables and grills. Corrals are also available. Campers who reserve sites 7 - 18 must have horses or mules.__You do not need to have a horse or mule present to use sites 2 - 6 and 19 - 30 in Horse Camp (First Come, First Serve). Horse Camp closes seasonally from November - March.
The campground is located at an elevation of 5,200 ft. in a mixed forest and shrub area, with spacious campsites offering both sun and shade. Winters are pleasant and cool with cold nighttime temperatures, while summers are warm and sunny, providing a nice getaway from the hotter deserts around Phoenix. Hawks, eagles, javelina, deer, fox, skunk and coyote live in the area.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 474-7900.
Campers who make the quick trip to the town of Payson, one mile south, will find restaurants, shopping and other conveniences. Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest, which embraces almost 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim.
$20 - $22 / night
Mogollon Campground, although not directly in the Woods Canyon Recreation area, sits just outside and is only two miles from the lake. For those who like spectacular views, this campground is one of the closest to the Mogollon Rim.
Fishing and boating are available at Woods Canyon Lake which is approximately three miles from the campground on Road 105.
Mogollon Campground has 26 sites (of which sites 14 through 26 are available for advanced reservation). All sites are pull-outs and approximately 40 feet. Sites can accommodate tents, pop-up campers, trailers, and motorhomes. There are two loops which have 13 sites per loop. Each campsite offers a campfire ring, grill and picnic table. Additional amenities include accessible vault toilets, drinking water and trash service. A camp host is available at the site.
Mogollon Campground is surrounded by ponderosa pines. The road to Mogollon is a sandy road off of Road 300. The campground itself is also sandy and gravel.
Some groceries are available at the Marina Store at Woods Canyon Lake which is approximately three miles from the campground. The store also offers boat and kayak rentals. Woods Canyon Lake is a great lake for fishing.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 535-0181.
$18 / night
Colcord Ridge Situated within a mixed forest of Ponderosa pine, white and Douglas fir, Colcord Ridge is a great place to go during the hot summer months. Trout fishing is available -- 5 miles to the east of Canyon Creek Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery -- 5 miles east on FR 33. Wildlife includes: Black bear, elk, mountain lion, javelina and deer. This site is a great camp site for youth first learning how to camp. Pack It In, Pack It Out.
Located on central Arizona's largest lake, Windy Hill offers great water recreation opportunities to the public. Because of its close proximity to the Lake, Windy Hill allows fishing, non-motorized and motorized boating, along with hiking trails. There are plenty of developed campsites available at Windy Hill, which allows for an easy, quick escape during any time of the year for families and individuals.__
Fishing is popular activity where anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish species, such as Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass; Crappie; Sunfish; Channel and Flathead Catfish. This campground is also situated right on the shore of Roosevelt Lake which is open to boating, kayaking, and other water-related activites. A fully accessible boat ramp and fishing dock are available for easy lake access, and maps and other important site details can be found at the kiosks at the entrance to the campground.__
147 camp units with shade ramadas, fire rings with grills, picnic tables, and potable water hydrants. Toilets and showers are located throughout the camp loops. There are playgrounds and an amphitheater. Picnicking allowed only at the Blevins Picnic Site. Maximum occupancy per individual camp unit is 10. Maximum occupancy per double camp unit is 20. Maximum number of vehicles per individual camp unit is three. Maximum number of vehicles per double camp unit is six. All vehicles must completely fit within the designated parking area. Check-in time is 12:00 pm, and check-out time is 10:00 am
Two National Scenic Byways (AZ Hwy 88 Apache Trail and AZ Hwy 288 Spines to Pines Highway). Roosevelt Dam, Tonto National Monument, the Arizona Trail, endless miles of jeep trails, Towns of Payson and Globe, Superstition, Sierra Ancha, and Four Peaks Wilderness'. Don't forget to stop by the Tonto Basin Environmental Center learn about the history of the area.__
$50 / night
Bartlett Flat Bartlett Reservoir and the Arizona Upland phase of the Sonoran Desert. This site offers beautiful vistas of the surrounding mountains. Bartlett Flat has primitive boat launch opportunities for small boats. River Access Point (RAP) for Verde River. There are no designated campsites at this shoreline area but camping along the shore is allowed. High water levels will limit the amount of available shoreline in this area.
Located just 2 miles south of Payson, AZ just off highway 87.
Large area for big rigs to pull in and turn around.
This is a horse facility but you do not have to have horses to stay here.
Campers with horses can reserve a 15' x 32' partially covered stall for $15 per night.
Pets are welcome but must be contained or on a leash at all times.
Facility is in a very quiet neighborhood and is a 5 minute walk to several different surround trails.
$45 / night
Timber Camp Recreation Area has one of the most popular family and group campgrounds in the Tonto National Forest offering both day-use sites and over-night areas.
Abundant recreation opportunities such as cross-country horseback riding, hiking, in-season hunting, exploring, off-highway vehicle use and wildlife viewing are in close proximity. In the spring, whitewater rafting trips on the Upper Salt River launch a mere 20-minute drive from the site. Brundrett 2 and the equestrian sites are excellent places to stage authorized outdoor group events (a separate permit may be required). While there are no dedicated equestrian trails, the surrounding terrain is ideal for cross-country horseback riding.
Brundrett 2 is a group camping area available for advanced reservations for overnight and day use. The stay limit is 14 days, and trailers must be less than 45 feet. Brundrett 2 accommodates up to 150 people maximum and offers a large open gravel lot providing ample space for group activities. There is an open parking area for approximately 15 RVs or 25 passenger vehicles. Accessible vault toilets, campfire rings, grills, a pavilion and tables are provided.The equestrian site is available for advanced reservations for overnight and day use. This is a Non Electric site. Non-equestrian use is not permitted, site is reservable for equestrian use only. The stay limit is 14 days, and trailers must be less than 45 feet. There is a 150 person maximum for this group site. The facility offers steel corrals, two hitching rails, manure bins and open parking for about 25 vehicles pulling trailers up to 45 feet. In addition, the area includes a large group gathering area with pavilion with picnic tables, group cooking grill and serving tables. The group site is fenced, and the front entrance gated. Brundrett 1 is a first-come, first-served camping area with 13 individual campsites (12 single occupancy, 1 double occupancy) and a fee payable on site. This area has a large shade pavilion, picnic tables, fire grills and rings and two accessible vault toilets.There is a first-come, first-served day use facility located nearby.
Located within the Timber Camp Mountains and surrounded by a ponderosa pine and juniper woodland, this area offers a cool get away from the hot summer months. Five miles east of the site, the area eventually meets the ledges and beautiful vistas of the Salt River Canyon and the Salt River Canyon Wilderness.
Approximately 10 miles north along Highway 60, on White Mountain Apache Tribal Lands, lies Seneca Lake and Falls, a popular recreation area for sightseeing and fishing (WMAT permit required). As you continue further north along Highway 60, the road cascades down into the Salt River Canyon where several overlooks allow you to capture the magnificent beauty of "Arizona's other Grand Canyon". Only 24 miles south from Timber Camp, the City of Globe offers an array of restaurants, as well as antique, grocery, and feed and tack stores.
$16 / night
Several miles of hiking and horse riding trails are accessible from the site. Horses are allowed at this site, and can be ridden south on the Cottonwood Canyon Trail to access the Arizona Trail. There are 11 camp units w/ shade ramadas, fire rings w/ grills, picnic tables, potable water hydrants and a toilet building.
Houston Mesa Campground is located in the forested northern section of Tonto National Forest, just one mile north of Payson, Arizona and less than two hours from Phoenix. With family, equestrian and tent-only campsites, this campground can accommodate a range of visitors and offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, including several miles of hiking and horseback riding trails nearby. As the fifth largest forest in the United States, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited "urban" forests in the United States (approximately 5.8 million visitors annually). Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.
Many visitors come to Houston Mesa to horseback ride, hike, camp and picnic. Houston Mesa Loop Trail is a 9-mile round trip through a pinyon and juniper woodland and can be accessed from the horse camping area. The Houston Mesa Interpretive Trail is a 0.5-mile self-guided trail.
Houston Mesa has 102 campsites, including 46 standard sites, 27 equestrian sites for campers with horses or mules, and 29 tent-only sites for those who want a quieter experience. There are several amenities to make campers feel at home, including flush toilets. The horse camping section (Mule Deer Loop) is across the street from the main campground and features 27 individual sites with tables and grills. Corrals are also available. Campers who reserve sites 7 - 18 must have horses or mules.__You do not need to have a horse or mule present to use sites 2 - 6 and 19 - 30 in Horse Camp (First Come, First Serve). Horse Camp closes seasonally from November - March.
The campground is located at an elevation of 5,200 ft. in a mixed forest and shrub area, with spacious campsites offering both sun and shade. Winters are pleasant and cool with cold nighttime temperatures, while summers are warm and sunny, providing a nice getaway from the hotter deserts around Phoenix. Hawks, eagles, javelina, deer, fox, skunk and coyote live in the area.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 474-7900.
Campers who make the quick trip to the town of Payson, one mile south, will find restaurants, shopping and other conveniences. Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest, which embraces almost 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim.
$20 - $22 / night
Mogollon Campground, although not directly in the Woods Canyon Recreation area, sits just outside and is only two miles from the lake. For those who like spectacular views, this campground is one of the closest to the Mogollon Rim.
Fishing and boating are available at Woods Canyon Lake which is approximately three miles from the campground on Road 105.
Mogollon Campground has 26 sites (of which sites 14 through 26 are available for advanced reservation). All sites are pull-outs and approximately 40 feet. Sites can accommodate tents, pop-up campers, trailers, and motorhomes. There are two loops which have 13 sites per loop. Each campsite offers a campfire ring, grill and picnic table. Additional amenities include accessible vault toilets, drinking water and trash service. A camp host is available at the site.
Mogollon Campground is surrounded by ponderosa pines. The road to Mogollon is a sandy road off of Road 300. The campground itself is also sandy and gravel.
Some groceries are available at the Marina Store at Woods Canyon Lake which is approximately three miles from the campground. The store also offers boat and kayak rentals. Woods Canyon Lake is a great lake for fishing.
For facility specific information, please call (928) 535-0181.
$18 / night
Colcord Ridge Situated within a mixed forest of Ponderosa pine, white and Douglas fir, Colcord Ridge is a great place to go during the hot summer months. Trout fishing is available -- 5 miles to the east of Canyon Creek Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery -- 5 miles east on FR 33. Wildlife includes: Black bear, elk, mountain lion, javelina and deer. This site is a great camp site for youth first learning how to camp. Pack It In, Pack It Out.
Located on central Arizona's largest lake, Windy Hill offers great water recreation opportunities to the public. Because of its close proximity to the Lake, Windy Hill allows fishing, non-motorized and motorized boating, along with hiking trails. There are plenty of developed campsites available at Windy Hill, which allows for an easy, quick escape during any time of the year for families and individuals.__
Fishing is popular activity where anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish species, such as Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass; Crappie; Sunfish; Channel and Flathead Catfish. This campground is also situated right on the shore of Roosevelt Lake which is open to boating, kayaking, and other water-related activites. A fully accessible boat ramp and fishing dock are available for easy lake access, and maps and other important site details can be found at the kiosks at the entrance to the campground.__
147 camp units with shade ramadas, fire rings with grills, picnic tables, and potable water hydrants. Toilets and showers are located throughout the camp loops. There are playgrounds and an amphitheater. Picnicking allowed only at the Blevins Picnic Site. Maximum occupancy per individual camp unit is 10. Maximum occupancy per double camp unit is 20. Maximum number of vehicles per individual camp unit is three. Maximum number of vehicles per double camp unit is six. All vehicles must completely fit within the designated parking area. Check-in time is 12:00 pm, and check-out time is 10:00 am
Two National Scenic Byways (AZ Hwy 88 Apache Trail and AZ Hwy 288 Spines to Pines Highway). Roosevelt Dam, Tonto National Monument, the Arizona Trail, endless miles of jeep trails, Towns of Payson and Globe, Superstition, Sierra Ancha, and Four Peaks Wilderness'. Don't forget to stop by the Tonto Basin Environmental Center learn about the history of the area.__
$50 / night
Bartlett Flat Bartlett Reservoir and the Arizona Upland phase of the Sonoran Desert. This site offers beautiful vistas of the surrounding mountains. Bartlett Flat has primitive boat launch opportunities for small boats. River Access Point (RAP) for Verde River. There are no designated campsites at this shoreline area but camping along the shore is allowed. High water levels will limit the amount of available shoreline in this area.
