Amy
September 18, 2025 Google Maps
Great experience and highly recommend.
Helpful
Featured amenities
Parking
Picnic Table
About Christmas Recreation Site
The Christmas Recreation Site is along the Gila River approximately 6½ miles upstream from the Town of Winkelman, and 3½ miles upstream from the Shores Recreation Site.The site is minimally developed to provide access for river-related recreation opportunities such as sightseeing, wildlife viewing, picnicking, camping, fishing and small craft floating. The site has gravel surfaced driveways, unimproved campsites, and a toilet.The site is in the riparian area in mesquite-willow and cottonwood woodland, in a Sonoran Desert canyon with saguaro, mesquite and palo verde covered hills.CAUTION RIVER FLOATERS: The river channel has many navigation hazards that make it unsafe and practically impossible to float downstream to the Shores or Winkelman and river floating is not recommended. Hazards may include a fence across the river, trees and branches overhanging the river or blocking passage, steep river banks and dense vegetation preventing portage, swift current at high flows, blind river bends.
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Fishing
Year-round
Year-round
Fishing
Nearby
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Parking
Picnic Table
Cooking and Fire
- Picnic Table
Parking and Transport
- Parking
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Reviews
5 reviews
Summary
The Christmas Recreation Site offers a great experience that many visitors highly recommend. The atmosphere is enjoyable, making it a popular choice for holiday activities. Overall, it stands out for its positive ambiance and activities.
Based on guest feedback
3.4
Overall rating
Based on 5 reviews
5 stars
60.0% (3)
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1 star
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Showing 5 reviews
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Lewis Moorhead
March 5, 2024 Google Maps
Great experience and highly recommend this location and especially Ms. Lizette van Ravenswaay of the BLM Gila District Office. Came in with a German friend riding his motorcycle from the southern tip of South America to Alaska. I was looking for a lot of local information. Ms. van Ravenswaay was an amazing, knowledgeable professional and answered all questions or provided contact information of other organizations if beyond the scope of the BLM. Simply outstanding customer service!
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Bob Henning
January 24, 2022 Google Maps
The woman that answered the phone was short and rude with me. Typical government employee.
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Rodney Salyer
June 11, 2019 Google Maps
They have great maps of the city
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Heather Grieves
March 13, 2019 Google Maps
Too many homeless people camping at BLM Valencia Rd/Swan Rd for more than 3 months or so. Not cool.
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Location & Directions for Christmas Recreation Site
Tucson Field Office, 3201 E. Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85756 United States
Elevation: 626 ft
Policies & Rules
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026
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Explore Tucson, AZ
Population: 547,073
Nearby city: Phoenix, AZ
Approx. 83 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 2,365 ft
Best Season: Fall, Winter, Spring
Tucson, AZ
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Managed by the Bureau of Land Management