Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-250019
When Portal Bunkhouse reopens
Portal Bunkhouse's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
5
Openings · last 90 days
5
Only 5 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 164 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 134 open for online reservation · 30 reserved.
Where the open windows are
18.3% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 134 of 164 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online18.3%
Open site-nights134 / 164
Reserved (of online inventory)30 / 164
Weekday openings75
Weekend openings59
Of the open cabin-nights on mapped sites, 75 fall on weekdays and 59 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027December holds the most room. 26 of 26 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 cabin| 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 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 1 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no cabin is currently available for the complete three-night stay. Friday and Saturday have no online availability; individual Thursday night remains open. Christmas: 1 cabin is available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: no cabin is currently available for the complete two-night stay. Friday has no online availability; individual Thursday night remains open.
Availability
Most open cabin-nights · tracked window| Cabin | Open cabin-nights |
|---|---|
| PORTAL BUNKHOUSE | 134 |
This cabin currently has 134 cabin-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateSun · Sep 20
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable night is Sep 20; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
134 open cabin-nights across 1 cabin at Portal Bunkhouse, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 20 2-night, 14 3-night, 2 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 20 at site PORTAL BUNKHOUSE.
All 1 cabin with current availability
| Cabin | Max RV | Hookups | Open cabin-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PORTAL BUNKHOUSE | 20 ft | None | 134 | 38 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 7 +122 more |
About Portal Bunkhouse
Overview
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.
Recreation
Cave Creek Canyon is located on the eastern slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona, about 2.5 hours from Tucson. It is world-renowned for its dramatic rock formations and diverse wildlife. Birding is exceptional year-round, and particularly rewarding during the summer months. Hiking and rock-climbing are also popular activities, and picnic areas dot the canyon for its many hikers.
Facilities
The Portal Bunkhouse is a two-room cabin, suitable for up to four people. It has electricity, heater, and running water. The cabin has a bedroom with bathroom including a shower, sink, and toilet; and a kitchen with a dining area. The bedroom has a twin-over-double bunk bed and a single bed. A small dinette with seating for four is located in the kitchen, which is equipped with a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, and coffee pot. Pots, pans, utensils, and dishes are provided. Outside, guests will enjoy using the propane grill and picnic table for outdoor dining.
Although the cabin has amenities for comfortable lodging, guests will need to provide some of their own supplies, including food, sleeping bags or linens, pillows, towels, dish soap, matches, a first aid kit, toilet paper, and garbage bags. It is recommended that guests bring additional drinking water, and a flashlight in case of emergencies.
Natural Features
The Portal Bunkhouse is located at the entrance to Cave Creek Canyon at an elevation of 5,000 feet. The canyon's soaring cliffs, with their caves and pinnacles, are often described as "Arizona's 'Secret' Grand Canyon." Cave Creek, a perennial stream, flows through the canyon nearby. The diverse wildlife that can be seen in the canyon include a stunning variety of bird species.
Nearby Attractions
The Portal Bunkhouse is located approximately 1 mile west of Portal, Arizona. Attractions in the area include Chiricahua National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historical Park, historic Camp Rucker, the Geronimo Surrender sites, and the International Border and the border community of Douglas, AZ.
1 monitored cabinRVs up to 20 ftNo hookups1 shadedMax party 4
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.
Douglas, AZ 85607(520) 364-3468
CampingHiking
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-250019 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-250019 · Portal Bunkhouse · Douglas AZ6 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Portal Bunkhouse?
Reservations for Portal Bunkhouse are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 134 of 164 tracked site-nights are open (81.7%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 5 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 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.
How often do new openings appear at Portal Bunkhouse?
Campsite Sniper detected 5 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Portal Bunkhouse?
14 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 23 at site PORTAL BUNKHOUSE. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Portal Bunkhouse fit a 35-foot RV?
No RV-analyzable site here has a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 20 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Portal Bunkhouse?
December 2026, with 26 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 26.
When is the next open date at Portal Bunkhouse?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Sun, Sep 20 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. 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 Portal Bunkhouse. One watch covers every matching 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.