Rainbow

About

Rainbow Campground sits at 9,000 feet in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona, making it a popular escape from desert heat. The 165-site campground is organized into six loops, including four double sites accommodating up to 16 people and two ADA-accessible sites. Loop F (sites 130-152) operates on a first-come, first-served basis while other sites are reservable through Recreation.gov. The campground is adjacent to 450-acre Big Lake, renowned for rainbow, cutthroat, brook, and Apache trout. Beyond fishing, visitors enjoy hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. A small concessionaire store nearby sells gas, food, firewood, and boat rentals. Facilities include flush toilets, showers, and a dump station. Paved roads throughout make navigation easy. Summer temperatures are pleasant but nights are cool at this elevation; afternoon thunderstorms are common. Bears frequent the area, so proper food storage is required.

Directions

From Show Low, take Highway 260 east for 42 miles to Highway 273. Take Highway 273 south for 30 miles; Big Lake Recreation Area will be on the west side. From Eagar, go 5 miles west on State Route 260, turn south on State Route 261 for 29 miles to State Route 273, then west about 3 miles.