Cutthroat

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Pinetop, AZ, AZ

Price: From $26 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (39 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cutthroat Campground lies at an elevation of 9,000 feet in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. It sits on the shoreline of Big Lake and affords visitors many recreational opportunities in a quiet, scenic setting. Popular activities include trout fishing and hiking.For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.Sites for tent camping only are scattered throughout this small facility and spaced a good distance apart.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Restrooms, Drinking Water, Dump Station, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cutthroat to be notified when sites open up.

Cutthroat sits on the shoreline of Big Lake, one of Arizona's top trout fishing lakes, offering scenic views and quiet recreation in the White Mountains at 9,000 feet elevation. Campers consistently praise the friendly camp host Gene, clean facilities, and easy lake access with nearby hiking trails.

Wildlife alert: Mexican Wolf, Wapiti (elk), Pronghorn, Coyote, American Badger, Dusky Grouse, and garter snakes present in the area.

Insider tips for Cutthroat: Book early on Recreation.gov — federal campground fills quickly. First-come sites may offer bigger spaces and better views than reserved low-numbered sites. Listen for elk in the evenings near the lake.

Skip Cutthroat if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites.. You require gated/secured camping — this is a federal campground with open access.. You plan to visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only..

Best time to visit Cutthroat: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Apache Trout Campground (Springerville, AZ), Grayling (Pinetop, AZ), Brookchar (Pinetop, AZ), Rainbow (Az) (Pinetop, AZ).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cutthroat

Cell signal at Cutthroat (Pinetop, AZ): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cutthroat

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Pinetop, AZ, AZ★ 4.5 (39 reviews)From $26/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cutthroat Campground lies at an elevation of 9,000 feet in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. It sits on the shoreline of Big Lake and affords visitors many recreational opportunities in a quiet, scenic setting. Popular activities include trout fishing and hiking.For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.Sites for tent camping only are scattered throughout this small facility and spaced a good distance apart.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump Station
Family & Pets
RestroomsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites.✕ You require gated/secured camping — this is a federal campground with open access.✕ You plan to visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early on Recreation.gov

federal campground fills quickly.

First-come sites may offer bigger spaces and better views than reserved low-numbered sites.

Listen for elk in the evenings near the lake.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mexican Wolf, Wapiti (elk), Pronghorn, Coyote, American Badger, Dusky Grouse, and garter snakes present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
928-735-7313· Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
Getting there →

From Pinetop, Arizona, take Highway 260 east 25 miles to Highway 273 south. Follow Highway 273 south 19 miles to Forest Road 8115 (Big Lake Entrance). Turn right and travel 2 miles to Cutthroat Campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cutthroat cost per night?+
Cutthroat costs $26 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cutthroat open?+
Cutthroat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cutthroat have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cutthroat?+
Cutthroat is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Cutthroat?+
Cutthroat is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cutthroat?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cutthroat is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cutthroat open, and what are check-in times?+
Cutthroat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$26 /night★ 4.5 (39)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cutthroat cost per night?+
What season is Cutthroat open?+
Does Cutthroat have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Apache Trout Campground

Springerville, AZ

From $38/night

Grayling

Pinetop, AZ

From $34/night

Brookchar

Pinetop, AZ

From $26/night

Rainbow (Az)

Pinetop, AZ

From $34/night

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