Cunningham Campground

About

Cunningham Campground offers a rustic, high-elevation camping experience in the Pinaleno Mountains of the Coronado National Forest. The campground is set in an open, grassy meadow surrounded by aspen and fir trees, providing a cooler retreat from the desert below. Sites are minimally developed with parking areas and fire grills, emphasizing a primitive atmosphere. The Grant Creek Trail begins at the campground edge and follows a scenic route down canyon to the historic site of old Fort Grant, once an important U.S. Army outpost during conflicts with the Apache. Across the Swift Trail from the campground, the Cunningham and Grant Hill Loop offers a system of old logging roads and trails developed for mountain biking and hiking. A public corral is available for visitors bringing riding or pack stock, though animals are not permitted within the campground itself. This is black bear country, so all food must be stored in bear-proof containers, trash bins, or locked vehicles. Campers must bring their own drinking water as none is available on site. The access road includes switchbacks that make vehicles and trailers over 22 feet impractical.

Directions

From Safford, Arizona: Take US 191 south for 6 miles. Turn right onto AZ 366/Swift Trail and travel approximately 29 miles. The campground is on the right across from the Columbine Visitor Center. From Tucson: Take I-10 east for 90 miles. Take exit 352 for US 191, turn left toward Safford. Drive 26.3 miles north and turn left on AZ 366/Swift Trail. Drive approximately 29 miles to the campground.