§ 02 — OVERVIEW
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.
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.
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.
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. Elk, javelina, skunk and coyote live in the area and can be seen in the campground. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (928) 474-7900.
§ 04 — CONDITIONS
National Weather Service · seven-day outlook · updated hourly
§ 05 — SIGNAL
FCC broadband data · actual signal varies in remote terrain
§ 06—09 — FROM THE FIELD
Community Intel from visitors, written reviews, dated trip reports, and reader-submitted photographs.
§ 07 — REVIEWS
§ 08 — TRIP REPORTS
§ 09 — COMMUNITY PHOTOS
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. If you are an avid mountain biker or hiker please check out the National Recreation Highline Trail-which spans 63 miles below the Mogollon Rim.
RV Information
Up to 99 ft
Maximum RV Length
Trailers up to 99 ft
86 sites with electric
§ 03 — TRAILS NEARBY
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§ 01 — VITALS
AT&T
T-Mobile
Verizon
Based on FCC availability data. Actual signal may vary in remote terrain.
Thu
95°F
Sunny
0 to 12 mph SW
Fri
95°F
Mostly Sunny
0 to 9 mph W
Sat
93°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
0 to 9 mph SW
Sun
92°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
0 to 10 mph SW
Mon
92°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
0 to 9 mph SW
Tue
95°F
Sunny
1 to 9 mph W
Wed
95°F
Sunny
0 to 10 mph W
