Arizona / Apache County / Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests

Apache Trout Campground

Closed — Closed for winter. Typically opens in late May or early June and operates through late September or early October, weather permitting. Road access via Highway 273 closes seasonally due to snow.

About

Apache Trout Campground is the newest and most developed of five campgrounds at the Big Lake Recreation Area in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Situated at 9,100 feet elevation in the scenic White Mountains of eastern Arizona, the campground offers 124 sites with exceptional diversity: 41 sites feature full hookups with electric and water, 81 are non-electric sites, 22 double sites, and two large group sites accommodating 50 and 100 people respectively. The campground provides modern amenities including flush toilets, hot showers, and its own dump station, making it the most convenient option in the Big Lake complex. Campers enjoy a mix of shaded and sunny sites amid forests of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, spruce, and aspen interspersed with high elevation meadows. Summer temperatures are pleasantly cool, offering respite from Arizona's desert heat. Big Lake, just a short walk away, is one of Arizona's premier fishing destinations known for rainbow, cutthroat, brook, and Apache trout. The recreation area offers excellent hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Paved roads provide easy access throughout the area. Bears are common visitors, so proper food storage is required. The campground's high elevation location in the White Mountains provides stunning mountain scenery and abundant outdoor recreation possibilities within the surrounding 2 million acres of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

Directions

From Pinetop, take Highway 260 east 25 miles to Highway 273 south. Follow Highway 273 south 19 miles to Forest Road 8115 at Big Lake entrance. Turn right and travel 3 miles to the campground.

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