Portal Bunkhouse

Coronado National Forest — riverside, hiking

Location: Douglas, AZ, AZ

Price: From $100 per night

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (73 reviews)

Season: Year-round

The Portal Bunkhouse is a two-room cabin located one mile west of Portal, Arizona. Constructed in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Bunkhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure is one of the finest remaining examples of river-cobble masonry construction from that era.The Portal Bunkhouse is a two-room cabin, suitable for up to four people.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): weak signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Showers, Electric Hookups

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

Historic 1933 Civilian Conservation Corps cabin listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring exceptional river-cobble masonry construction. Campers praise its cleanliness, working amenities, and proximity to Cave Creek Canyon hiking with wildlife viewing opportunities.

Wildlife alert: New Mexico Black Bear, Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Desert Spotted Skunk, White-nosed Coati, and Eared Quetzal present in the area.

Insider tips for Portal Bunkhouse: Bring a mattress pad—the bed is notably hard Book early as it's a popular federal campground with only 1 site Hike the peak directly in front of the cabin for sunrise views

Skip Portal Bunkhouse if: You need electrical hookups—most sites lack hookups. You prefer modern accommodations—cabin is 88+ years old. You require flexibility during peak season—advance booking essential.

Best time to visit Portal Bunkhouse: Year-round — Campground operates year-round; Google reviews mention successful Christmas visits..

Nearby campgrounds: Portal Ccc House (Douglas, AZ), Bonita Canyon Campground (Willcox, AZ), Half Moon Ranch (DOUGLAS, AZ), Shaw House (Pearce, AZ).

Cell Phone Coverage at Portal Bunkhouse

Cell signal at Portal Bunkhouse (Douglas, AZ): weak overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.

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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Coronado National Forest — riverside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Portal Bunkhouse

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Douglas, AZ, AZ★ 4.1 (73 reviews)From $100/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Portal Bunkhouse is a two-room cabin located one mile west of Portal, Arizona. Constructed in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Bunkhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure is one of the finest remaining examples of river-cobble masonry construction from that era.The Portal Bunkhouse is a two-room cabin, suitable for up to four people.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Max RV20 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsNot allowed
CampfiresNot permitted
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
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 electrical hookups—most sites lack hookups✕ You prefer modern accommodations—cabin is 88+ years old✕ You require flexibility during peak season—advance booking essential

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Bring a mattress pad

the bed is notably hard

Book early as it's a popular federal campground with only 1 site

Hike the peak directly in front of the cabin for sunrise views

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round; Google reviews mention successful Christmas visits.

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 · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: New Mexico Black Bear, Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Desert Spotted Skunk, White-nosed Coati, and Eared Quetzal present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(520) 364-3468· Coronado National Forest
Getting there →

From Tucson, take I-10 east for 139 miles to Road Forks, NM. Turn right (south) on US 80 and drive 28 miles to Portal Road. Turn right (west) and drive 7 miles through the town of Portal. Turn left on Forest Road 42 for approximately 1 mile. The Bunkhouse is the rock masonry building just past the Visitor Information Center.

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

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Portal Bunkhouse cost per night?+
Portal Bunkhouse costs $100 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Portal Bunkhouse open?+
Portal Bunkhouse is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Portal Bunkhouse have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Portal Bunkhouse?+
Portal Bunkhouse can accommodate RVs up to 20 feet.
How do I make reservations at Portal Bunkhouse?+
Portal Bunkhouse 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 Portal Bunkhouse?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Portal Bunkhouse is rated weak. Best carrier: AT&T. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Portal Bunkhouse open, and what are check-in times?+
Portal Bunkhouse is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapTravel Awaits Article
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.

$100 /night★ 4.1 (73)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Portal Bunkhouse cost per night?+
What season is Portal Bunkhouse open?+
Does Portal Bunkhouse have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Portal Ccc House

Douglas, AZ

From $125/night

Bonita Canyon Campground

Willcox, AZ

From $25/night

Half Moon Ranch

DOUGLAS, AZ

From $150/night

Shaw House

Pearce, AZ

From $150/night

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Portal Bunkhouse — Coronado National Forest | CamperWatch