Vacations Blog

The Big Lake campground, located in Springerville, Arizona, is the “Best Kept Secret in the White Mountains”. It takes some determination to get there (the elevation is at 9200 feet, accessible only by a vast network of dirt roads), but once you do, it’s easy to spend four or five days, or even more, enjoying the area.

Big Lake as seen from our campsite, at dusk.

The hosted campgrounds boast such amenities as well-maintained outhouses and public showers ($5 per shower, which seems worth it after not bathing for two or three days!). There are charcoal grills, fire pits, and picnic tables at each camp site. A general store sits at the head of the campground complex, right on the lake. Row boat and motor boat rentals are available, and the store stocks plenty of what you may have forgotten, such as matches, charcoal, tarps, bait, tackle, ice, snacks, and fresh coffee. You can even get a fishing license at the General Store – required for anyone aged fourteen and older who plan on trying to snag the elusive lake trout. Unleaded gasoline is also sold, but is limited to five gallons per customer.

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An evening thunderstorm approaches Big Lake

The lake and surrounding area is simply stunning. The lake is beautifully positioned among rolling green hills and meadows full of wildflowers, all of which are framed by vast stands of ponderosa pines and groves of birch trees. Off-road and hiking trails abound, but be sure to stop at the General Store before you go exploring to get a map of the trail network. If you prefer to explore from your car, there are many cleared and accessible fire roads, too. Wildlife is prolific, so keep your binoculars and cameras ready. During our camping trip last year we saw herds of elk, antelope, deer, hawks, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels (who thought nothing of invading our campsite for food) and a wide array of bird species.

A herd of deer graze in Big Lake Park

Campground reservations can be made via Recreation.gov. Enter “Arizona” for the state, “Springerville” for the town, enter a date range, and click on “search facilities”. The Big Lake campgrounds are labeled “APACHE-SITGREAVES NF-FS”, and are named “Rainbow”, “Brookchar”, “Grayling”, and “Cutthroat”. The peak season is mid-May through mid-September, with “walk in” off-season rates from mid-September to mid-November. Rates are between $12 and $18 per day, depending on if you’re tent or RV camping. I would recommend avoiding the summer holiday weekends – Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day – the campgrounds get pretty crowded during these times. Regardless of when you plan your stay, be sure to make your reservations well in advance. Big Lake may be a “Best Kept Secret”, but the campgrounds still fill up fast.

Big Lake Park

Go! Enjoy! Plan a romantic weekend, or take the whole family PLUS the dogs. It’s a beautiful location and leaves visitors refreshed and ready to face “real life” again once the trip is over.