Houston Mesa wooded view of trees and vegetation
Houston Mesa entrance
Houston Mesa Amphitheater
Houston Mesa trailhead
HOUSTON MESA

Featured amenities

Equestrian-Friendly Equestrian-Friendly
Restrooms Restrooms

Available sites

60 total sites

About Houston Mesa

Houston Mesa Campground is located in the forested northern section of Tonto National Forest, just one mile north of Payson, Arizona and less than two hours from Phoenix. With family, equestrian and tent-only campsites, this campground can accommodate a range of visitors and offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, including several miles of hiking and horseback riding trails nearby. As the fifth largest forest in the United States, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited "urban" forests in the United States (approximately 5.8 million visitors annually). Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Hiking

Hiking

Year-round
Horseback Riding

Horseback Riding

Year-round

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Equestrian-Friendly Equestrian-Friendly
Restrooms Restrooms
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
  • Restrooms
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Equestrian-Friendly
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

60 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 002, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 003, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 005, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 006, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Pull-through
🚐 007, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🏕️ 007, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 008, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 009, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Pull-through
🏕️ 009, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 010, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 011, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 013, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🏕️ 013, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 014, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Pull-through
🏕️ 014, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 015, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 016, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 018, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🏕️ 018, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 020, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 021, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 023, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 024, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 027, Loop: ELK RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Back-in Site
🏕️ 028, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 029, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🏕️ 030, Loop: MULE Equestrian
10 guests · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 040, Loop: BEAR Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 041, Loop: BEAR Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 042, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 043, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 044, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 045, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 046, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 047, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 048, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 049, Loop: BEAR Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 050, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 051, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 052, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 053, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 056, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 057, Loop: BEAR Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 058, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 059, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 060, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Pull-through
🚐 061, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Pull-through
🚐 063, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
⛺ 064, Loop: MOUN Tent
Paved · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 065, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 066, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Pull-through
🚐 067, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 068, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 069, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 070, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 071, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 072, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 077, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 078, Loop: MOUN RV
Pet Friendly · Paved · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 Group Site 2, Loop: Fox RV
Pet Friendly

Reviews (784)

What Guests Are Saying

Houston Mesa campground offers a pleasant experience with spacious, well-maintained sites nestled among trees, providing a nice atmosphere for relaxation. Many reviewers appreciated the campground's cleanliness, helpful hosts, and convenient location near town amenities. However, some noted issues such as road noise, limited shade, and maintenance concerns with the bathrooms and showers, which could detract from the overall experience.

Review Summary

4.3
784 reviews
5
61.1%
479
4
19.3%
151
3
11.0%
86
2
5.0%
39
1
3.7%
29

Michael G

Verified

August 19, 2024 • Stayed at: 041, Loop: BEAR

4

Quiet some nights, depends on nearby street traffic. During the day it's peaceful, too close to walking trails. But still worth the trip.

April C

Verified

September 9, 2024 • Stayed at: 043, Loop: BEAR

4

The camp host was absolutely wonderful!! Was going to leave a bottle of wine but didnt catch him in time. There were unruly people and the host was on top of everything and handled the situation as needed. We will gladly come back!

john p

Verified

September 9, 2024 • Stayed at: 047, Loop: BEAR

3

The facilities were nice, but there was a lot of road noise all night.

April C

Verified

September 9, 2024 • Stayed at: 043, Loop: BEAR

4

The camp host was absolutely wonderful!! Was going to leave a bottle of wine but didnt catch him in time. There were unruly people and the host was on top of everything and handled the situation as needed. We will gladly come back!

john p

Verified

September 9, 2024 • Stayed at: 047, Loop: BEAR

3

The facilities were nice, but there was a lot of road noise all night.

Tom K

Verified

October 18, 2024 • Stayed at: 070, Loop: MOUN

5

The campsites are well spaced apart and the restrooms are clean. There is some road noise depending on where you are in the campground and there is some small airplane noise.

Eugene B

Verified

October 18, 2024 • Stayed at: 060, Loop: MOUN

3

It boggles my mind how after 4 years and the National Park service taking it over, they have not figured out how to allow people to take showers. We have camped their for years and a shower was always a welcome part of the day. The drinking fountain has been under plastic since covid. It made no sense then and still makes no sense. The camp host is awesome, and keeps things clean and operational. I noticed that you no longer can pay cash, to camp there, they have figured that out, why not a machine that gives tokens to allow showing. After hiking 10 mi, mountain bike riding 20 mi I had to drive 150 mi to get a shower.

Tom K

Verified

October 18, 2024 • Stayed at: 070, Loop: MOUN

5

The campsites are well spaced apart and the restrooms are clean. There is some road noise depending on where you are in the campground and there is some small airplane noise.

Eugene B

Verified

October 18, 2024 • Stayed at: 060, Loop: MOUN

3

It boggles my mind how after 4 years and the National Park service taking it over, they have not figured out how to allow people to take showers. We have camped their for years and a shower was always a welcome part of the day. The drinking fountain has been under plastic since covid. It made no sense then and still makes no sense. The camp host is awesome, and keeps things clean and operational. I noticed that you no longer can pay cash, to camp there, they have figured that out, why not a machine that gives tokens to allow showing. After hiking 10 mi, mountain bike riding 20 mi I had to drive 150 mi to get a shower.

Gerwin C

Verified

February 13, 2025 • Stayed at: 047, Loop: BEAR

5

awesome

Location & Directions for Houston Mesa

2100 Houston Mesa Rd, Payson, AZ 85541 United States

Elevation: 1,546 ft

Getting There

From Payson, Arizona, go north for 1 mi to the junction of Highway 87 (Beeline Highway) and Forest Road 199 (Houston Mesa Road). Turn right (east) onto Forest Road 199 for .10 mi. The campground is on the north side of Houston Mesa Road.

Nearest town

Payson, AZ - 2.6 mi

About 7 min to downtown

Highway access

The campground is accessible via Highway 87 (Beeline Highway), which is located approximately 1 mile south of the junction with Houston Mesa Road.

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


Last updated: October 18, 2026

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Explore Payson, AZ

Population: 16,622

Nearby larger city

Scottsdale, AZ

Approx. 64 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 4,961 ft

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Managed by the USDA Forest Service