USDA Forest Service · Arizona
Spencer Canyon Campground
USDA Forest Service · Arizona, United States
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,890 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T weak · Verizon weak (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SPENCER CANYON (NFSR 14) · improved native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Nearest town
- Tucson, AZ
About
US Forest Service campground. This mountain campground is located at the head of a shallow, forested canyon a short distance off the Catalina Highway. Spencer Canyon faces the city of Tucson and the Santa Cruz Valley, both of which are visible as a distant panorama through openings in the forest canopy. Spencer Canyon Campground has 66 sites. Each site has a concrete table, firepit, B-B-Q and bear box for food storage. A beautiful night view of Tucson can be seen from several sites. Each camping area has clean, stocked vault toilets. Campground hosts live on site. Firewood may be purchased from the hosts. The Catalina Highway is paved, but it can be snow covered in winter when chains and/or 4-wheel drive may be required. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Fees
Overnight Use:
Single Site: $31 per night (up to 6 people)
Double Site: $49
Additional Vehicle Fee: $11 per vehicle per night (up to 2 vehicles per site)
Extra persons, walk-ins, and bicycles: $1 each
Firewood: $10 per bundle
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 26° | 15° | 60° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 48° | 26° | 12° | 66° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 53° | 30° | 18° | 75° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 64° | 38° | 27° | 78° | 7 of 11 |
| May | 71° | 46° | 34° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 82° | 56° | 43° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 61° | 54° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 57° | 50° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 75° | 54° | 44° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 67° | 43° | 30° | 78° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 58° | 35° | 20° | 68° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 50° | 29° | 15° | 62° | 10 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
- Whitetail Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 5 sites
- Showers Point Group Site · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 3 sites
- Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 1 sites
- Sollers Cabin (AZ) · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 1 sites
- Rose Canyon · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 77 sites
All public campgrounds in Arizona · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.