Shannon Campground

About

Shannon Campground occupies a quiet, high-elevation setting at 9,025 feet in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Tucked away along Marijilda Creek, the campground offers 11 sites shaded beneath mature Engelmann spruce and Douglas-fir. Two sites feature distinctive three-sided wood shelters built in the Adirondack style by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s, adding historic character to the mountain atmosphere. The Arcadia Trail, designated a National Recreation Trail, begins at the campground and descends to Arcadia Campground below. A one-mile spur leads to the summit of Heliograph Peak at 10,022 feet, where signal mirrors were once used to relay messages during the Apache Wars of the late 1880s. A Forest Service lookout tower now stands atop the peak, offering some of the most panoramic views in southeastern Arizona. This is a black bear area requiring proper food storage in bear-proof containers, trash receptacles, or locked vehicles with windows fully closed. The winding switchbacks of AZ 366 (Swift Trail) make this campground unsuitable for vehicles or trailers longer than 22 feet. No potable water is available; campers must bring their own supply.

Directions

From Safford, drive south 8 miles on US 191 to AZ 366 (Swift Trail). Turn right (southwest) onto AZ 366 and drive 21.8 miles to the campground entrance on the right side of the road.