Campground Overview:
Arcadia Campground is located along US Hwy 366, a remote windy, mountain road, that take visitors though the Pinaleño Mountains and the Coronado National Forest.
When early settlers ventured up Mount Graham, the Arcadia area was usually as far as they got on the first day. A little later in the history of the Pinaleños, Arcadia was the site of one of several Civilian Conservation Corps camps established in the 1930s to provide jobs for workers idled by the Great Depression. Arcadia Campground is the first campground visitors encounter on their way up Mount Graham by way of the Swift Trail (AZ 366), which was built by those Depression-era workers. Arcadia Campground is shaded by stands of tall ponderosa pine interspersed with Gambel oaks and Arizona walnuts. Such a diverse habitat makes this an excellent area for bird watching. Watch for poison ivy.
Campsites:
Arcadia Campground is a smaller campground that includes pit toilets and water. Most sites have a picnic table and grill. Upper Arcadia has been transformed into a group campground, but there are still individual campsites.
From Safford drive south 8 miles on US 191 to AZ 366. Turn right (southwest) onto AZ 366 and drive 11.6 miles to the campground entrance on the right side of the road. Check local road conditions during winter months.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Semi-Developed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Safford |
Fishing: |
None |
Campground Website: |
Arcadia Campground |
Campground Map: |
Click Here |
Reservations: |
First-come, first-served basisFor group reservations click below
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Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
Mount Graham and the Pinaleño Mountains
Locals refer to the entire mountain range southwest of Safford as Mt. Graham. The actual name “Pinaleño Mountains” comes from an Indian word meaning “many deer”, or “deer mountain.” Mount Graham is the the summit of the Pinaleño Mountains at an elevation of 10,720 feet. The mountain range was named in 1846, during the war with Mexico. The Army of the West, led by General Stephen Watts Kearney, came down the Gila River on his way to California. Lt. William Emory, a topographer and scientist for the group, referred to the mountain in his journal and on the map of his trip as Mount Graham, named for his friend and fellow Army officer James Duncan Graham.
The Pinaleño Mountains are the single-most diverse mountain range in North America, and hosts 11 endemic species that are found nowhere else on Earth. Visitors can travel the Swift Trail (Highway 366) through eight distinct zones in just a dozen miles, including Sonoran desert, Sonoran grassland, chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodland, Madrean evergreen oak woodland, Ponderosa pine forest, mixed conifer forest, and finally spruce-fir forest at the highest elevations.
Credit Garrick Schermer- Mount Graham, Arizona.
While the Mt. Graham area has been inhabited more or less continually in the past, the Gila Valley can trace its recorded history back to the time of the Spanish Conquistadors. They passed through in the 1500s while searching for the Seven Cities of Cibola, fabled settlements where streets were supposedly paved with gold. Many of them stayed in Pueblo Viejo on the slopes of Mt. Graham, and treasure-hunters still turn up armor, weapons and equipment from that era.
In the early 1880’s settlers came to the area in large numbers. These settlers found that the nearby mountains were a great benefit. Lumbering provided materials for building as well as employment for growing communities in the area. The settlers also found Mt. Graham to be a cool retreat from the hot desert. Summer homes were therefore, built around the sawmills so that families could be with the men who were working there.
By the 1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps, also known as the CCC, were in operation, providing employment for young men during the Depression. Men from all over the country came to Graham County to work in the numerous camps, several located on Mount Graham. Treasure Park and Columbine were used during the summer months, and Arcadia, Noon Creek and other sites were used during the winter months. Many of the improvements at campgrounds, as well as hiking trails, roads and other facilities now enjoyed by many visitors to Mount Graham, were built by the CCC personnel.
Mount Graham provides today’s visitors a wealth of activity, from sight seeing to more strenuous activities such as hiking, rock climbing, and cross country skiing. There is something for all at this popular retreat. Trout fishing at Riggs Flat Lake is a popular summer pastime, and several of the year-round creeks offer the challenge of stream fishing. Some of the popular trails include: Arcadia Trail #328, Ash Creek Trail #307, Taylor Canyon Trail #306, and the Grant Hill Loop Trail #322
Nearby Campgrounds:
Campground full or want to see what’s around? Try one of these campgrounds located nearby
