Riverside Campground
Riverside Campground offers more peace and tranquility than the busier recreation sites at Bartlett Lake. With the campground’s proximity to water, fisherman and avid water recreationalists enjoy this spot all year long. There are designated grills, fire rings and picnic tables where families can enjoy the day together along the river, not far from the dam. Keep a look out for fish jumping along the river! Camping passes can also be purchased at a Tonto Fee Machine Pass. $16 per site, per night.
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
| Fees | Campsites are $16 per night, per site. America the Beautiful Senior or Access Disability passholders are eligible for a 50% discount. Pass must be valid and present with passholder at time of stay. |
- 12 Campsites
- No reservations.
- 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.
- No motor boats allowed.
- Trailers under 16 feet.
- Glass containers prohibted.
- No potable water services available.
- Quiet hours 10:00 pm to 6:00 am (running generators are not permitted during quiet hours).
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Temporarily closed |
| Forest | Tonto National Forest |
| Rules | 14-day stay limit. No motor boats allowed. Trailers under 16 feet. Glass containers prohibted. 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 east of Carefree. Take Cave Creek Road for 7 miles then turn right on Bartlett Dam Road and continue for 13 miles. Just before reaching the Jojoba Boating site, FR 19 becomes a maintained gravel road that turns south (right). Follow it for another 3 miles to Riverside.
| Coordinates | 33.8099° N, 111.6465° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 9.4 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Best Barbeques & Islands ↗ | 19.9 mi |
| RV sales & service | Whiskey Mountain RV ↗ | 24.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 2.1 miBartlett Marina ↗Boat launch
- 10.1 miDesert Vista Ohv Area ↗OHV / range
Trails nearby
- 2.1 miJojoba1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.9 miPalo Verde4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
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
- 12.2 miMazatzal Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 250,760 acres
- 14.7 miFour Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 60,773 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
- Bartlett DamStructure · Carefree · 1 mi
Natural features
Plenty of trees provide ample shade and the calming sound of the river flowing makes Riverside Campground a great place to relax and enjoy nature. Keep a lookout for wildlife!
Recreation
- Camping
- Fishing
- Non-Motorized Boating
- River Access
- Birding
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 Riverside Campground?
No. Riverside Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Riverside Campground?
Campsites are $16 per night, per site. America the Beautiful Senior or Access Disability passholders are eligible for a 50% discount. Pass must be valid and present with passholder at time of stay.
Source: Forest Service
Is Riverside Campground open right now?
Temporarily closed as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
What is there to do at Riverside Campground?
Camping The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What if Riverside Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Mesquite (11.5 mi, first-come), Horseshoe (12.2 mi, first-come), and C C C Tonto NF (16.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby