CampgroundsDB

Mesquite

Its 12 sites are reservable through Recreation.gov, camping costs Single Site: $16 per night, and it is open year-round. Mesquite is a National Forest campground near Carefree, Arizona.

Closed Reservable: Recreation.gov

National Forest · Carefree, Arizona

Managed by
National Forest
Access road
Dirt

Mesquite sits inside Tonto National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Getting a site

Managed by
National Forest
Reservations
Recreation.gov Book a site
Fee
Single Site: $16 per night

Sources: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-29; fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Sites and hookups

Total sites
12
  • ✓ Toilets
  • ✓ Fire rings
  • ✕ Potable water

On site: Toilets and fire rings. No potable water.

Source: fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Campsites

1 site. Every site below links to its own page on Recreation.gov, where it is booked. Official site list and booking on recreation.gov.

Book
Standard Scan and Pay Standard nonelectric Not on record Not on record Not on record No Not on record Book site Standard

Data source: Recreation.gov , accessed 2026-09-29. Site details are Recreation.gov's own per-site listing and can differ from the campground-wide facts above.

Rules

Stay limit
14 days
Quiet hours
10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Generators
Allowed outside quiet hours

Source: fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Access and cell service

Access road
Dirt
Elevation
1,900 ft

33.9659, -111.7182 in Maricopa. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Season and winter services

Mesquite is open year-round .

Source: fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Current conditions

Closed Agency notice, as of 2026-09-29: Closed by the Tonto National Forest for post-fire recovery (public health and safety closure); no reopening date given.

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Mesquite?
Sites at Mesquite are reserved through Recreation.gov (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10215904).
How much does it cost to camp at Mesquite?
Camping at Mesquite costs Single Site: $16 per night.
How many campsites does Mesquite have?
Mesquite has 12 campsites.
Is there drinking water at Mesquite?
No. Mesquite has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.
When is Mesquite open?
As of 2026-09-29: Closed by the Tonto National Forest for post-fire recovery (public health and safety closure); no reopening date given. Normally, it is open year-round.
How long can you stay at Mesquite?
The stay limit at Mesquite is 14 days.
Are generators allowed at Mesquite?
Yes, outside quiet hours (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
Is there cell service at Mesquite?
Probably not: the FCC's National Broadband Map (data as of December 31, 2025) shows no 4G LTE or 5G from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon at or within about half a mile of Mesquite. The FCC map only includes 4G LTE at 5/1 Mbps or better and 5G; a weaker signal, a text, or an emergency call may still get through, but don't count on it.
Who manages Mesquite?
Mesquite is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Mesquite

fishypedia.com · 11 miles

The nearest lake with a fishing page is Bartlett Lake, whose mapped center point is 11 miles away in a straight line. Stocking record and species: Bartlett Lake fishing on fishypedia.com.

reservoirfinder.com · 1.4 miles

Horseshoe Reservoir's mapped center point is 1.4 miles from Mesquite in a straight line. Current water level: Horseshoe Reservoir water level on reservoirfinder.com.

Hot springs and swimming nearby

swimholesmap.com · within 30 miles

Nearest to Mesquite, in straight-line miles: Verde Hot Springs (hot spring, 27 miles), Saguaro Lake (swimming hole, 30 miles), and Fossil Creek (swimming hole, 30 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.

Reservable Horseshoe Carefree · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single Site: $16 per night First-come Ccc Campground Carefree · National Forest Season Year-round Fee Single Site: $16 per night Reservable Cave Creek Group Carefree · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Overnight Use: Reservable Riverside Carefree · National Forest Season Year-round Fee Single Site: $16 per night

More campgrounds: camping near Carefree and campgrounds in Maricopa.

Sources

  • apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-28
  • recreation.gov (reservationSystem, reservationSystemName, reservationUrl, campsites), accessed 2026-09-29
  • fs.usda.gov (sites, toilets, water, fireRings, fee, season, quietHours, generatorsAllowed, stayLimit, elevationFt, accessRoad, closure), accessed 2026-09-29
  • broadbandmap.fcc.gov (cellCoverage), accessed 2026-09-27
Reservable: Recreation.gov Single Site: $16 per night
Book a site