USDA Forest Service · Arizona
Sharp Creek
USDA Forest Service · Arizona, United States
- Sites
- 20
- Hookups
- 20 no hookups
- Season
- April 1 to November 1
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,968 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile good · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SHARP CREEK GROUP SITE (NFSR 494D) · asphalt · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Tonto National Forest
- Nearest town
- PAYSON
- Address
- 1009 East Highway 260, PAYSON, AZ, 85541
- Phone
- 928-468-7135
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing
20 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Sharp Creek is a small campground located in an area of central Arizona known for its pleasant temperatures, spectacular scenery and outdoor recreation. There are tent-only, family and group sites to accommodate a wide range of visitors.
Recreation
The campground is in a central location for hiking, fishing, boating and picnicking. Anglers can try for trout in nearby Christopher Creek. Hikers and Mountain Bikers can access the National Recreation Highline Trail, which spans 63 miles along the base of the Mogollon Rim, from the 260 Trail three miles east of the campground. Two lakes nearby offer additional fishing and boating options.
Facilities
Sharp Creek is a small campground with 28 campsites conveniently spread out into 3 loops. Campsites are spacious, comfortable and well-maintained, with some shade. Each has a picnic table, grill, campfire ring and lantern holder. One additional loop contains three group campsites that can each accommodate 75 people.
19 Sites are reservable and 9 sites are first-come, first-serve. Payment for first-come, first-serve sites is completed using the on-site fee machine. No cash is accepted.
Natural Features
Sharp Creek sits at a cool 6,000 feet elevation, perfect for escaping the desert heat of southern Arizona and getting away to shaded forests and refreshing creeks and lakes. It is surrounded by a thick ponderosa pine forest below the Mogollon Rim. The clear waters of Christopher Creek are less than a mile away.
The Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as "muggy-own," is a 200-mile long cliff in northern Arizona that ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. The unique landscape was created by extreme erosion and faulting that has sculpted spectacular canyons and buttes. The rim serves as the geographical dividing line between the cool high country above and the hot, dry desert below.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (928) 474-7900.
Nearby Attractions
The small town of Christopher Creek is less than a mile away and has a few restaurant and shopping options for basic conveniences. Woods Canyon and Willow Springs Lakes sit above the Mogollon Rim, only a 10-minute drive away, and offer boating and fishing.
The National Recreation Highline Trail is just a few miles east on Highway 260.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 31° | 10° | 63° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 50° | 31° | 7° | 68° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 55° | 35° | 4° | 80° | 8 of 11 |
| April | 65° | 42° | 28° | 80° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 74° | 50° | 37° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 87° | 61° | 48° | 100° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 89° | 65° | 59° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 84° | 62° | 57° | 98° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 80° | 59° | 45° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 71° | 47° | 35° | 83° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 63° | 40° | 20° | 74° | 4 of 10 |
| December | 53° | 33° | 5° | 68° | 8 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
- Christopher Creek · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 44 sites
- Mogollon Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 26 sites
- Fr 9350 Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Crook Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 2 sites
- Aspen (Az) · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 136 sites
All public campgrounds in Arizona · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-05-22. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.