No detected openings were recorded in the last 90 days. Campsite Sniper monitors Upper Arcadia continuously and will alert you if that changes.
Of the 366 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 170 open for online reservation · 9 reserved · 4 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative) · 183 unavailable (cause unspecified).
Where the open windows are
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 102 fall on weekdays and 68 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027December holds the most room. 31 of 62 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 2 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 1 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 1 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 1 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 1 | Open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: 1 site is available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 1 site is available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: 1 site is available for the complete two-night stay.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| Upper Arcadia | 170 |
This site currently has 170 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotThe next bookable night is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Oct 16. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
Multi-night stays. 4 2-night, 4 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 22 at site Upper Arcadia.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 40 ft. 2 sites take 25 ft, 2 sites take 35 ft, 2 sites take 40 ft.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Arcadia | 40 ft | None | 170 | 159 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7, Oct 12 +158 more |
About Upper Arcadia
Overview
Upper Arcadia sits along Swift Trail in southeastern Arizona, providing an escape from desert heat and a pleasant place to take in the high desert scenery in spring and fall. Visitors enjoy hiking, camping, birding and picnicking.
Recreation
The campground lies along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive, which takes visitors from the Sonoran Desert at 2,900 feet to alpine meadows and forest on the 9,000+ foot ridges of the Pinaleño Range. Because of its diverse habitat, the area is well-known for birding and wildlife watching.
The Swift Trail provides access to a number of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails, along with several other campgrounds that invite you for an afternoon picnic. A trip up to Riggs Lake, stocked with trout by Arizona Game & Fish, or to the Columbine Visitors Center could make a worth-while day trip as well.
The Arcadia Trail #328 starts at the Upper Arcadia Campground and leads up the mountain to Shannon Campground. A 1-mile spur off this trail leads to the top of Heliograph Peak, one of the highest mountains in southeastern Arizona.
Facilities
The group camping area can accommodate up to 75 people. Amenities include drinking water (available seasonally), vault toilets, picnic tables, and campfire rings with grills. Bear-proof food lockers and trash cans are provided to keep visitors and wildlife safe. Dead-and-down firewood may be collected in and around the campsite. Several first-come, first-served sites are located nearby (must pay separately).
Natural Features
The shady campground is in a thick forest of tall ponderosa pines interspersed with Gambel oaks and Arizona walnuts, at an elevation of 6,700 feet.
The Coronado National Forest covers 1.78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Elevations range from 3,000 to 10,720 feet in 12 widely scattered mountain ranges, or "sky islands," that rise dramatically from the desert floor, supporting biologically diverse plant communities.
Nearby Attractions
The Mount Graham Wilderness Study Area, which includes the 10,720-foot Mount Graham, the tallest mountain in southern Arizona. Columbine Visitor Center, Riggs Lake, and a variety of trails can be accessed along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive.
The town of Safford is approximately a 30 minute drive from the Upper Arcadia campground, heading north on SR 191. Safford is home to our Ranger Station, where you can go to find information about trails, camping, hunting and fishing, and other questions you may have about our district (open Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm).
Getting there
From Safford, Arizona: Take State Route 191 south for 6 miles. Turn right onto State Route 366/Swift Trail and travel 11.5 miles to the Arcadia Campground entrance (MM 125.5), taking the next right turn to access Upper Arcadia. From Tucson, Arizona: Take I-10 East for 90 miles. Take exit 352 for State Route 191, and turn left toward Safford. Drive 26.3 miles north and turn left on State Route 366/Swift Trail. Continue for 11.5 miles to the Arcadia Campground entrance (MM 125.5), taking the next right turn to access Upper Arcadia.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
Photo gallery
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Upper Arcadia?
Reservations for Upper Arcadia are made through Recreation.gov. 170 of 366 tracked site-nights are currently open (46.4%). 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 Sep 18, 2026 16:19 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.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Upper Arcadia?
4 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 22 at site Upper Arcadia. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Upper Arcadia fit a 35-foot RV?
2 of the 2 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Upper Arcadia?
December 2026, with 31 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 62.
When is the next open date at Upper Arcadia?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Oct 16. 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.
Lakefront, hookups, your RV length, weekends only - set it as picky as you want.
We run paced availability checks for Upper Arcadia. One watch covers every matching site.
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.