Arizona is known for its incredible desert landscapes, warm temperatures and
the always epic Grand Canyon. But sometimes you just want to get away from
all that and head for the high country. Well the Mogollon Rim has you covered.
Hey everyone, here at Campendium our goal is always to provide you with the best
camping information available to help you plan your trip and find a great
place to camp. The Mogollon Rim is known for its dramatic high cliffs of
sandstone and limestone that cut across the east side of Arizona.
I've heard this pronounced so many different ways so I had to look it up
for myself. One of the common pronunciations is MUG E YON Rim. The rim
defines the edge of the Colorado Plateau and it stretches about 200 miles from
central Arizona east to the New Mexico border. There are old-growth ponderosa pines
on the slopes of the rim and on the plateau north of it where the elevation
sits around 8,000 feet. That cool high elevation air and sweeping views is what
makes it so popular among Arizonans looking to escape the desert heat. It's
wildly popular in the spring and summer for hiking, fishing, boating and lots of
off-roading. But there's so many different areas open to dispersed
camping that it's relatively easy to find your own private spot. Tucker from
San Diego says "Pick up a copy of John Shotts map of all the fire roads to
assist you as you transit the rim. There is easy access to fire road 300
which takes you around the Mogollon Rim, down to Payson and back up highway 260.
This is a 50 mile trip on a dirt road, but well worth it. The views and the
lakes are spectacular. A pickup truck, Jeep or similar vehicle is best advised."
Now there's plenty of free camping above and below the Mogollon Rim but arrive
early in the week during the high season as dispersed campsites fill up quickly.
On top of the rim is 9350 Camping Area. Sweet Camper says "Free camping near
Woods Canyon Lake makes an excellent base camp for exploring the trails and
lakes on the Mogollon Rim. Campground fills early on weekends during the
summer." Patty-cake says "Beautiful views on the
south-side facing rim while the north side sites are in the pines and mostly shaded."
There's Old Rim Road where Four Feet Four Paws says "Another great spot up in
this high country. There are about 50 dispersed sites along this stretch of
road. This whole area is beautiful. There are lakes and trails nearby. We hiked the
Rim Trail from the trailhead across the highway from the visitors center and
rode our mountain bikes. We plan to return to this area. There's Forest Road
512 where Belle from Gilbert Arizona says "Great access to Willow Springs Lake.
The lake is great for fishing lots of trout and one of our favorite lakes to
kayak on. It has very easy access to the boat ramp, nice areas on the edge of the
lake for picnics." It's worth mentioning that due to extensive wildfires that
were in this region, there are a lot of trees just waiting to fall over so
always look up and be careful where you park your rig for the night. Below the
rim is Forest Road 405 where Hague Photo says "We posted up here for about a week
to hike and fish around the area. Relatively clean quiet and dark night
skies. Close to a lot of trails and creeks open range here so Cowboys were
rounding up cattle in the mornings our little boy sure enjoyed that. Route says
"Some large dispersed sites near trailhead so if you like hiking it's
convenient. The road is well graded and is passable by any car." All of these
reviews were sourced from experienced travelers like you on our website. To
read more about camping on the Mogollon Rim check out Campendium.com or download
the Campendium iOS app. Wherever you end up camping please remember to leave no
trace and pack out what you pack. I think most campers are pretty aware of
this cardinal rule but it still surprises me how often we roll into a
beautiful new area only to find wads of disgusting
toilet paper left behind the bushes. Toilet paper takes two to three years to
decompose and baby wipes are even worse. So please just leave no trace and let's
all do our part to keep wild places clean and pristine.
That's all for now, so please subscribe for more great videos and click over
here to learn about Arizona's best camping destinations. We truly thank you
for being a part of the Campendium community and thanks for watching.