Campground

Sharp Creek

Tonto National Forest · PAYSON · Arizona — managed by USDA Forest Service

Books out fast — 1 of 4 weekends we sampled are sold out
Sharp Creek campground
Photo: Recreation.gov · USFS

Weekend availability at Sharp Creek

Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 13, 1:04 AM PT

Sold out 1 of the next 6 weekends — exactly when cancellation alerts earn their keep.

  • Fri, Sep 18
    Sold out
  • Fri, Sep 25
    Open
    5/20 sites
  • Fri, Oct 2
    Limited
    2/19 sites
  • Fri, Oct 9
    Open
    6/20 sites
  • Fri, Oct 16
    Open
    8/20 sites
  • Fri, Oct 23
    Open
    10/20 sites

Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.

How booked is Sharp Creek?

as of September 14

Weekends book out well ahead here — 1 of the 4 Saturdays we sampled, as far out as Oct, are already sold out. When a site frees up it's gone again within minutes, so people watch Sharp Creek and hear the instant one opens for their dates. Weekdays still have room — for now.

Weekends (Saturday night)

Sep 19Sold out
Oct 3Open
Oct 17Open
Oct 31Open

Weekdays (Wednesday night)

Sep 23Open
Oct 14Open
Oct 28Open

Availability checked directly against the reservation system, out to 3 months ahead.

Campsites & amenities

Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.

Campsites
20
Pull-through
8
Group Standard No HookupStandard No HookupTent Only No Hookup

About this campground

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.

Getting there

This facility is located 23 miles northeast of Payson, Arizona, approximately 1.5 miles east of Christopher Creek. From Payson, take Highway 260 east for 23 miles. The campground is on the south side of Highway 260.

Elevation
5,935 ft
Contact
928-468-7135

Activities

  • WILDLIFE VIEWING
  • HIKING
  • FISHING
  • CAMPING

Nearby federal campgrounds

Never miss an opening at Sharp Creek

Popular Arizona campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch Sharp Creek around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.

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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.