Campground Overview:
Sheeps Bridge Camping Area is located deep in Tonto National Forest, on the banks high above the Verde River. There stands a replica of the Verde River Sheep Bridge. The Flagstaff Sheep Company and the Howard Sheep Company constructed the original bridge to minimize the loss of sheep when crossing the river. The bridge was started in 1943 and finished in 1944 at a cost of $7,277. The material used came from an Arizona mine and from a railroad line. On November 21, 1978, Sheep Bridge was entered into the National Register of Historic places. Sheep Bridge is the gateway to the west side of the Mazatzal Wilderness. The Sheeps Bridge Camping Area has no designated campsites or facilities. Pack in, pack out all gear and supplies.
Sheeps Bridge Camping Area is 45 miles north of Carefree. From Carefree, take Cave Creek Road/Forest Road (FR) 24 for approximately 33 miles to the Bloody Basin-Tangle Creek area. At this junction of FR 24 and FR 269, turn right. Follow FR 269 for approximately 12 miles to the Sheep Bridge at the Verde River. Both FR 24 and FR 269 are narrow, unpaved roads with blind curves. A portion of FR 24 is maintained, but FR 269 is rarely maintained. A high-clearance vehicle is required. When muddy or rainy, four-wheel drive is often required, as well.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Dispersed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Phoenix Valley |
Fishing: |
Verde River |
Campground Website: |
Sheeps Bridge Camping Area |
Campground Map: |
Click Here |
Reservations: |
First-come, first-served basis |
Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
Tonto National Forest, Arizona, embraces almost 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from Saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim. This variety in vegetation and range in altitude (from 1,300 to 7,900 feet) offers outstanding recreational opportunities throughout the year, whether it’s lake beaches or cool pine forest.
As the fifth largest forest in the United States, the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited “urban” forests in the U.S. (approximately 5.8 million visitors annually). Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.
Mazatzal Wilderness contains over 252,500 acres of the Tonto and Coconino National Forests. Established in 1940 and expanded to its present size in 1984, its name is from an old Indian culture in Mexico, and is correctly pronounced “Mah-zaht-zahl,” meaning “land of the deer.”
The eastern side of this wilderness predominantly consists of brush or pine-covered mountains, sometimes broken by narrow, vertical-walled canyons. On its west side below the steep brush-covered foothills, the Verde River flows through the Sonoran Desert. This river was designated by the U.S Congress as Arizona’s only Wild River Area in 1984. The wilderness includes almost 240 miles of trails. The Verde River Trail follows the river for about 28 miles and invites horsepackers. The Mazatzal Divide Trail, the prime north-south route, runs about 29 miles and stays in excellent condition. The scenic Barnhardt Trail, 6.2 miles long, attracts many hikers but is not recommended for horses. North Mazatzal Map, South Mazatzal Map
Pictures courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arizona -Agua Fria National Monument.
Agua Fria National Monument is an area managed by the BLM located approximately 40 miles north of central Phoenix. Many visitors to Sheeps Bridge will pass through the 71,000-acre monument along FR 269. The monument encompasses two mesas and the canyon of the Agua Fria River. Elevations range from 2,150 feet above sea level along the Agua Fria Canyon to about 4,600 feet in the northern hills. The diversity of vegetative communities, topographic features, and a dormant volcano decorates the landscape with a big rocky, basaltic plateau. This expansive mosaic of semi-desert area, cut by ribbons of valuable riparian forest, offers one of the most significant systems of prehistoric sites in the American Southwest. In addition to the rich record of human history, the monument contains outstanding biological resources. The area is the home to coyotes, bobcats, antelope, mule deer, javelina, a variety of small mammals and songbirds. Eagles and other raptors may also be seen. Native fish such as the longfin dace, the Gila mountain sucker, the Gila chub, and the speckled dace, exist in the Agua Fria River and its tributaries.
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