About Houston Mesa
Number of accommodations: 60
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Rates, Sites & Availability
60 Sites Available
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No available sites
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Site Details
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60 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (762)
What Guests Are Saying
Houston Mesa Campground is praised for its clean facilities, spacious sites, and friendly camp hosts, offering a peaceful camping experience with abundant vegetation for privacy. While the location is convenient with easy access to amenities, some guests noted significant road noise from the nearby highway and occasional maintenance issues like closed showers. Overall, many campers enjoyed their stay and appreciated the campground's natural beauty and cleanliness.
What Guests Are Saying
Houston Mesa Campground is praised for its clean facilities, spacious sites, and friendly camp hosts, offering a peaceful camping experience with abundant vegetation for privacy. While the location is convenient with easy access to amenities, some guests noted significant road noise from the nearby highway and occasional maintenance issues like closed showers. Overall, many campers enjoyed their stay and appreciated the campground's natural beauty and cleanliness.
Review Summary
Bobby S
VerifiedJune 5, 2024 • Stayed at: 045, Loop: BEAR
Bill is very nice camp host
Bobby S
VerifiedJune 5, 2024 • Stayed at: 045, Loop: BEAR
Bill is very nice camp host
Mike P
VerifiedJune 4, 2024 • Stayed at: 006, Loop: ELK
Houston Mesa Campground is a nice clean park, clean bathrooms, with lots of shade and large sites. Biggest complaint I have is the showers and dump station are CLOSED and have been for over a year I'm told, with NO immediate plans to open them. Why am I paying full price than if they are closed??? Part of the reason for coming here is the availability of a dump station, not to drive down the street to use one at a gas station. Nice park but let's get it together park service!
Mike P
VerifiedJune 4, 2024 • Stayed at: 006, Loop: ELK
Houston Mesa Campground is a nice clean park, clean bathrooms, with lots of shade and large sites. Biggest complaint I have is the showers and dump station are CLOSED and have been for over a year I'm told, with NO immediate plans to open them. Why am I paying full price than if they are closed??? Part of the reason for coming here is the availability of a dump station, not to drive down the street to use one at a gas station. Nice park but let's get it together park service!
Lauren V
VerifiedJune 3, 2024 • Stayed at: 077, Loop: MOUN
Overall, this is a nice clean campground that is still quite close to town. Bathrooms scattered about were fairly clean with running water and sinks. Camp sites are well spaced for some privacy. Fire rings and picnic tables at each site.
Not all rules seemed to be enforced here. For example some campsites had more than the max number of people which increased noise and use of bathroom near us. People were also driving very fast through campground without repercussion.
Disappointing they still have showers “closed for the season.” It appears these will never be open again. Also dump site is closed for no apparent reason. Good news is you can dump at the gas station across the street.
Overall, I would recommend for people wanting to be close to town but I will probably chose another site next time as I don’t think the price reflects the lack of available amenities.
Jonatan M
VerifiedJune 3, 2024 • Stayed at: 045, Loop: BEAR
Very nice upkeeped campgrounds took the kids for there first camping trip up to payson they enjoyed the whole experience. Would recommend for first time campers
Jonatan M
VerifiedJune 3, 2024 • Stayed at: 045, Loop: BEAR
Very nice upkeeped campgrounds took the kids for there first camping trip up to payson they enjoyed the whole experience. Would recommend for first time campers
Lauren V
VerifiedJune 3, 2024 • Stayed at: 077, Loop: MOUN
Overall, this is a nice clean campground that is still quite close to town. Bathrooms scattered about were fairly clean with running water and sinks. Camp sites are well spaced for some privacy. Fire rings and picnic tables at each site.
Not all rules seemed to be enforced here. For example some campsites had more than the max number of people which increased noise and use of bathroom near us. People were also driving very fast through campground without repercussion.
Disappointing they still have showers “closed for the season.” It appears these will never be open again. Also dump site is closed for no apparent reason. Good news is you can dump at the gas station across the street.
Overall, I would recommend for people wanting to be close to town but I will probably chose another site next time as I don’t think the price reflects the lack of available amenities.
barbara c
VerifiedMay 31, 2024 • Stayed at: 078, Loop: MOUN
We LOVED our stay at Houston Mesa! I’ve camped there with horses in the past, which was great, although the trails in the area were fairly limited. This time we took our 4x4’s and were so happy to find lots of great dirt roads to explore along the base of the Rim, up Houston Mesa Rd. and then on the west side of the highway as well. The camp hosts were great and the camp was immaculate! We can’t wait to go back! Perfect temps too for mid May.
barbara c
VerifiedMay 31, 2024 • Stayed at: 078, Loop: MOUN
We LOVED our stay at Houston Mesa! I’ve camped there with horses in the past, which was great, although the trails in the area were fairly limited. This time we took our 4x4’s and were so happy to find lots of great dirt roads to explore along the base of the Rim, up Houston Mesa Rd. and then on the west side of the highway as well. The camp hosts were great and the camp was immaculate! We can’t wait to go back! Perfect temps too for mid May.
Location Houston Mesa
Address:
2100 Houston Mesa Rd
Payson, AZ, 85541
United States
From Payson, Arizona, go north for 1 mile to the junction of Highway 87 (Beeline Highway) and Forest Road 199 (Houston Mesa Road). Turn right (east) onto Forest Road 199 for .10 miles. The campground is on the north side of Houston Mesa Road.
The campground is accessible via Highway 87 (Beeline Highway), which is located approximately 1 mile south of the junction with Houston Mesa Road.
Latitude & Longitude: 34.27 / -111.314
Elevation: 1546 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
2PM
Check out time
11AM
General
- Extra vehicle charge of $8 per night is required. Fee can be bundled with online reservation or purchased on-site at fee machine.
- No firewood sales available at campground. Plan to purchase ahead of time.
- Fireworks are always prohibited on National Forest Land.
- For first come first serve sites, you must physically arrive at the campground to see if the campsite is available. There is no guarantee this site will be available to purchase upon your arrival.
- Campers who reserve sites 7 - 18 in Horse Camp (Mule Loop) are required to have horses or mules present. You do not need to have any to use sites 2 - 6 and 19 - 30
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: June 4, 2026
