Openings · last 7 days
8
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 8 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234563
When Ponderosa (AZ) reopens
Ponderosa (AZ)'s openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
43
Openings · last 90 days
100
Weekday pattern
Detected openings by day of week · 90dNo strong weekday pattern is evident in the openings Campsite Sniper has detected: 100 openings spread across the week.
Hour-of-day pattern
First detected by hour · local time · last 90 daysThe largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 19:00 and 20:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 34 of 100 detected openings (34.0%). 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 · percentilesHalf of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 8.5 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 4–15 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.
Highest-churn sites
Most openings · 90d| Site | Openings | Share of all openings |
|---|---|---|
| D-01 | 9 | 9.0% |
| A-09 | 9 | 9.0% |
| A-11 | 8 | 8.0% |
| D-05 | 8 | 8.0% |
| B-04 | 7 | 7.0% |
Site D-01 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 9. One free watch covers every site here.
02 · Availability Outlook · Apr 1 – May 3, 2027 · of 51 monitored sites
Of the 1,683 tracked site-nights (Apr 1 – May 3, 2027): 703 open for online reservation · 980 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 51 monitored sites, 37 can be reserved online and 14 are first-come, first-served.
Where the open windows are
58.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 703 of 1,683 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Apr 1 – May 3, 2027Not open online58.2%
Open site-nights703 / 1,683
Reserved (of online inventory)0 / 703
Weekday openings370
Weekend openings333
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 370 fall on weekdays and 333 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Apr 2027 – May 2027April holds the most room. 592 of 1,530 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 47 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| A-04 | 19 |
| A-05 | 19 |
| A-06 | 19 |
| A-07 | 19 |
| A-09 | 19 |
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.
Tracked window
CoverageCampsite Sniper's data for this facility starts Apr 1, 2027. That is about 150 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before Apr 1, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The site-nights shown on this page describe Apr 1, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
Stays and site detail
703 open site-nights across 37 sites at Ponderosa (AZ), from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 37 2-night, 37 3-night, 37 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Apr 15, 2027 at site A-04.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 130 ft. 44 sites take 25 ft, 36 sites take 35 ft, 11 sites take 40 ft. 2 sites of 47 have no recorded maximum and are not counted.
All 37 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-04 | 70 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-05 | 70 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-06 | 37 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-07 | 100 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-09 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-10 | 40 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-11 | 45 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-14 | 42 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-16 | 40 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-18 | 130 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-19 | 38 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-20 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| A-21 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| B-01 | 45 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| B-02 | 45 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| B-04 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| B-07 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-02 | 25 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-03 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-04 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-05 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-06 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-07 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-08 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| C-09 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-01 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-02 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-03 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-04 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-05 | 25 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-06 | 28 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-07 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-08 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-10 | 30 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| D-11 | 35 ft | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| GR-E | Not recorded | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| GR-F | Not recorded | None | 19 | 19 nights | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
About Ponderosa (AZ)
Overview
Named for the towering pines under which it sits, Ponderosa Campground is tucked in the rolling forests of northern Arizona. As one of the largest forest in the country, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited urban forests in the United States, boasting about 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.
While this campground did undergo a timber sale a few years ago it still has many ponderosa trees that will be stronger and healthier for future generations to enjoy.
Recreation
Take advantage of the area's hiking/biking trails and lakes or simply relaxing at the campsite. Scenic driving and outdoor recreation abound in the surrounding Tonto National Forest. A series of lakes called the Rim Country Lakes are about a 15 minute drive east. Woods Canyon Lake is one of the most popular recreational lakes in the state and offers options for boating.
Facilities
The facility provides 48 single campsites and two group sites that can accommodate up to 25 people guests each. The campsites are clean, flat and spacious with a good amount of shade from pine trees.
In addition, first-come, first-serve sites are available with payment completed using the on-site fee machine. No cash is accepted.
Check-In is 2:00 pm
Check-Out is 11:00 am
Natural Features
The ponderosa pine trees make this a memorable campground. Larger ponderosas release a vanilla scent into the air and have a relatively open understory, making the area perfect for camping. Mixed into the understory are junipers, oaks and manzanita shrubs.
The campground sits on the border of the Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as "muggy-own," a 200-mile-long cliff in northern Arizona that ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. The unique landscape was created by extreme erosion and faulting that has sculpted spectacular canyons and buttes. The rim serves as the geographical dividing line between the cool high country above and the hot, dry desert below.
51 monitored sites14 FCFS sitesRVs up to 130 ftNo hookupsPets OKFire pitsMax party 25
Getting there
From Payson, Arizona, go east on State Route 260. The campground is located on the south side of 260. A campground sign is visible before the campground entrance.
1009 East Highway 260, Payson, AZ 85541
CampingFish HatcheryFishingHikingHorseback Riding
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234563 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234563 · Ponderosa (AZ) · Payson AZ12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Ponderosa (AZ)?
Reservations for Ponderosa (AZ) are made through Recreation.gov. 703 of 1,683 tracked site-nights are currently open (41.8%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 100 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 20:17 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 Ponderosa (AZ)?
Campsite Sniper detected 8 site-date openings at Ponderosa (AZ) in the last 7 days, 43 over 30 days and 100 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Ponderosa (AZ)?
37 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Apr 15, 2027 at site A-04. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Ponderosa (AZ) fit a 35-foot RV?
36 of the 47 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 130 ft. 45 of those 47 sites have a recorded maximum length and 2 do not; they are not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Ponderosa (AZ)?
April 2027, with 592 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 1,530.
How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Ponderosa (AZ)?
Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 8.5 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 4-15 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.
When is the next open date at Ponderosa (AZ)?
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Ponderosa (AZ) begins Apr 1, 2027 — about 150 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before Apr 1, 2027.
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