Free camping near Thatcher, AZ
Within 25 straight-line miles of Thatcher, AZ there are 22 camps: 6 free, 9 fee, 7 unpriced. The closest is Noon Creek, 10 miles south of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Round The Mountain, 10 miles out.
Who manages them: 18 on the Forest Service; 4 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noon Creek | 10 | Fee | — | 6.1 mi to Swift Trail Junction | — |
| Round The Mountain | 10 | Free | Noon Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Columbine Corrals | 11 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Thatcher | — |
| Arcadia Campground | 12 | Fee | Noon Creek (stream) | 1.2 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Shannon | 12 | Fee | — | 9.1 mi to Swift Trail Junction | — |
| Cunningham Campground | 12 | Fee | Grant Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Soldier Creek Campground | 12 | Unpriced | Soldier Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Hospital Flat Campground | 12 | Fee | Big Creek (stream) | 3.5 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Shannon Campground | 12 | Unpriced | Marijilda Creek (stream) | 2.8 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Treasure Park - North | 12 | Fee | Big Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Treasure Park - East | 12 | Unpriced | Big Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Twilight Group Site | 12 | Free | Noon Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Snow Flat Cg | 13 | Free | Big Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Clark Peak Corrals | 13 | Free | Riggs Lake (water) | 3.6 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Riggs Flat Campground | 14 | Unpriced | Riggs Lake (water) | 3.1 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Clark Peak Corrals | 14 | Free | Riggs Lake (water) | 4.0 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Safford-Morenci Trail | 14 | Unpriced | Boo Tank (water) | 8.5 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Stockton Pass | 16 | Fee | — | 12 mi to Swift Trail Junction | — |
| Stockton Pass Campground | 16 | Fee | Hog Canyon Tank (water) | 3.3 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area | 17 | Unpriced | Gila River (river) | 3.3 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Riverview Campground | 17 | Unpriced | Gila River (river) | 3.9 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Black Hills Back Country Byway | 20 | Free | Heber Tank (water) | 7.2 mi to Sanchez | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Thatcher, 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.