Campsite Sniper
Arizona · Recreation.gov

Houston Mesa Campground

34.2713° N / 111.3208° W · Data Nov 2 2026, checked hourly
Next open date Nov 5Next open weekend Nov 613 detected openings this week86 monitored sites

Pick your campsite

Every site at Houston Mesa, colored by availability across the tracked window. Tap a site for its calendar.
Houston Mesa

Pick a site on the map to see its availability calendar.

Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 13 site openings here in the last 7 days
Set a free alert →
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-232355

When Houston Mesa reopens

Houston Mesa's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 7 days
13
Openings · last 30 days
99
Openings · last 90 days
283

Weekday pattern

Detected openings by day of week · 90d
020406080100352110244421128MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUNOPENINGS RECORDED · LAST 90 DAYS · N = 283

Wednesday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected. 102 of 283 openings detected in the last 90 days occurred on a Wednesday (36.0%), with Thursday (44) and Friday (42) next in line.

Hour-of-day pattern

First detected by hour · local time · last 90 days
02040608074000408121620HOUR OF DAY (24H) · MST · LAST 90 DAYS

The largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 11:00 and 13:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 109 of 283 detected openings (38.5%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Mountain Standard Time (Arizona), not when the change was made upstream.

Lead-time profile

Days before stay date · percentiles
P25 · 4DMEDIAN · 6 DAYS OUTP75 · 11.5D0306090120150180DAYS BEFORE STAY DATE

Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 6 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 4–11.5 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.

Highest-churn sites

Most openings · 90d
SiteOpeningsShare of all openings
077  165.7%
072  144.9%
014  134.6%
068  134.6%
043  124.2%

Site 077 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 16. One free watch covers every site here.

02 · Availability Outlook · Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027 · of 86 monitored sites

Of the 14,640 tracked site-nights (Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027): 3,438 open for online reservation · 176 reserved · 11,026 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 86 monitored sites, 60 can be reserved online and 20 are first-come, first-served (6 closed).

Where the open windows are

76.5% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 3,438 of 14,640 remain open; here is where they are.

Load status

Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027
Not open online76.5%
Open site-nights3,438 / 14,640
Reserved (of online inventory)176 / 3,614
Weekday openings1,977
Weekend openings1,401

Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 1,977 fall on weekdays and 1,401 on weekends (Fri–Sun). The split covers the 3,378 open site-nights on mapped sites; 3,438 site-nights are open across all monitored inventory.

Open dates by month

Nov 2026 – May 2027
05001,0001,5002,0002,5001,4001,8580 OPEN0 OPEN0 OPEN0 OPEN180NOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYSOLID = OPEN SITE-NIGHTS · DASHED OUTLINE = TOTAL BOOKABLE

January shows no online availability. 0 of 2,480 tracked site-nights are open there — 2,480 on sites not offered online.

Holiday windows

Sites open per night · of 77 sites
WindowNightSites openStatus
ThanksgivingTHU Nov 2654Open
FRI Nov 2752Open
SAT Nov 2852Open
ChristmasTHU Dec 2459Open
FRI Dec 2559Open
New YearTHU Dec 3159Open
FRI Jan 10None open
Memorial DayFRI May 280None open
SAT May 290None open
SUN May 300None open
MON May 310None open

Thanksgiving: 51 sites are available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 59 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: no site is currently available for the complete two-night stay. Friday has no online availability; individual Thursday night remains open. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.

Best-availability sites

Most open site-nights · tracked window
SiteOpen site-nights
007  60
007  60
008  60
009  60
010  60

The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.

Next windows

As of Nov 2, 2026 snapshot
Next open dateThu · Nov 5
Next open weekendFri · Nov 6
January0 of 2,480 · not offered online

The next bookable night is Nov 5; the first open weekend starts Nov 6. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.

Stays and site detail

3,378 open site-nights across 59 sites at Houston Mesa, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.

Multi-night stays. 150 2-night, 149 3-night, 73 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Nov 5 at site 007.

RV length. Longest recorded site here is 99 ft. 57 sites take 25 ft, 51 sites take 35 ft, 44 sites take 40 ft. 18 sites of 77 have no recorded maximum and are not counted.

All 59 sites with current availability
SiteMax RVHookupsOpen site-nightsLongest runDates
00740 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
00740 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
00840 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
00945 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01045 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01145 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01360 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01320 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01430 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01560 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01650 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01845 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
01860 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
02860 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
02960 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
03060 ftNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
045Not recordedNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
046Not recordedNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
050Not recordedNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
057Not recordedNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
064Not recordedNone6057 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +48 more
053Not recordedNone5946 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 16, Nov 17 +47 more
00240 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
00335 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
00535 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
00699 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
01499 ftNone5847 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
027Not recordedNone5847 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
042Not recordedNone5847 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
044Not recordedNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
047Not recordedNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
049Not recordedNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
051Not recordedNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
052Not recordedNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
06550 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
06699 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
07135 ftNone5854 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +46 more
06345 ftNone5746 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +45 more
06720 ftNone5753 nightsNov 5, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +45 more
06835 ftNone5754 nightsNov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +45 more
07830 ftNone5750 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +45 more
02045 ftNone5640 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +44 more
02130 ftNone5640 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +44 more
041Not recordedNone5647 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +44 more
043Not recordedNone5647 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +44 more
048Not recordedNone5647 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +44 more
056Not recordedNone5647 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +44 more
02360 ftNone5547 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21 +43 more
02435 ftNone5547 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21 +43 more
07235 ftNone5547 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21 +43 more
00999 ftNone5447 nightsNov 5, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21, Nov 22 +42 more
06175 ftNone5433 nightsNov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +42 more
Group Site 270 ftYes5433 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +42 more
05840 ftNone5332 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +41 more
07730 ftNone5333 nightsNov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +41 more
06945 ftNone5221 nightsNov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21 +40 more
06075 ftNone5033 nightsNov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21, Nov 24 +38 more
07060 ftNone4732 nightsNov 8, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23 +35 more
05954 ftNone4333 nightsNov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3 +31 more

About Houston Mesa

Overview

Houston Mesa Campground is located in the forested northern section of Tonto National Forest, just north of Payson, Arizona and less than two hours from Phoenix. With family, equestrian and tent-only campsites, this campground can accommodate a range of visitors and offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, including miles of non-motorized trails nearby. Easy access to the Town of Payson amenities makes this campground ideal! As one of the largest forest in the United States, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited "urban" forests in the United States (approximately 5.8 million visitors annually). Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.

Recreation

Many visitors come to Payson to ride, hike, camp and picnic. Houston Mesa Campground is centrally located for access to Rim Country's best trails. Check out the National Recreation Highline Trail from its many access points along the control road (beginning or ending at Pine TH or 260 TH) or travel a short distance to the Pine trailhead to access over 20 miles of non motorized trails in the Pine Strawberry area.

Facilities

Houston Mesa has 102 campsites, including 46 standard sites, 27 equestrian sites for campers with horses or mules, and 29 tent-only sites for those who want a quieter experience. There are several amenities to make campers feel at home, including flush toilets.

The horse camping section (Mule Deer Loop) is across the street from the main campground and features 27 individual sites with tables and grills. Corrals are also available. Campers who reserve sites 7 - 18 must have horses or mules.

Natural Features

The campground is located at an elevation of 5,200 ft. in a mixed forest and shrub area, with spacious campsites offering both sun and shade. Winters are pleasant and cool with cold nighttime temperatures, while summers are warm and sunny, providing a nice getaway from the hotter deserts around Phoenix. Elk, javelina, skunk and coyote live in the area and can be seen in the campground.

Nearby Attractions

Campers who make the quick trip to the town of Payson, one mile south, will find restaurants, shopping and other conveniences. Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest, which embraces almost 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim.

If you are an avid mountain biker or hiker please check out the National Recreation Highline Trail-which spans 63 miles below the Mogollon Rim.

86 monitored sites20 FCFS sitesRVs up to 99 ft1 with hookups11 shadedPets OKFire pitsMax party 75

Getting there

From Payson, Arizona, go north for 1 mile to the junction of Highway 87 (Beeline Highway) and Forest Road 199 (Houston Mesa Road). Turn right (east) onto Forest Road 199 for .10 miles. The campground is on the north side of Houston Mesa Road.

1009 East Highway 260, Payson, AZ 85541928-468-7135
BikingCampingHikingHorse CampingHorseback RidingPicnicking

View on Recreation.gov ↗   Get directions ↗

FAQ

How do I get a reservation at Houston Mesa?

Reservations for Houston Mesa are made through Recreation.gov. 76.5% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 3,438 of 14,640 remain open. Campsite Sniper has also detected 283 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.

Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?

No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.

How current is this availability data?

Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.

How often do new openings appear at Houston Mesa?

Campsite Sniper detected 13 site-date openings at Houston Mesa in the last 7 days, 99 over 30 days and 283 over the last 90.

Which day of the week had the most detected openings at Houston Mesa?

Wednesday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected in the last 90 days: 102 of 283 (36%). Days reflect when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, not when the change occurred upstream.

Can I get a multi-night stay at Houston Mesa?

149 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Nov 5 at site 007. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.

Which sites at Houston Mesa fit a 35-foot RV?

51 of the 77 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 99 ft. 59 of those 77 sites have a recorded maximum length and 18 do not; they are not counted as fitting.

Which month has the most availability at Houston Mesa?

December 2026, with 1,858 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 2,480.

How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Houston Mesa?

Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 6 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 4-11.5 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.

When is the next open date at Houston Mesa?

As of the Nov 2, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Thu, Nov 5 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 6. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.

Stop refreshing. Let the app watch it.

Filter

Lakefront, hookups, your RV length, weekends only - set it as picky as you want.

Watch

We run paced availability checks for Houston Mesa. One watch covers every matching online-reservable site.

Get the ping

When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.

Alerts monitor online-reservable inventory only; first-come, first-served sites are not included.

Get Campsite Sniper - free on iOS & Android

Nearby campgrounds

Ponderosa (AZ)AZ · 47 sitesLower Tonto CreekAZ · 9 sitesUpper Tonto CreekAZ · 6 sitesChristopher CreekAZ · 44 sitesLong Valley Group CampgroundAZ · 1 siteSharp CreekAZ · 20 sites

Browse all campgrounds →