USDA Forest Service · Arizona
Horseshoe (AZ)
USDA Forest Service · Arizona, United States
- Sites
- 4
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 1,919 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- HORSESHOE REC AREA (NFSR 2102) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Tonto National Forest
- Nearest town
- Scottsdale
- Address
- 40202 N Cave Creek Rd, Scottsdale, AZ, 85262
- Phone
- N/A
- Activities
- Birding, Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Kayaking, Non-Motorized Boating, Off Road Vehicle Trails, Paddling, Water Access
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
Site map · loading…
About
Overview
Horseshoe Campground is farther up the road from Mesquite Campground. Offering more developed campground sites with picnic tables, fire pits and access to the Verde River at campsites 11 and 12. Gorgeous vistas of surrounding mountains and the Verde River are offered along the path for families to enjoy. Most campsites are less shaded than the favored 11 and 12 campsites, so please feel free to bring canopies and coolers to provide shade and stay hydrated during the day, but this campground does have some large mesquite trees providing shade. Bald eagles are frequently seen in this vicinity.
This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service. Camping passes can also be purchased at a Tonto Fee Machine Pass. $16 per site, per night. Nearest fee machine location is at the Cave Creek Ranger Station.
Recreation
Swimming
Fishing
Boating (Non-Motorized on the Verde River and a 25 horsepower motor limit on Horseshoe Reservoir.)
Birding
Photography
OHV Routes
Facilities
There are 12 camp sites
First-Come, First-Serve only. No reservations.
THERE ARE NO TRASH SERVICES. PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT.
No potable water services available.
14-day stay limit.
Maximum occupancy per individual campsite is 10 people.
Maximum number of vehicles per individual camp unit is three. All vehicles must completely fit within the designated parking area.
Check-in time is 12:00 pm, and check-out time is 10:00 am
Quiet hours 10:00 pm to 6:00 am (running generators are not permitted during quiet hours.)
Trailers under 16 feet.
Use of motorized watercraft on flowing portions of the Verde River is prohibited.
Glass containers prohibited.
Road to campground is unpaved and unmaintained, recommend high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Natural Features
This campground provides some river access for activities like swimming and fishing and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Its proximity to Horseshoe Reservoir makes it a great basecamp for all your lake adventures!
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (480) 595-3300.
Nearby Attractions
Horseshoe Lake, Horseshoe Dam, Mesquite Campground, Catfish Point Day Use Site
Fees
This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service. Camping passes can also be purchased at a Tonto Fee Machine Pass. $16 per site, per night. Nearest fee machine location is at the Cave Creek Ranger Station.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65° | 39° | 28° | 79° | 3 of 11 |
| February | 66° | 41° | 27° | 82° | 4 of 11 |
| March | 71° | 46° | 33° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| April | 81° | 53° | 41° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 90° | 65° | 53° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 102° | 74° | 59° | 115° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 105° | 82° | 72° | 112° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 101° | 77° | 65° | 112° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 98° | 72° | 60° | 105° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 85° | 58° | 47° | 100° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 78° | 48° | 34° | 88° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 67° | 40° | 29° | 78° | 4 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Bronco Trailhead · 6.6 mi as the crow flies
Bronco 3.1 mi Hike · Drive there - SB Cove Shoreline Area · 9.4 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
All 190 trails in Tonto National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Mesquite (AZ) · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 4 sites
- C C C (AZ) Tonto NF · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 4 sites
- Cave Creek Group Site · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 1 sites
- Riverside Campground (AZ) · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 4 sites
- Cave Creek Regional Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 19 mi · 55 sites
All public campgrounds in Arizona · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.