Tonto National Forest, Arizona
- Fee per nightnot confirmed
- Seasonnot listed
- RV length (some sites)not listed
- Drinking waternot listed
- Electricyes
At a glance: Confirmed: electric hookups and flush toilets. Not listed: drinking water, showers and maximum RV length.
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Amenities
“Not listed” means the official sources don’t say - it does not mean “no”.
- Electric hookups Yes
- Drinking water Not listed
- Flush toilets Yes
- Showers Not listed
- Dump station Not listed
- Water hookups at sites No
- Sewer hookups Not listed
- Tent sites Yes
- RV / trailer sites Yes
- Reservable online Yes
Sites, fees and season
- Campsites
- 126
- Elevation
- 5,060 ft
- Phone
- (928) 468-7135 (campground or managing office)
Fees are not listed in the official data. Check the official site before you go.
Location and nearby campgrounds
Location on the map · Driving directions · 34.27000, -111.31417 (the official listing point; check the access road for large rigs)
- Christopher Creek 16.2 mi straight-line
- Long Valley Group Campground 17.4 mi straight-line
- Mogollon Campground 20.7 mi straight-line
- Rock Crossing Campground (AZ) 21.1 mi straight-line
- Aspen (Az) 21.4 mi straight-line
From the official listing description, directions and rules
Houston Mesa Campground is located in the forested northern section of Tonto National Forest, just 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 miles of non-motorized trails nearby. Easy access to the Town of Payson amenities makes this campground ideal! As one of the 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.
Recreation
Many visitors come to Payson to ride, hike, camp and picnic. Houston Mesa Campground is centrally located for access to Rim Country's best trails. Check out the National Recreation Highline Trail from its many access points along the control road (beginning or ending at Pine TH or 260 TH) or travel a short distance to the Pine trailhead to access over 20 miles of non motorized trails in the Pine Strawberry area.
Weather forecast - next 7 days
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Climate by month
Average daily high and low and monthly precipitation, 1991-2020 normals from the NOAA station Payson - 3.1 mi away, station at 4,850 ft - 210 ft lower than the campground (5,060 ft). Long-term averages, not a forecast; the open season is listed separately above.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 26 | 2.27 |
| Feb | 58 | 28 | 2.33 |
| Mar | 65 | 32 | 1.89 |
| Apr | 72 | 36 | 0.82 |
| May | 80 | 43 | 0.54 |
| Jun | 90 | 51 | 0.21 |
| Jul | 92 | 60 | 2.81 |
| Aug | 90 | 59 | 2.60 |
| Sep | 86 | 52 | 1.54 |
| Oct | 76 | 41 | 1.26 |
| Nov | 64 | 31 | 1.48 |
| Dec | 55 | 26 | 2.09 |
Highlight months with an average high between and °F:
Photos from visitors
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Reviews are the personal experience of registered visitors. They do not change the official facts above; a reported problem (for example "the water was off") is checked against the official sources.
Questions & answers
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Answers come from visitors, the campground (only its verified representative is labelled "Campground") and our team. They never change the official facts above.
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Sources and data dates where every fact comes from
| Fact | Source | Fetched from the source |
|---|---|---|
| Campsites | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Reservable online | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Tent sites | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| RV / trailer sites | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Electric hookups | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Water hookups at sites | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Flush toilets | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Elevation | USGS elevation (EPQS) | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Official page | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Official reservations | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
| Phone | Recreation.gov (RIDB) | Oct 25, 2026 source updated May 22, 2026 |
Last successful data update for this page: Oct 26, 2026. That is when we last read the official sources - not a personal visit, and not the date the source itself changed (shown per fact above). Found something wrong? Report an error.