Tonto/Ponderosa

Ryan Wargo

We were looking for a quick Saturday night camp outing in our Airstream and this looked both convenient to get to and the reviews weren't bad. The campground is geared more towards intro-to-tent-camping types. Probably good for kids, with bathrooms and water being a nice convenience. The sites aren't super well maintained and the spots to park vehicles are pretty small and uneven. I wouldn't drag anything bigger than a 20ft trailer up here. Tent camping with kids tho? You're golden. The road noise isn't bad in D loop. Pavement from your doorstep in Phoenix to your site makes it easy to access. Payson is 15 mins away. Quick and easy getaway.

Cynthia

Less crowded here, open spaces , bathrooms are not the cleanest, running water. No rivers flowing through but it is a good place to camp. Hosts drives multiple times & not too social . Go pick your spot then go to the machine box and book it, numbers only !! No letters. Place ticket on your dash and the other copy on your spot . Bathroom is near by A12!!, second camping trip spot D3 is huge and very private !! The hosts rents propane fire pits $40

Mike Jonez

We had a great time . Lots of running water . Clean restrooms. Awesome host spacious camp spots . Very peaceful. Will Be back

Vicki Cook

Spent the last 2 days tent camping there. Awesome experience the stars were just incredible!!! The sites were huge, the restrooms clean and the hosts, George and Rebecca were wonderfully! Sooo quiet and peaceful and coyotes sang to us.

Mark

Tall mature pinetrees. Very quiet. Will be full this weekend. Very nice to be camping in your own personal campgrounds. Camp hosts were incredible. He jump started my battery because of the overnight freezing weather. So I could leave on-time. All the camp hosts were friendly and helpful. My camping experiences were amazing and informative. The camp hosts were helpful and informative without being busy bodies. Plan on an extended stay when I come back from camping in Colorado, My amazing home state. Have always enjoyed the very friendly locals. Just too old for the cold. I miss the winters of boarding and skiing. Don't miss moving snow in the winter. Just another wonderful spring day.

ROARK

Removing 7,000 trees from this area is an absolute travesty. Shame on U.S. Forest Service for butchering the land. Going from 350 trees per acre to 80 is truly vile. Horrible decision and absolutely unacceptable.

Josh

Lovely campground with semi private sites and drop toilets. Site C8 had a lot of ground bees (my brother was stung twice), & a pack of javelinas traversed our site looking for scraps while we were sleeping (woke me up 🐗).

Oliver Sioux

I have wondered if anyone else has had trouble with the host. The guy that was there last time was great. Last month. This new female thinks she owns you. Checking for payment and constantly driving her little golf cart thru and basically mad digging people. What a shame. Beautiful site. Unfortunately we won't be back. We weren't there to feel like we were onstage.... Constantly being scrutinized. Think Houston mesa has better hosts. Trying that or canyon point next weekend.

Lily Wooley

Wonderful sanctuary in a densely populated forest with numerous, spacious, vegetation clad sites. The Forest Service does an amazing job as do the hosts at maintaining and running this campground. The campers are respectful and amazed at this environment and clean their areas with great care. I love this place and was honored to begin my hosting career here. Hope to be back!

Arlene Ripley

Very nice well-spaced campsites and very clean. Would recommend weekdays when there are few campers here. Weekends can be very busy.