Free camping near Payson, AZ
Within 25 straight-line miles of Payson, AZ there are 40 camps: 20 free, 10 fee, 10 unpriced. The closest is Houston Mesa Campground, 1.8 miles north of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Flowing Springs Dispersed, 4.6 miles out.
Who manages them: 40 on the Forest Service.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Mesa Campground | 1.8 | Unpriced | Racetrack Tank (water) | 1.8 mi to Mesa Del Caballo | — |
| Flowing Springs Dispersed | 4.6 | Free | Butcher Creek (stream) | 0.6 mi to Flowing Springs | — |
| Sharp Creek Group | 11 | Free | Donahue Tank (water) | 1.0 mi to Pine | — |
| Ponderosa Campground | 12 | Fee | Boy Tank (water) | 0.9 mi to Thompson Draw Summer Homes Unit #1 | — |
| Ponderosa Group | 12 | Free | Boy Tank (water) | 0.9 mi to Thompson Draw Summer Homes Unit #1 | — |
| Kehl Springs Campground | 13 | Unpriced | Quaking Aspen Canyon (stream) | 2.9 mi to Washington Park | — |
| Lower Tonto Creek | 14 | Fee | — | 0.9 mi to Kohls Ranch | — |
| Upper Tonto Creek Campground | 14 | Unpriced | Horton Creek (stream) | 1.3 mi to Tonto Estate | — |
| Christopher Creek Campground | 17 | Unpriced | Christopher Creek (stream) | 1.2 mi to Christopher Creek | — |
| Knoll Lake Campground | 18 | Unpriced | Clear Creek (stream) | 4.7 mi to Tonto Estate | — |
| Sharp Creek Campground | 19 | Fee | — | 1.0 mi to Hunter Creek | — |
| Sharp Creek Campground | 19 | Fee | Hunter Creek (stream) | 0.6 mi to Hunter Creek | — |
| Long Valley Work Center Group Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Blazed Tank (water) | 7.6 mi to Washington Park | — |
| Alderwood | 19 | Free | Bar X Tank (water) | 4.9 mi to Spurlock | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — AZ #4 | 20 | Free | Carr Lake (water) | 2.6 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Forest Road 84 Camping Area | 20 | Free | Carr Lake (water) | 3.1 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — AZ #2 | 20 | Free | Woods Canyon Lake (water) | 1.7 mi to See Canyon Summer Homes | — |
| Haigler Canyon | 20 | Free | Dry Creek Trough (water) | 4.6 mi to Sleepy Hollow | — |
| 9350 Camping Area | 20 | Free | Woods Canyon Lake (water) | 1.8 mi to See Canyon Summer Homes | — |
| Fossil Creek | 21 | Free | Louthan Tank (water) | 7.7 mi to Strawberry | — |
| Bear Canyon Lake and Camping Area | 21 | Free | Bear Canyon Lake (water) | 5.2 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Forest Road 9354 Camping Area | 21 | Free | Carr Lake (water) | 3.4 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Promontory Pit Road | 21 | Free | Carr Lake (water) | 3.8 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| 195 Camping Area | 21 | Free | Woods Canyon Lake (water) | 2.7 mi to See Canyon Summer Homes | — |
| Mogollon Rim Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Woods Canyon Lake (water) | 2.6 mi to Sleepy Hollow | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — AZ #3 | 21 | Free | Carr Lake (water) | 3.6 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Promontory Pit Road Campground | 21 | Free | Carr Lake (water) | 3.9 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Clints Well Campground | 22 | Unpriced | Marys Tank (water) | 9.5 mi to Washington Park | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — AZ #8 | 22 | Free | — | 3.2 mi to Christopher Creek | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — AZ | 22 | Fee | Woods Canyon Lake (water) | 2.8 mi to Sleepy Hollow | — |
| Crook Campground | 22 | Fee | Woods Canyon Lake (water) | 2.3 mi to Sleepy Hollow | — |
| Woods Canyon Group Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 3.9 mi to Christopher Creek | — |
| Spillway Group Campground | 22 | Fee | — | 3.9 mi to Christopher Creek | — |
| Spillway Cg | 23 | Fee | — | 4.1 mi to Christopher Creek | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — AZ #5 | 23 | Free | Deer Lake (water) | 4.6 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Rock Crossing | 23 | Fee | — | 8.3 mi to Blue Ridge | — |
| Childs Dispersed Camping Area | 23 | Free | Tanko Caliente (water) | 12 mi to Strawberry | — |
| Forest Road 169 Camping Area | 23 | Free | Deer Lake (water) | 4.8 mi to Mountain Meadows | — |
| Rim Campground | 24 | Unpriced | Lake Three (water) | 2.5 mi to Sleepy Hollow | — |
| Blue Ridge Campground | 25 | Unpriced | Elk Tank (water) | 12 mi to Washington Park | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Payson, AZ, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.