
Campsites & amenities
Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.
- Campsites
- 13
About this campground
Overview Brookchar Campground is tucked on the banks of Big Lake in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. The campground is a small, tent-only facility comprised entirely of walk-in sites. Of the lake's five campgrounds, Brookchar is nearest to the water. The stocked lake draws anglers, and boat rentals and a boat ramp make it easy for campers to enjoy the lake's blue waters.Recreation Big Lake is one of Arizona's top trout fishing lakes, with rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Apache trout being the most sought-after species. The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birding and wildlife viewing.Facilities The facility is small, with 12 tent-only, walk-to campsites. Campfire rings and restrooms are provided. A campground host resides on-site for visitor assistance. A dump station, store, firewood, gas, food and boat rentals are located a short, half-mile drive away, and showers are just 1 mile away. Natural Features The campground sits in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest at an elevation of 9,100 feet. The area is scenic, forested with ponderosa pine, fir, spruce and aspen, interspersed with high elevation meadows. Summer temperatures are pleasant and cool, a nice respite from the heat of lower deserts. Visitors should come prepared for afternoon thunderstorms and cool nighttime temperatures. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888. Nearby Attractions Several other lakes can be found in the surrounding area. Visitors can also explore endless vistas and take part in many outdoor activities in the surrounding Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, which encompasses 2 million acres of magnificent mountain country in east-central Arizona and New Mexico.
Getting there
From Pinetop, Arizona, take Highway 260 east 25 miles to Highway 273 south. Follow Highway 273 south 19 miles to Forest Road 8115 (Big Lake Entrance). Turn right and travel 2 miles.
Activities
- FISHING
- CAMPING
- BOATING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Big Lake Boating/ Launch Site Boating SiteApache-Sitgreaves National Forest0 mi
- Big Lake Marina Boating SiteApache-Sitgreaves National Forest0 mi
- Big Lake Recreation AreaApache-Sitgreaves National Forest0 mi
- Big Lake Visitor Center Interpretive Site (minor)Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest0 mi
- CutthroatApache-Sitgreaves National Forest0 mi
- GraylingApache-Sitgreaves National Forest0 mi
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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.