Sightseeing & food
| Location | Payson, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Nightly rate (listed) | $22–$170/night |
| Guest rating | 4.0 / 5 (353 reviews) |
| Maximum RV length | 99 ft (longest listed site) |
| Hookups | electric |
| Pull-through sites | Yes |
| RV sites | 31 |
| Pets allowed | Yes |
| Book on | Recreation.gov |
From the park's listing on Recreation.gov. Confirm details with the park before you book.
More Arizona RV parks with: Pull-Through Sites · Big Rig Sites
Closest stays by type. Distances are straight-line from Houston Mesa, not driving.
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights27 sites open for every night
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights16 sites open for every night
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights9 sites open for every nightThis weekend · Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights47 sites open for every night · from $22/night
Houston Mesa is a Recreation.gov campground in Payson. It lists 31 RV or RV/tent sites and 17 tent sites for rigs up to 75 ft. 1 site has electric. Pets are allowed per the listing.
Checking 2 nights (your saved dates or this weekend). Tell us what you're staying in to see matching sites and prices.
Availability checked Oct 25 on Recreation.gov. Rates are the provider's nightly rates; totals are estimates before taxes & fees.
Opens site 059 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 058 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 061 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 070 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 009 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 023 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 024 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 072 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
You book with the provider. Each row shows that provider's lowest open option for your dates, and which provider our main button uses.
Availability checked Oct 25 on Recreation.gov. Showing 40 of 80 sites.
| Site | Fr 30 | Sa 31 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 029 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 010 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 018 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 008 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 016 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 009 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 011 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 028 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 007 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 015 equestrian nonelectric |
Verbatim from guest reviews on Recreation.gov ↗ (353 reviews, ★ 4.0). Not written or edited by us.
“Great spot, closer to town than I realized”
“It has definitely gone down hill. Bathrooms weren't clean the whole time we were there. No more dump station there. No showers . ”
“My family & I had a great time. We loved campsite 067 on mountain lion loop (loop: Moun). We were far enough from neighbors that we felt secluded, which was nice. We had a lot of space at our campsite to roam around. We will definitely be back.”
This weekend (Fri, Oct 30 – Sun, Nov 1): Book online. Reservations online on Recreation.gov — open dates and rates come from the booking site.
Longest RV site listed: 75 ft. Unsure if your rig fits? Check it in the Rig Fit tool
2100 Houston Mesa Rd
Open in Google Maps ↗
Houston Mesa Campground sits at about 5,200 feet on a wide, pine-and-pinyon studded mesa just north of Payson, Arizona roughly a one-mile hop from town and under two hours from Phoenix. The facility contains 77 campsites in five loops (BEAR: 16 sites; ELK: 15; Fox: 1; MOUN: 16; MULE: 29), and the site mix reflects a range of camping styles: 31 sites accept both RVs and tents, 29 are designated equestrian sites, and 17 are tent-only for a quieter stay. Campsites are roomy, offering a mix of sun and shade, and basic comforts include flush toilets; the equestrian MULE loop (also called the Mule Deer Loop) is across the road from the main campground and supplies individual sites with tables and grills plus corrals for animals. Outdoor offerings center on horse-oriented and trail recreation plus easy access to the broader variety of activities in Tonto National Forest. From the horse camping area you can access the Houston Mesa Loop Trail, a roughly 9-mile out-and-back through juniper and pinyon woodland, while a 0.5-mile Houston Mesa Interpretive Trail provides a short, self-guided walk. Many visitors come specifically to ride, hike, picnic and watch wildlife (hawks, eagles, javelina, deer, fox, skunk and coyote are present). Note that horse-camp operations have specific rules and seasons: the Mule Deer Loop's 29 sites include reservable spots and corrals campers who reserve sites 7 18 must have horses or mules, whereas sites 2 6 and 19 30 are first-come, first-served and the horse camp closes seasonally from November through March. For current fees, reservation details and any seasonal changes, call the forest office at (928) 474-7900.
| Agency / operator | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Booking | Recreation.gov [Recreation.gov] |
| Max RV / trailer length | Not listed |
| Bear storage | Not listed |
Picks are 75 ft or shorter: the longest RV site listed here. Pickup area: Phoenix (Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)), about 70 mi straight-line from Houston Mesa. RV rentals in Phoenix
Pick up in Scottsdale
Pick up in Cave Creek
Pick up in Scottsdale| ✓ |
| ✓ |
| $22 |
| 013 equestrian nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $22 |
| 027 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 040 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 003 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 058 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 043 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 007 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 047 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 049 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 044 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 048 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 069 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 070 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 002 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 006 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 063 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 018 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 061 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 056 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 045 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 021 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 020 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 009 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 064 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 042 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 005 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 024 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 066 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 023 standard nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
| 046 tent only nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $29 |
✓ available · R reserved · X not available · C closed · W first come, first served · N not yet released
| Season | Not listed |
|---|
| Hookups | Not listed |
|---|
Sources: Recreation.gov — Houston Mesa. "Not listed" means no source we use states it.
Official facts link to their source; “Listing” facts come from the Recreation.gov listing. Anything we can't source says so.