Cholla Bay
USFS · Camping Area · Fee
Fast facts
- Cost
- Fee charged
- Managed by
- USFS
- Type
- Camping Area
- Hours
- Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
- Reservations
- fs.usda.gov
- Nearest dump station
- Woods Canyon Dump Station · 44.2 mi
- Coordinates
- 33.7186, -111.2042
- Last verified
- September 18, 2026
About this place
Located along the shoreline of central Arizona's largest lake. The setting is in the Upper Sonoran Desert. Vegetation includes mesquite, cat-claw, desert broom, and cholla and saguaro cacti. This site provides a spectacular view of the Sierra Ancha Mountains. Stay limit 14 days, closed during high lake level, pack it in pack it out, internal roads are unpaved, size of site varies greatly; lake levels determine size of availability. Cholla Bay Shoreline is closed for camping, but remains open for walk-in or boat-in day use.
From the USFS.
Is Cholla Bay free?
No. Cholla Bay charges a fee. It is managed by the USFS. Sites are reservable through fs.usda.gov.
How do I get to Cholla Bay?
This site is 5 miles north of Theodore Roosevelt Dam. From Mesa: Take State Hwy. 87/Beeline Highway north for approximately 60 miles to its junction with State Hwy. 188. Turn right onto State Hwy. 188 and continue south for 27 miles to the site. From Globe: Take State Hwy. 188 north for 30 miles to the junction of State Hwy. 88 and State Hwy. 188. Continue on State Hwy. 188 across the bridge for 5 miles to the site.
Nearby
SourceData from the USFS. Last synced September 18, 2026. Community reports and photos are submitted by travelers and are not verified by the agency.
