Riverside Campground (Az)

Tonto National Forest — lakeside

Location: Scottsdale, AZ, AZ

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Riverside Campground offers more peace and tranquility than the busier recreation sites at Bartlett Lake. With the campground’s proximity to water, fisherman and avid water recreationalists enjoy this spot all year long. There are designated grills, fire rings and picnic tables where families can enjoy the day together along the river, not far from the dam.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water

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

Riverside Campground offers peaceful camping with direct proximity to water, making it ideal for fishing and water recreation. Google reviewers praise the fire rings, scenic beauty, and cool water access, with one noting they've 'always been able to get a great spot.'

Wildlife alert: Gila Monster, North American River Otter, Belted Kingfisher, Desert Spiny Lizard, and Checkered Garter Snake documented in the area

Insider tips for Riverside Campground (Az): First-come, first-served only—arrive early to secure a site Located 23 miles east of Carefree; take Cave Creek Road 7 miles, then Bartlett Dam Road 13 miles No running water at sites despite drinking water availability—bring supplies

Skip Riverside Campground (Az) if: You need hookups—no hookups available. You prefer booking in advance—first-come, first-served basis only. You visit outside May-October—seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Riverside Campground (Az): May-October — Official seasonal operations window as listed by RIDB.

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Riverside Campground (Az)

Cell signal at Riverside Campground (Az) (Scottsdale, 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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CamperWatch›AZ›Riverside Campground (Az)
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Tonto National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Riverside Campground (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

Riverside Campground offers more peace and tranquility than the busier recreation sites at Bartlett Lake. With the campground’s proximity to water, fisherman and avid water recreationalists enjoy this spot all year long. There are designated grills, fire rings and picnic tables where families can enjoy the day together along the river, not far from the dam.

Best for:Wildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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 Rings
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 hookups—no hookups available✕ You prefer booking in advance—first-come, first-served basis only✕ You visit outside May-October—seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive early to secure a site

Located 23 miles east of Carefree; take Cave Creek Road 7 miles, then Bartlett Dam Road 13 miles

No running water at sites despite drinking water availability

bring supplies

Best: May-October

Official seasonal operations window as listed by RIDB

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: Gila Monster, North American River Otter, Belted Kingfisher, Desert Spiny Lizard, and Checkered Garter Snake documented in the area

Location

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

This site is 23 miles east of Carefree. Take Cave Creek Road for 7 miles then turn right on Bartlett Dam Road and continue for 13 miles. Just before reaching the Jojoba Boating site, FR 19 becomes a maintained gravel road that turns south (right). Follow it for another 3 miles to Riverside.

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 Riverside Campground (Az) cost per night?+
Riverside Campground (Az) costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Riverside Campground (Az) open?+
Riverside Campground (Az) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Riverside Campground (Az) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Riverside Campground (Az)?+
Riverside Campground (Az) is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Riverside Campground (Az)?+
Riverside Campground (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 Riverside Campground (Az)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Riverside Campground (Az) 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 Riverside Campground (Az) open, and what are check-in times?+
Riverside Campground (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 Riverside Campground (Az) cost per night?+
What season is Riverside Campground (Az) open?+
Does Riverside Campground (Az) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Mesquite (Az)

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From $20/night

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

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