Campground Overview:
Located on the shores of central Arizona’s largest lake, Roosevelt Lake, on the Tonto National Forest, Schoolhouse Campground offers great recreational opportunities. Because of its close proximity to the lake, School house allows fishing, non-motorized and motorized boating, along with shoreline hiking trails. There are plenty of campsites available at Schoolhouse, which allows for an easy, quick escape during any time of the year for families and individuals.
Campsites:
Schoolhouse Campground includes 50 campsites with shade ramadas, fire rings with grills, picnic tables, and potable water hydrants. Toilets are located throughout the camp loops. There are no showers at this campground, but there are free showers at Windy Hill Campground. The campground is very quiet and not crowded. Most sites have beautiful views of the lake and mountains which makes for gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.
This site is located 11 miles south of the historic Roosevelt Dam. From Mesa: Take the State Hwy. 87/Beeline Highway north for about 60 miles to the junction with State Hwy. 88. Continue on State Hwy. 88 south for 8 miles to Forest Road (FR) 447/Schoolhouse Recreation Site. Turn left and continue for 4 miles to the site.
From Globe: area: Take State Hwy. 188 north for 20 miles to its junction with Forest Road (FR) 447/Schoolhouse Recreation Site, turn right and continue for 4 miles to the site.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Developed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Globe |
Fishing: |
Roosevelt Lake |
Campground Website: |
Schoolhouse Campground |
Campground Map: |
Roosevelt Lake Recreation Areas |
Reservations: |
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Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
Theodore Roosevelt Lake was formed by the construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in 1911, making it the oldest artificial reservoir in Arizona. Although not as popular as other lakes located near Phoenix, the reservoir and surrounding area is now a major center for fishing, boating, camping, hiking, and general vacationing.
The recreation area is apart of the Tonto National Forest- Tonto Basin Ranger District and encompasses over 500,000 acres and includes numerous recreational opportunities located along the shores of Roosevelt Lake. Bermuda Flat Shoreline Area contains miles of sandy shoreline accessible to most vehicles including RVs, and is one of the main locations for primitive camping. Cholla Campground is the largest official site, with paved roads and full hookups, and it benefits from a scenic setting on a low mesa, projecting out into the lake. Vineyard Canyon, a day use area, has picnic facilities and short trails to the lakeshore, here lined by stony slopes rather than sandy beaches. A pull-out just west of Theodore Roosevelt Dam is the start point for the Vineyard Trail, the only maintained hiking path along the lake, climbing the cactus-covered hills for fine views over the Salt River Valley and the Apache Trail.
East of the dam are various facilities including the Roosevelt Lake Visitors Center, day use areas, and Roosevelt Lake Marina. The visitor center is worth a stop; exhibits display many interesting artifacts from the early 1900’s. Across the street, the Cemetery Trail takes visitors to the Roosevelt Cemetery, the final resting place of some of the local settlers and also workers who built the Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Further southeast, the highway moves away from the shoreline though the side roads lead to more lakeside recreation areas: Windy Hill, Grapevine Point, and Schoolhouse Campground.
Tonto National Monument protects two well-preserved prehistoric cliff dwellings and diverse artifacts. Located within the Tonto Basin of the Upper Sonoran Desert, this National Park Service site provides opportunities to experience a thriving culture deeply rooted in its natural setting, while encouraging our own connections to our environment. For nearly 10 millennia, the Tonto Basin has provided, and continues to provide, a home to many diverse people. Archaeological evidence suggests that Ancient peoples traveled extensively throughout this and aurrounding areas. Several American Indian tribes such as White Mountain, Chiricauhua, and Tonto Apaches, Yavapais, Pima-Maricopas and more call this area home today. Many of these tribes feel strong spiritual ties to the cliff dwellings, deeming them to be an ancestral home.
Nearby Campgrounds:
Campground full or want to see what’s around? Try one of these campgrounds located nearby
