Perched high on the stunning Mogollon Rim in central Arizona, Aspen is one of seven campgrounds in the Rim Lakes Recreation Area. Popular for it’s stunning scenery, ponderosa forests, hiking, biking, fishing, and wildlife viewing, it was the region’s elevation that brought us here.
At 7,500 feet above sea level, Aspen and the other campgrounds on “the rim,” as it’s known, are just 125 miles from Phoenix, but a world away from the hustle-and-bustle and oppressive heat of the valley.
Aspen Campground at a Glance
Access
- The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
- Open May-September
- 14-day stay limit
- 7,500 feet in elevation
- $22 a night, $11 extra vehicle charge
Getting There
- Central Arizona 35 miles east of Payson and 30 miles west of Heber
- Approximately 4 miles off State Hwy 260
- Roads to and within the campground are paved and easily navigable for large RVs
Campground Description
- 136 spacious, paved campsites arranged in four loops; 27 are first-come-first-served
- Sites range from open forest to grassy meadows with good solar sites available
- Facilities include picnic tables, grills, fire pits, water spigots, vault toilets, and trash dumpsters
- Operated by a concessionaire with firewood available for sale, a nearby camp store with boat rentals, and RV dump ($7) within a couple miles of the campground
Internet Coverage
- Very limited voice coverage on Verizon (0-2 bars)
- Our internet setup got us 10.16 Mbps download and 3.18 Mbps upload speeds, which allowed us to work and place calls over wifi
Pet Friendliness
- Leashed pets are welcome throughout the campground and on all national forest trails
Aspen Campground – Apache Sitgreaves National Forests
The Mogollon Rim runs for 200 miles in central Arizona, from near Camp Verde eastward, almost to the border with New Mexico. The rim’s dramatic sandstone and limestone mark the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau in the state, and Aspen Campground is located near some of the area’s most breathtaking scenery.
Access and Getting There
Open from May through September, Aspen Campground is located 35 miles east of Payson and 30 miles west of Heber, approximately 4 miles off State Hwy 260. Access the campground is easy, with the roads to and within the campground paved and comfortably navigable for large RVs.
Campground Description
Aspen’s 136 spacious, paved campsites are arranged in four loops and spread beneath the ponderosa pine, oak, and aspen forest, Sites are tucked among the trees or placed in the alpine meadows and some are more level than others. The campground is operated by a concessionaire and facilities include picnic tables, grills, fire pits, water spigots, vault toilets, and dumpsters. Firewood is available for sale, there is a nearby camp store with boat rentals, and an RV dump ($7) is located a couple miles from the campground.
One of the things we enjoyed most was being so close to nature. The Pileated woodpeckers were pounding on trees, elk grazed right in the campground, and they have the cutest little squirrels with tufts on their ears!
Internet Coverage
Verizon is the only show in town at Aspen Campground, and even then we had very limited voice coverage (0-2 bars). But our internet setup got us 10.16 Mbps download and 3.18 Mbps upload speeds, which allowed us to get our work done and place calls over wifi.
Pet Friendliness
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests offer almost 1,000 miles of pet-friendly trails across a variety of terrain suitable for horseback riding, biking, walking, and hiking. From our campsite, it was a nice walk down a dirt trail to the boat launch, day-use picnic area, and camp store at Woods Canyon Lake.
But if you only have time to enjoy one trail, don’t miss the Rim Lake Vista Trail, which you can pick up at the Rim Lakes Overlook off Rim Road (Forest Road 300). This paved path skirts the edge of the rim and has benches were you can sit and admire the view.
If you’ve stayed at Aspen Campground, or any of the other campgrounds in  Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, leave a comment below and let us know how you liked it!
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Just spent a lovely weekend at Aspen Campground but want to warn campers that the water is terrible there. It has a strong sewer odor and is not clear. We found it to be undrinkable nor could we even use it for washing faces. We made the mistake of filling our water tanks on the RV with that water. When we went to the dump station, the attendant there asked us, after hearing our complaint, where we had camped. When we said Aspen, she related that everyone is complaining about the water there and that the operator of the campgrounds is aware of the problem. Too bad they didn’t forewarn us when we checked in and asked where we could fill with potable water. It seems that is the ONLY campground near Woods Canyon Lake with that problem. When we filled a container at a different spigot and shone a light down into the container, the water was so murky we couldn’t seen through it.
Bottom line, get your potable water at one of the other campgrounds in the area. Don’t even drink that water.
Thanks so much for sharing this information, Lee! The were no issues with the water when we were at Aspen last year, but obviously things have changed. Hopefully they’ll get the problem resolved soon. In the meantime, I appreciate your advice.
I completely agree, Debbi – it’s spectacular, and all within a 2-hours drive of Phoenix!
Thank you for your note, Carrie – we absolutely loved our stay!
It was absolutely gorgeous there, Pamela – I can’t wait to go back! Now that we’ve stayed in Aspen, there are still six other campgrounds to review. ;-)
Wow, what stunning views!
Great write-up! Thanks for visiting beautiful Arizona.
Camped on the Mogollon Rim many years ago. A beautiful area. Very peaceful, warm days, cool nights. It was 115 in Phoenix, drove up to the Rim, 85 days, 30s nights and this was in August. Stayed for a week and could have stayed for a lifetime.