Established Camping
Ponderosa Campground (AZ) Tonto National Forest
About
National Forest
Tonto National Forest
Overview
Named for the towering pines under which it sits, Ponderosa Campground is tucked in the rolling forests of northern Arizona. As the fifth-largest forest in the country, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited urban forests in the United States, boasting about 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.
Recreation
Most visitors enjoy walking along the campground's nature trail, traveling into the town of Payson, taking advantage of the area's hiking trails and lakes or simply relaxing at the campsite. Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest. A series of lakes called the Rim Country Lakes are about a 15 minute drive east. Woods Canyon Lake is one of the most popular recreational lakes in the state and offers options for boating.
Facilities
The facility provides 48 single campsites and two group sites that can accommodate up to 25 people guests each. The campsites are clean, flat and spacious with a good amount of shade from pine trees.__ In addition, first-come, first-serve sites are available with payment completed using the on-site fee machine or with the mobile app using scan & pay. No cash is accepted.__ Check-In is 2:00 pm Check-Out is 11:00 am
Natural Features
The ponderosa pine trees make this a memorable campground. Larger ponderosas release a vanilla scent into the air and have a relatively open understory, making the area perfect for camping. Mixed into the understory are junipers, oaks and manzanita shrubs. The campground sits on the border of the Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as "muggy-own," a 200-mile-long cliff in northern Arizona that ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. The unique landscape was created by extreme erosion and faulting that has sculpted spectacular canyons and buttes. The rim serves as the geographical dividing line between the cool high country above and the hot, dry desert below.
Nearby Attractions
The nearby town of Payson, Arizona, offers restaurants, shopping and other conveniences.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (928) 474-7900.
Reservation Info
Reservations can be made by visiting Recreation.gov. Reservations must be made 3 days ahead of arrival and can be made up to 6 months in advance for the standard sites or 12 months in advance for the group sites.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonGood
- AT&TGood
- T-MobileGood
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Great campsite!
We’re we there during the week so there were very few others there. Camp hosts were amazing, very helpful. It rained and stormed each day. There were running streams all around, but no mud. Beautiful forest, lots of hiking or strolling paths. No TV very limited cell service.
Beautiful tall pines
We enjoyed this camp site for its beauty day and night. The stars at night were unbelievable. The sites are large with grill, fire pit, and barbecue. No hook ups. Toilets were primitive (think outhouse) but secure and clean. There is some highway noise so take care selecting site.
Great little campground!
Campground is very clean, seriously I’ve never seen cleaner restrooms at a campground! I was camped at the back of the campground and it was really quiet, I couldn’t hear the highway at all. There are bear safes for your food if you are rent camping, and plenty of back roads to bike ride or hike. The camp hosts, Patti and John S. Are awesome too, they drove us to our spot and got us set up with some firewood, and were very friendly. If I wasn’t on my way to the east coast, this is definitely a place I would visit again!
Location
Ponderosa Campground (AZ) Tonto National Forest is located in Arizona
Directions
From Payson, Arizona, go east on State Route 260. The campground is located on the south side of 260. A campground sign is visible before the campground entrance.
Coordinates
34.2988889 N
111.1141667 W