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Camping · Arizona

Sharp Creek Campground

USFS · Campground · Fee

Fast facts

Cost
Fee charged
Managed by
USFS
Type
Campground
Hours
Check in: 2:00 p.m.; Check-out: 12:00 p.m.; Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Reservations
recreation.gov
Nearest dump station
Woods Canyon Dump Station · 3.5 mi
Coordinates
34.3035, -111.0000
Last verified
September 18, 2026
34.3035° N · 111.0000° W
Last verifiedSeptember 18, 2026

About this place

Sharp Creek sits at a cool 6,000 feet elevation, perfect for escaping the desert heat of southern Arizona and getting away to shaded forests and refreshing creeks and lakes. It is surrounded by a thick ponderosa pine forest below the Mogollon Rim. The clear waters of Christopher Creek are less than a mile away. The Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as ""muggy-own,"" is a 200-mile long cliff in northern Arizona that ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. The unique landscape was created by extreme erosion and faulting that has sculpted spectacular canyons and buttes. The rim serves as the geographical dividing line between the cool high country above and the hot, dry desert below. The operating season is April-October. Sharp Creek Group Campground is popular for large groups. Weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries and more may be hosted at the group sites. Each group site has a designated vault bathroom with paved parking lot for friends and families to visit for the day. A large open field is shared in the middle of the group sites to hold mini games for families. Recreation: The campground is in a central location for hiking, fishing, boating and picnicking. Anglers can try for trout in nearby Christopher Creek. Hikers can access the historic Highline National Recreational Trail, which runs for 51 miles along the base of the Mogollon Rim, from the 260 Trail three miles east of the campground. Two lakes nearby offer additional fishing and boating options. Facilities: Sharp Creek is a small campground with 28 campsites conveniently spread out into three loops. Campsites are spacious, comfortable and well-maintained, with some shade. Each has a picnic table, grill, campfire ring and lantern holder. An additional loop contains three group campsites that can each accommodate 75 people. A group picnic shelter is available as well.

From the USFS.Official page

Is Sharp Creek Campground free?

No. Sharp Creek Campground charges a fee. It is managed by the USFS. Sites are reservable through recreation.gov.

How do I get to Sharp Creek Campground?

This facility is located 23 miles northeast of Payson, Arizona, approximately 1.5 miles east of Christopher Creek. From Payson, take Highway 260 east for 23 miles. The campground is on the south side of Highway 260.

What are the rules at Sharp Creek Campground?

14-day stay limit. No OHV recreational riding within the campground. No firewood sales and no dump station. Dogs are allowed and must be kept on a leash. Please use trash receptacles or pack it in, pack it out. Quiet hours 10:00 pm to 6:00 am (running generators are not permitted during quiet hours).

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.

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Disclaimer TerrainKit is an independent product with no affiliation with, sponsorship from or endorsement by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service or any other public agency. Site and access information is compiled from publicly available sources and can go out of date without notice. Confirm current rules, closures, fire restrictions and stay limits with the managing ranger district or field office before you camp.
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47.5053° N · 111.3008° W
Sharp Creek Campground, Camping in Arizona - TerrainKit