Camping With Beautiful Views And Fishing, Biking And Hiking In Apache National Forest
Topics: Arizona camping, Apache National Forest, Apache National Forest Campgrounds, National Forests
Canyons, meadows, rivers, lakes, mountains and pristine evergreen and mixed forests - campgrounds in Apache National Forest have beautiful views of all this and more including excellent recreational opportunities for fishing, hiking, and mountain biking.
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is one of eleven National Forests in the Southwestern Region of Arizona and New Mexico and ranges in elevation from 3,500 feet to nearly 11,500 feet. It’s named for the tribes that settled in this area. The area in Arizona from Mount Baldy east to Escudilla Mountain is often referred to as the White Mountains (discovered by James White in the early 1900s) and is where the campgrounds featured in this article are located - approximately 3 hours driving time from the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.
Ideally, all campgrounds would overlook a beautiful natural landscape that can be seen directly from most of the camp sites. Well, we all know that many if not most camgrounds don’t meet this criteria; but here are several campgrounds located in Apache National Forest that do!
If you prefer a small, tent only campground with direct views of a beautiful lake and meadow in the foreground and mountains in the background, try either Brookchar or Cutthroat campgrounds close to Springerville, AZ. Both campgrounds are located in a beautiful evergreen forest next to Big Lake and a large meadow at an elevation of approximately 9,100 feet. Most all of the sites at both campgrounds have good to excellent views of either the lake and/or meadow. Cutthroat campground sites 2, 3, 5 and 6 are closest to the lake and all of the sites at Brookchar have direct views of the lake.
If you have an RV or tent and prefer views of a river stream bordered by narrow canyon walls, try any of five campgrounds located along the East Fork of the Black River in a scenic narrow canyon forested with majestic tall evergreen trees at elevations ranging from approximately 7,500 to 7,950 feet. Diamond Rock, Aspen, Deer Creek, Raccoon and Horse Springs campgrounds are all within a very short driving distance of each other. Each of these campgrounds (except for Horse Springs) are small and secluded having twelve or less campsites and can accommodate small RV’s.
Horse Springs campground is larger with many more sites and can accommodate larger RV’s. As you look out between the canyon walls in each of these campgrounds, you’ll see beautiful views of a narrow canyon floor, often dotted with small meadow-like areas and beautiful tall ponderosa pine. Some of the camp sites overlook the river, but river views are obstructed from many of the sites by surrounding trees and vegetation along the river banks.
Even though many of the camp sites don’t have views of the river, you can still hear the sound of the moving water which enhances the sense of beauty of the area. The overall feeling of these campgrounds is rustic, pristine and beautiful. Since each of these five campgrounds are so close to one another, you might as well check out each one and pick out the one that suits you best, the views are similar but each has a slightly different character.
Another campground with beautiful views that is just a few miles down a forest road from the five mentioned above is Buffalo Crossing campground. The canyon walls at this campground are shallower and the area between the walls is much wider than the other five campgrounds in this area. Some of the sites are in a beautiful open meadow between the canyon walls and some hug the edges of one of the canyon walls forested by tall majestic ponderosa pine. Several of the sites in the meadow have views of the Black River. Because of the open meadow, this campground has lots of sun.
One more and larger campground in the area (also within Apache National Forest) offering beautiful views of a meadow is Winn campground at an elevation of about 9,320 feet. The campground has about 67 RV and tent sites in all and can accommodate medium size RVs. Sites 46 - 58 have views of the beautiful meadow.
After setting up your camp site, explore nearby recreational opportunities for hiking, biking and fishing. For hikers, there are approximately 875 miles of trails. The Forest has four National Recreation Trails: Eagle, Blue Ridge, Escudilla, and General George Crook. There is also an interpretive trail along the Mogollon Rim with spectacular views of the Colorado Plateau and the Gila-Salt River watersheds - an easy hike for young and old on a self-guided interpretive trail about a mile long.
Fishing opportunities abound in the area as well. Apache National Forest is considered one of the top forests in the nation for fishing and contains over 450 miles of streams and nearly 2,000 surface acres of cold water lakes. Fish species include Arctic Grayling, Rainbow, German Brown, Brook, Apache, and Cutthroat trout.
Finally, mountain biking is also popular in this national forest. Refer to a forest map and look for the double dotted lines or un-shaded double solid lines that indicate primitive or dirt roads and you will see many jeep tracks, logging roads, and little used forest roads where motorized traffic is infrequent enough not to interfere with bike riding. The views are beautiful from most of the roads and throughout the forest.
Camping, hiking, biking and fishing with beautiful views are all available at Apache National Forest.
Visit www.campingwithaview.com for more information on Apache National Forest. Carl Zimmerman is owner and webmaster of Camping With A View (www.campingwithaview.com) dedicated to finding campgrounds with beautiful views.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Your Motor Home Goes North To Alaska (1)
The sun just seems to hover there around the horizon, teasing, like it's going down, and then it's up again before you know it. You really have to stay up late to see the night time in Alaska.
How To Put Together Your Own Personal Pit Crew For Your Own Car (2)
You can find a car club anywhere, and if you have a sports car it shouldn't be a problem, a classic or a Tuner you can find a car club for both, but if you have a Tuner you can probably find a car club anywhere.
One Of The Most Beautiful Cities You'll Ever Find (3)
On Carrer dels Comtes, as well as some other streets, you will likely notice the human and animal gargoyles that adorn the upper walls. You will find these beautiful sculptures at the heart of Barcelona, lying amongst the ancient passages and shadowy alleys.
New Airport Boost For Andorra Ski Holidays And Property (4)
The country has upgraded facilities in recent years, and often competes as a top ski destination in Europe, with well known ski companies like Crystal Ski operating holidays for the British market.
Does New York Really Have The Best Sports Fans Or The Best Sports Teams? (5)
They perform their home games at Madison square garden. Set aside hockey, there are more than many other major sports you can see while staying in New York City.
Golf Rules And Etiquette For The Beginner (6)
Tee times are not always required but having one is a good idea. Getting to the course early is an advantage for you; spend the time wisely by hitting a few balls on the driving range and putting on the practice putting green.
How To Thoroughly Enjoy Sports As A Fan Even If You Were Never Into Sports (7)
Even those who can't stand football have been to a super bowl party where they have met cool new people. It's a great day to get together with others and enjoy the same thing as everyone else, and more than likely meet completely new people.
Malta Gets Street Cred (8)
The stories Coronation Street runs centre around a fictional cobbled street in the north of England, a suburb of Manchester called Weatherfield, with a pub called the Rovers Return at one end, and a corner shpo at the other, with a row of terrace houses between, setting for the home lives and dramas of the characters.
How To Choose The Proper Golf Equipment For Your Junior Golfer (9)
Even junior clubs can get to be heavy at times, and a junior will be able to move their equipment around a lot easier if the bag has wheels on it so they can get from hole to hole.
Beaches In The North And South Of Phuket (10)
Expect a quiet enchanting experience if you break away from the herd and visit the north end of the island. Whichever part of the island the guest chooses, they are sure to find a Phuket villa rental to suit their needs, and have everything taken care of by professional villa management and infections Thai charm.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Explore South India, From Chennai To Cochin (1)
For those of you with a keen interest in wildlife and animals, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve are definitely for you. Located high in the ranges of the Western Ghats, tourists can come here to see elephants, wild pigs, gaur, sambar, deer, Indian wild dogs, a variety of birds and if you're lucky enough, a tiger.
Some Great Tips To Help Sports Car Owners Save On Car Insurance (2)
First, an owner should check to see if any memberships will give any discounts on rates. At times a membership can greatly reduce your rates. Teachers and government workers usually get these discounts but rarely see them.
Beach, Desert And Dubai (3)
With so much to do and with such picturesque surroundings, a holiday in Dubai is something you will long for year after year. Trips to the Arabic deserts are a popular activity and are normally done in groups.
Drinking And Dining In Barcelona (4)
In many cultures, you eat lunch between noon and 1:30; in Barcelona, you eat lunch between 3 and 4. Dinner is often not served until very late, between 10 and 11:30 in the evening; if you're lucky, you may find eateries opening at 9:30, but that is the very earliest; if you try to eat too early, you will end up stuck in a tourist trap and over-paying.
The Final Fantasy XI Job The Warrior Explored (5)
Topics: final fantasy xi warrior, ffxi class warrior, final fantasy online character Warriors excel in close combat fighting. They use the widest variety of weapons of any job (i.e. all of them), and gain the provocation ability at level five, which makes them the only job that can lure monsters to attack them instead of their more fragile party mates.
Spooky Delights In London (6)
Remember, this is a journey best taken by those that are not faint of heart. Gaizka Pujana is the co-owner of Barcelona Homes, S.L. which is a company specialized in providing short term tenancy solutions in Europe through its web pages www.barcelonahomes.net www.getreadylondon.com www.getreadyrentals.com
A Beach Holiday In The French Capital, Paris? Strange, But True... (7)
The three locations have been set up at various points around the city, connected by shuttle buses, each with a different theme or focus. The banks of the river Sein have been presented as a tropical oasis where visitors and locals can soak up the sun side by side.
Making Golf Club Selection Less Than Painful (8)
No matter how you choose your golf clubs, you should not take the process lightly. A good set of golf clubs is going to cost a fairly large amount of money, so consider carefully all of the things that you want from golf clubs.
South India Package Tours (9)
With regards to the rest of the resort, the layout was well designed and the greenery was pretty even during the hottest time of the year. We were very surprised to find that the resort looked exactly like it did in the pictures we had seen before arriving when looking up South India package tours.
Putnam County Florida: A Natural Wonderland (10)
Established in 1876, Crescent City is actually a small town nestled between two lakes and surrounded on its open sides by thriving groves of oak trees. With 42 citrus growers in 1895, Crescent City was one of the most productive citrus towns in early Florida; the "Belle of Crescent City", a packaging label from citrus products, remains the town's logo to this day.
Permalink to Camping With Beautiful Views And Fishing, Biking And Hiking In Apache National Forest