Campground Overview:
Riggs Flat Campground is located high in the Pinaleño Mountains along the shores of Riggs Flat Lake. Some visitors come to fish, some to boat, and others to just to enjoy the reflective beauty this small (11 acre) lake adds to such a scenic area. The dam was financed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 1957 to provide trout fishing for forest recreationists. Information about stocking Riggs Lake is available from Arizona Game and Fish Department. Boats are permitted on the lake but may be powered by no more than a single electric trolling motor.
Campsites:
Riggs Flat Campground is one of the larger campground located in the Pinaleño Mountains. The campground includes 31 campsites. Each equipped with tables and fire grills. Vault toilets are available, but no drinking water. Be prepared to bring your own.
Bear Warning: To avoid putting a bear’s life in danger and risking the loss of some of your own property, please dispose of all garbage in the bear-proof containers provided. Also, remember to keep all food out of reach and out of sight of these curious and powerful animals.
From Safford drive south 8 miles on US 191 to AZ 366. Turn right (southwest) onto 366 and drive 29 miles to the Columbine Visitor Information Station. Continue along Forest Roads 803 and 287 about 5 miles to the campground. The entire road is narrow and winding. This campground is accessible from April 15 through November 14, weather permitting.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Semi-Developed |
Season: |
April – November |
Nearby City: |
Safford |
Fishing: |
Riggs Flat Lake |
Campground Website: |
Riggs Flat Campground |
Campground Map: |
Click Here |
Reservations: |
First-come, first-served basis |
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
