Horseshoe
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.
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in Arizona
Amenities & rules
- There are 12 camp sites
- 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.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Forest | Tonto National Forest |
| Rules | 14-day stay limit. Trailers under 16 feet. Use of motorized watercraft on flowing portions of the Verde River is prohibited. PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT. Glass containers prohibited. Road to campground is unpaved and unmaintained. Recommend high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles. Quiet hours 10:00 pm to 6:00 am (running generators are not permitted during quiet hours). |
Weather by month
Getting there
This site is 23 miles northeast of Carefree. From Carefree, take Cave Creek Road turn right on Bartlett Dam Road and continue for 6 miles to the junction of FR 205 and FR 19. At this junction, FR 205 turns left and becomes an unmaintained unpaved road. Follow FR 205 for 10 miles towards Horseshoe Reservoir.
| Nearest town | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 33.9769° N, 111.7167° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 19.6 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Best Barbeques & Islands ↗ | 26.4 mi |
| RV sales & service | Whiskey Mountain RV ↗ | 35.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
Horseshoe Lake, Horseshoe Dam, Mesquite Campground, Catfish Point Day Use Site
- 10.5 miDesert Vista Ohv Area ↗OHV / range
- 10.5 miBartlett Marina ↗Boat launch
Trails nearby
- 2.2 miSears ↗7.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.3 miDavenport ↗12.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.2 miFig Spring3.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Tonto National Forest.
- inTonto National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,966,417 acres
- 2.6 miMazatzal Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 250,760 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Verde River Sheep BridgeStructure · Carefree · 7 mi
- Bartlett DamStructure · Carefree · 12 mi
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!
Recreation
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Boating (Non-Motorized on the Verde River and a 25 horsepower motor limit on Horseshoe Reservoir.)
- Birding
- Photography
- OHV Routes
Guidebooks for Tonto National Forest and Arizona
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Horseshoe?
No. Horseshoe is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
Is Horseshoe open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
What is there to do at Horseshoe?
Swimming The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Horseshoe?
Scottsdale, Arizona. Horseshoe Lake, Horseshoe Dam, Mesquite Campground, Catfish Point Day Use Site
Source: Getting there
What if Horseshoe is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Mesquite (0.8 mi, first-come), Sheep Bridge (7 mi, first-come), and C C C Tonto NF (8.5 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby