Campground Overview:
Lakeview Campground is located on a hill overlooking Parker Canyon Lake, high in the Huachuca Mountains on the Coronado National Forest. Campsites are spread among a stand of oaks and junipers. From the campground it is just a short walk to the lakeshore or a short drive to the boat launch ramp, fishing pier, paved parking areas and paved walkways, all of which are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Parker Canyon Lake and Lakeview Campground are generally less crowded than similar areas that are more easily accessible. On some days you can hike the entire 5-mile trail around the lake and have only the resident wildlife for company. This trail has several viewing areas complete with benches and interpretive signs. Two of the viewing areas are barrier-free. It is an excellent place to view the waterfowl that either live at the lake or use it as a stopover on their seasonal migration. Bald eagles and osprey are also frequently sighted here, as are Coues white-tailed deer and an occasional extended family of coatimundi, those long-tailed, long-nosed southwestern cousins of the raccoon.
Campsites:
Lakeview Campground is large, with 65 sites, but it’s not overwhelming. Picnic tables, fire pits and grills are among the amenities. Avid boaters will be more excited about the pier, boat ramps and docks, all within a hop, skip and a jump of the campground.
From Tucson, drive east on Interstate 10 to the State Route 83 exit. Drive south to Sonoita, then continue on AZ 83 approximately 25 miles to Parker Canyon Lake. From Sierra Vista, travel through Fort Huachuca’s west gate to State Route 83. Turn south and travel 10 miles to Parker Canyon Lake.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Developed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Sierra Vista |
Fishing: |
Parker Canyon Lake |
Campground Website: |
Lakeview Campground |
Campground Map: |
Click Here |
Reservations: |
First-come, first-served basis |
Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
Southeastern Arizona has a wealth of cultural, historical and natural resources. There are many opportunities for half or full day, side trips in the surrounding area. Walk back into the Old West and stand in the footprints of the Earp brothers at the OK Corral, relive the mining boomtown days on Brewery Gulch or explore the remnants of old forts or Indian hideouts. Get out and hike on the lush riparian areas of the San Pedro River or add to your “life lists” at nearby.
Parker Canyon Lake is medium-sized 132 acre lake is located in the Canelo Hills west of the Huachuca Mountains. It offers a number of recreational possibilities for those willing to drive the long paved roads that lead to it. For those who like to fish, Parker Canyon Lake offers both cold and warm water species, including stocked rainbow trout and resident bass, sunfish, and catfish. To make landing those wily lunkers a bit easier, there is a fishing pier and a paved boat ramp at the lake, as well as a lakeside paved area and a graveled path along some of the best catfishing shoreline.
Parker Canyon Lake & Marina, a small concession-operated store on the lakeshore, can provide some last minute supplies, buy a fishing license, or rent a boat. Bird watchers and just plain nature lovers will also find much to enjoy at Parker Canyon Lake. A five mile trail leads around the shoreline never getting more than a few steps from the water. The Parker Lakeshore Trail offers excellent vantage points from which to enjoy the ducks and other waterfowl that are invariably bobbing on the lake’s clear waters. Some of those points even have benches and interpretive signs. Another popular trail is the Scotia Canyon Trail #127 which takes hikers along the Scotia Creek through the beautiful Scotia Canyon.
Huachuca Mountains are the third highest of the Sky Island mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and they rise almost 4,500 feet above the desert floor. The mountain range is oriented in a northwestern direction giving it more north-facing slopes and perhaps a somewhat cooler climate than some of the other Sky Island mountain ranges with similar elevation. The highest elevations support mixed conifer forests on north-facing slopes and pine forests on south-facing slopes. Lower elevations have extensive oak and oak-pine woodlands. The Huachucas are rich in history. These canyons, cliffs, and forests are littered with the remains of various late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century mining booms that all eventually went bust. Today, the gold rush has been replaced by a recreation rush which is adding a new chapter to the history of the Miller Peak Wilderness.
Miller Peak Wilderness Named for the highest peak in the Huachuca Mountains, and is the highest and southernmost peak in the United States. This Wilderness encompasses 20,190 acres and was established in 1984. The Miller Peak Wilderness is a land of sheer cliffs, soaring summits and deep canyons. In these diverse life-zones lives an amazing variety of wildlife including over 170 species of birds (14 species of hummingbirds). Seventy-eight species of mammals have been observed in the Huachuca’s including coatimundi, javelina, black bear and mountain lion. Seventeenth-century Spanish Captain Juan Mateo Manje referred to these mountains in his expedition journal as Sierra de Huachuca, or Huachuca Mountains. At least 21 trails lead through the Wilderness from its eastern, western, and southern boundaries.
Coronado National Memorial commemorates the first organized expedition into the Southwest by conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. The memorial is located in a natural setting on the international border on the southeast flank of the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista, Arizona. The memorial confirms the ties that bind the United States and Mexico. The Memorial includes a small visitor center and gives visitors access to the surrounding area. With over eight miles of hiking trails, Coronado National Memorial is a great place to explore the outdoors.
Coronado Cave Trail takes explorers up the hillside to the mouth of an large cave. The cave may have been used by humans as a shelter and hideout by middle archaic people (up to 8000 years ago) and more recently by the Chiricahua Apache and other Apache peoples, Mexican and European miners, and settlers. Parts of the cave ceilings have been marked by earlier visitors with fire and carvings, some date back to Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and others are dated around the late 1800’s. AZ Camp Guide had the opportunity to visit the cave in March 2018. If you find yourself in this part of the world, it is worth the trip and great way to spend the afternoon.
Nearby Campgrounds:
Campground full or want to see what’s around? Try one of these campgrounds located nearby
