Gordon Hirabayashi Campground
Closed for the summer season. The campground reopens November 1 and operates through April 30. All sites are first-come, first-served with no advance reservations.
Fireworks, Explosives and Sparks Restrictions
To prevent fires and for public safety order 03-00-23-001 prohibits to 1) possess, discharge, or use any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic devices; 2) use explosives; or 3) operate an internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device in effective working order.
Motor Vehicle Order Road Restrictions
The purpose of this Order is for the protection of public health and safety and prohibits: Using any type of vehicle that does not comply with an applicable state law.Using a road for commercial hauling without a permit or written authorization.Operating a vehicle in violation of speed, load,…
Ski Run Road Closure
PURPOSETo protect public health and safety from potential hazards. This closure is necessary to remove hazard trees and snags overhanging the road.
Rose Canyon Lake restriction to being in or on the lake
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a), the following is prohibited on theNational Forest System (NFS) lands in the Santa Catalina Ranger District, CoronadoNational Forest, described below and shown on the attached map incorporated into thisOrder as Exhibit A (the "Described…
Tanque Verde Fall Camping Closure
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) the following is prohibited on theNational Forest System (NFS) lands in the Santa Catalina Ranger District, CoronadoNational Forest, described below and shown on the attached map incorporated into thisOrder as Exhibit A (the "Described…
Target Shooting Refuse Restriction
Possessing or storing any refuse for the purpose of target shooting with a firearm, air rifle, or gas gun. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(cc).
Bear Wallow Riparian Area Closure
No camping, parking, bicycle travel, or campfires allowed in Bear Wallow Riparian Area
Sabino and Bear Canyon Closure Order 03-05-03-25-002
The purpose of this Order is to protect public health and safety and forest resources from environmental degradation.Effective January 22, 2025, through January 21, 2028, the Santa Catalina Ranger District has implemented a closure order in the area of Bear Canyon Trail and the Wilderness boundary…
Alcohol Closure
The purpose of this Order is to comply with the Arizona and New Mexico state law and to restrict underage consumption of alcoholic beverages to provide for public health and safety.
14 Day Camping Closure 03-05-00-24-005
The purpose of this Order is to provide for public health and safety and to mitigate impacts on sensitive plant and wildlife species.
Tanque Verde Falls Camping Closure
The purpose of this Order is to protect public health and safety and forest resources in the Described Area.
Barfoot Snake Closure Order 03-05-01-24-004
The twin-spotted rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei) is a Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species and a State of Arizona protected reptile. Due to this species’ extremely limited habitat and population numbers, this Order provides for the protection of this species by precluding entry into the…
SVRD Rec Shooting Closure Order 03-05-03-23-010
Discharging a firearm, air rifle, or gas gun in the Restricted Area.The Order shall remain in effect indefinitely, unless rescinded.
Olson Cabin Closure 03-05-05-22-030
Olson Cabin Permit Area is located on the west side of Forest System Road 4458 and approximately 1,500 feet northwest of the junction of Forest System Road 4458 and Forest System Road 639.There are many problems associated with the Olson Cabin Permit Area. The permit area and improvements were…
Air Quality Alert issued May 20 at 1:56PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) has issued an Ozone Action Day for the Tucson Metro area until 8 PM MST this evening. This means that forecast weather conditions combined with existing ozone levels are expected to result in local maximum 8-hour ozone concentrations that pose a health risk. Adverse health effects increase as air quality deteriorates. Ozone is an air pollutant which can cause breathing difficulties for children, older adults, as well as persons with respiratory problems. A decrease in physical activity is recommended. You are urged to car pool, telecommute, or use mass transit. The use of gasoline-powered equipment should be reduced or done late in the day. For details on this Action Day, visit the PDEQ website at www.pima.gov/deq or call 520-724-6885.
About
Gordon Hirabayashi Campground occupies a significant historical site in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona's Coronado National Forest. From 1937 to 1973, this location served as a Federal Honor Camp where prisoners convicted of federal offenses provided labor to construct the Catalina Highway. During World War II, many inmates were conscientious objectors and Japanese Americans who resisted the mass incarceration of 117,000 people of Japanese ancestry following Pearl Harbor. Gordon Hirabayashi, a University of Washington senior in 1942, refused to report for relocation and turned himself in to the FBI to challenge the constitutionality of internment based on race. He was convicted and served his sentence at this camp. In 1987, his conviction was overturned, and a federal commission determined the internment was motivated by racial prejudice. The site was renamed in his honor in 1999. The campground features 11 individual sites and one group site at an elevation of roughly 4,800 feet. Amenities are basic: vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire grills are provided, but there is no potable water. RVs are limited to 22 feet with no hookups available. The campground operates seasonally from November through April, closing during the hot summer months. Pack and saddle stock are only permitted in the group site area. Dogs must be leashed and are prohibited in the adjacent Pusch Ridge Wilderness to protect desert bighorn sheep.
Directions
Take the Catalina Highway off Tanque Verde Road in Tucson. Drive 4.2 miles to the Forest boundary and continue approximately 7 miles to the campground. The entrance is on the left as you ascend the mountain.
Nearby Campgrounds
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $20 - $50 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | 22ft |
| Max Trailer Length | 22ft |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | — |
Contact
| Phone | +1 (520) 749-8700 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | Yes |
| T-Mobile | None |
Photos
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