A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Upper Tonto Creek

Forest Service campground in Tonto National Forest, Gila County, Arizona. 5,542 feet. 9.3 miles from Star Valley.

Managed by
Forest Service Tonto National Forest
Elevation
5,542 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
6 6 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Gila County

Overview

The Upper Tonto Creek is a small campground tucked away from the main highway where the Tonto and Horton Creeks merge. 6 Campsites are available for reservation only.

This location is available only through reservation May 1through November 3rd.

Campground map available here .

Recreation

Families may enjoy fishing at both Tonto and Horton Creeks or pass time hiking through nearby Horton Creek Trail or Derrick Trail. Both of these trails access the Highline National Recreation Trail (#31).

Facilities

This campground contains 6 campsites, 3 picnic sites, and a double vault toilet.

Natural Features

The union of Tonto and Horton Creeks is at the north end of the Upper Tonto Creek campground. Fishing in both creeks is a popular sport.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

The land around Upper Tonto Creek

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.