USDA Forest Service · Arizona
Upper Tonto Creek
USDA Forest Service · Arizona, United States
- Sites
- 13
- Hookups
- 10 with water, 6 no hookups
- Season
- April 1 to November 1
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,522 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- TONTO CREEK (NFSR 289) · bituminous surface treatment · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Tonto National Forest
- Nearest town
- Payson
- Address
- 1009 E. Hwy 260, Payson, AZ, 85541
- Phone
- N/A
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
The Upper Tonto Creek is a small campground tucked away from the main highway where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. 6 Campsites are available for reservation only.
This location is available only through reservation May 1through November 3rd.
Campground map available here .
Recreation
Families may enjoy fishing at both Tonto and Horton Creeks or pass time hiking through nearby Horton Creek Trail or Derrick Trail. Both of these trails access the Highline National Recreation Trail (#31).
Facilities
This campground contains 6 campsites, 3 picnic sites, and a double vault toilet.
Natural Features
The union of Tonto and Horton Creeks is at the north end of the Upper Tonto Creek campground. Fishing in both creeks is a popular sport.
Contact Info
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (928) 474-7900.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 32° | 10° | 64° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 52° | 32° | 9° | 70° | 9 of 11 |
| March | 57° | 36° | 7° | 83° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 43° | 28° | 81° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 76° | 51° | 39° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 89° | 62° | 49° | 102° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 91° | 67° | 59° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 86° | 63° | 55° | 100° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 82° | 60° | 47° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 72° | 47° | 36° | 86° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 65° | 41° | 22° | 75° | 4 of 10 |
| December | 55° | 33° | 4° | 70° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Lower Tonto Creek · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 13 sites
- Ponderosa (Az) · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 52 sites
- Ponderosa Group Site · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Christopher Creek · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 44 sites
- Knoll Lake Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi
All public campgrounds in Arizona · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.