Ponderosa Group Site

US Forest Service campground. Ponderosa pine trees surround and tower over open-space campgrounds, providing cool shade and gorgeous vistas. Most visitors enjoy taking advantage of the area's hiking trails and lakes, traveling to Payson for the day or simply relaxing at the campsite to the sound of fluttering leaves. The operating season is April-October. Natural Features: The ponderosa pine trees make this a memorable campground. Larger ponderosas release a vanilla scent into the air and have a relatively open understory, making the area perfect for camping. Mixed into the understory are junipers, oaks and manzanita shrubs. The campground sits on the border of the Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as ""muggy-own,"" 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. Recreation: Most visitors enjoy taking advantage of the area's hiking trails and lakes or simply relaxing at the campsite. Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest. A series of lakes called the Rim Country Lakes are about a 15 minute drive east. Woods Canyon Lake is one of the most popular recreational lakes in the state and offers options for boating. Facilities: The facility provides 47 single campsites and two group sites that can accommodate up to 25 people each. The campsites are clean, flat and spacious with a good amount of shade from pine trees. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.