Grayling

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Pinetop, AZ, AZ

Price: From $34 per night

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 (109 reviews)

Season: May through October

Grayling Campground offers perhaps the most secluded sites in the Big Lake Recreation Area in eastern Arizona. It sits on the shoreline of the lake in a mixed conifer and aspen forest and affords visitors many recreational opportunities in a quiet, scenic setting. Popular activities include trout fishing and hiking.The campground is adjacent to 450-acre Big Lake, one of Arizona’s top fishing lakes.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Station, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Grayling Campground offers secluded sites on the shoreline of 450-acre Big Lake, one of Arizona's top trout fishing lakes, surrounded by mixed conifer and aspen forest. Google reviewers consistently praise the friendly hosts, clean premises, and beautiful pine-shaded sites.

Wildlife alert: Mexican Wolf, Wapiti, Coyote, American Badger, Dusky Grouse, and multiple garter snake species present in the area

Insider tips for Grayling: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand Bring a boat for better fishing; shore fishing encounters too many rocks per camper reports Campground hosts Mel and Cindy maintain excellent cleanliness and are known for hospitality

Skip Grayling if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available, suitable only for self-contained RVs. You require camping outside May-October seasonal window. You prefer larger campgrounds—only 21 total sites.

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

Nearby campgrounds: Brookchar (Pinetop, AZ), Cutthroat (Pinetop, AZ), Rainbow (Az) (Pinetop, AZ), Winn (Greer, AZ).

Cell Phone Coverage at Grayling

Cell signal at Grayling (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, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Grayling

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Pinetop, AZ, AZ★ 4.9 (109 reviews)From $34/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Grayling Campground offers perhaps the most secluded sites in the Big Lake Recreation Area in eastern Arizona. It sits on the shoreline of the lake in a mixed conifer and aspen forest and affords visitors many recreational opportunities in a quiet, scenic setting. Popular activities include trout fishing and hiking.The campground is adjacent to 450-acre Big Lake, one of Arizona’s top fishing lakes.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
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
Max RV45 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump Station
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsFishing

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, suitable only for self-contained RVs✕ You require camping outside May-October seasonal window✕ You prefer larger campgrounds—only 21 total sites

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Bring a boat for better fishing; shore fishing encounters too many rocks per camper reports

Campground hosts Mel and Cindy maintain excellent cleanliness and are known for hospitality

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, Coyote, American Badger, Dusky Grouse, and multiple garter snake species present in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1111111111· 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. Grayling is on the left.

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 Grayling cost per night?+
Grayling costs $34 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Grayling open?+
Grayling is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Grayling have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Grayling?+
Grayling can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
How do I make reservations at Grayling?+
Grayling 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 Grayling?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Grayling is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Grayling open, and what are check-in times?+
Grayling 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.

$34 /night★ 4.9 (109)
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 Grayling cost per night?+
What season is Grayling open?+
Does Grayling have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Brookchar

Pinetop, AZ

From $26/night

Cutthroat

Pinetop, AZ

From $26/night

Rainbow (Az)

Pinetop, AZ

From $34/night

Winn

Greer, AZ

From $26/night

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