Mesquite (Az)

Tonto National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Scottsdale, AZ, AZ

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Mesquite Campground provides privacy and shade. Here you can relax under the shaded canopies of mesquite trees while listening to the sounds of water flowing from the Verde River just a short distance from your site. Designated camp sites have fire rings, grills and picnic tables where families can enjoy time together.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Mesquite Campground offers privacy and shade under mesquite trees with direct access to the Verde River for fishing, swimming, and water activities. Campers report well-spaced sites with minimal neighbors and awesome recreational opportunities.

Wildlife alert: Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Bobcat, Western Banded Gecko, and Gilded Flicker present in area. Use caution with wildlife.

Insider tips for Mesquite (Az): Check dam release levels before visiting to confirm water flow conditions Arrive early as this is a federal first-come, first-served campground only Pack out all trash as there is no waste service The 7-mile access road is rough washboard terrain—high-clearance vehicles recommended

Skip Mesquite (Az) if: You need RV hookups—none available at this campground. You prefer paved road access or easy driving conditions. You require reservation guarantees instead of first-come, first-served availability. You need year-round camping—seasonal May through October only.

Best time to visit Mesquite (Az): May-October — Official seasonal operations period for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Horseshoe (Az) (Scottsdale, AZ), C C C (Az) Tonto Nf (Scottsdale, AZ), Cave Creek Group Site (Scottsdale, AZ), Riverside Campground (Az) (Scottsdale, AZ).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mesquite (Az)

Cell signal at Mesquite (Az) (Scottsdale, 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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CamperWatch›AZ›Mesquite (Az)
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Tonto National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Mesquite (Az)

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Scottsdale, AZ, AZ★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Mesquite Campground provides privacy and shade. Here you can relax under the shaded canopies of mesquite trees while listening to the sounds of water flowing from the Verde River just a short distance from your site. Designated camp sites have fire rings, grills and picnic tables where families can enjoy time together.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites: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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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—none available at this campground✕ You prefer paved road access or easy driving conditions✕ You require reservation guarantees instead of first-come, first-served availability✕ You need year-round camping—seasonal May through October only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Check dam release levels before visiting to confirm water flow conditions

Arrive early as this is a federal first-come, first-served campground only

Pack out all trash as there is no waste service

The 7-mile access road is rough washboard terrain

high-clearance vehicles recommended

Best: May-October

Official seasonal operations period for the campground

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: Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Bobcat, Western Banded Gecko, and Gilded Flicker present in area. Use caution with wildlife.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Tonto National Forest
Getting there →

The site is 22 miles northeast of Carefree. From Carefree, take Cave Creek Road to Bartlett Dam Road. Turn right and continue for 6 miles to the junction of FR 205 and FR 19. Continue on FR 205 which turns left and becomes an un-maintained, unpaved road to Horseshoe Reservoir. Continue approximately 9 miles more on FR 205, following the route to Horseshoe Reservoir. Watch for the sign marking the site.

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 — Tonto National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tonto National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Mesquite (Az) cost per night?+
Mesquite (Az) costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Mesquite (Az) open?+
Mesquite (Az) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Mesquite (Az) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Mesquite (Az)?+
Mesquite (Az) is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Mesquite (Az)?+
Mesquite (Az) 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 Mesquite (Az)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mesquite (Az) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Mesquite (Az) open, and what are check-in times?+
Mesquite (Az) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$20 /night★ 4 (0)
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 Mesquite (Az) cost per night?+
What season is Mesquite (Az) open?+
Does Mesquite (Az) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Horseshoe (Az)

Scottsdale, AZ

From $20/night

C C C (Az) Tonto Nf

Scottsdale, AZ

From $20/night

Cave Creek Group Site

Scottsdale, AZ

From $75/night

Riverside Campground (Az)

Scottsdale, AZ

From $20/night

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Mesquite (Az) — Tonto National Forest | CamperWatch