Riverside

Its 1 site is reservable through Recreation.gov, camping costs Single Site: $16 per night, and it is open year-round. Riverside is a National Forest campground near Carefree, Arizona.

Closed Reservable: Recreation.gov

National Forest · Carefree, Arizona

Bartlett Dam on the Verde River at sunset, about 0.6 miles upstream of Riverside Campground. Photo: Alan Stark, CC BY-SA 2.0

Managed by: National Forest
Max RV length: 16 ft
Access road: Gravel

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

Verde River: Campsites sit along the Verde River not far from Bartlett Dam, with river fishing; motor boats are not allowed. (fs.usda.gov)

Getting a site

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

Source: recreation.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Sites and hookups

Total sites: 1
Max RV length: 16 ft

✓ Toilets
✓ Fire rings
✕ Potable water

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

Source: recreation.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: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Generators: Allowed outside quiet hours

Sources: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-28; fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Access and cell service

Access road: Gravel
Elevation: 1,800 ft

Cell coverage by carrier (FCC map)

AT&T: 4G LTE
T-Mobile: No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE mapped about 0.2 mi away, 5G about 0.3 mi away
Verizon: No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE and 5G mapped about 0.3 mi away

Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection, data as of December 31, 2025

Outdoor coverage each carrier reports to the FCC at this campground's map point, and the nearest mapped coverage within about half a mile. 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. These are carrier predictions, not measurements, and can be wrong either way: real service in canyons, under trees, and inside a tent or vehicle is often weaker. 5G speeds are the FCC's 7/1 and 35/3 Mbps tiers. This product uses the FCC Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the FCC.

33.8099, -111.6465 in Maricopa. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Season and winter services

Riverside is open year-round .

Sources: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-28; fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-29

Current conditions

Closed Agency notice, as of 2026-09-29: Closed for post-fire recovery after the 2024 Riverside Fire (hazard trees, campsites destroyed); Forest Order 03-12-01-26-24 runs September 25, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Riverside?

Sites at Riverside are reserved through Recreation.gov (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10215919).

How much does it cost to camp at Riverside?

Camping at Riverside costs Single Site: $16 per night.

How many campsites does Riverside have?

Riverside has 1 campsite.

Is there drinking water at Riverside?

No. Riverside has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.

When is Riverside open?

As of 2026-09-29: Closed for post-fire recovery after the 2024 Riverside Fire (hazard trees, campsites destroyed); Forest Order 03-12-01-26-24 runs September 25, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Normally, it is open year-round.

How long can you stay at Riverside?

The stay limit at Riverside is 14 days.

Are generators allowed at Riverside?

Yes, outside quiet hours (10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.).

Is there cell service at Riverside?

Yes, outdoors: the FCC's National Broadband Map (data as of December 31, 2025) shows 4G LTE from AT&T at Riverside. It shows none at Riverside from T-Mobile or Verizon, though T-Mobile shows 4G LTE about 0.2 mi away and 5G about 0.3 mi away and Verizon shows 4G LTE and 5G about 0.3 mi away. The map is carrier-reported and modeled for outdoors, so expect weaker service in canyons, under trees, and inside a tent or vehicle.

Who manages Riverside?

Riverside is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Riverside

fishypedia.com · 1.6 miles

Riverside sits on Bartlett Lake, 1.6 miles from the lake's mapped center point. Stocking record and species: Bartlett Lake fishing on fishypedia.com.

reservoirfinder.com · 1 mile

Bartlett Lake's mapped center point is 1 mile from Riverside in a straight line. Current water level: Bartlett Lake water level on reservoirfinder.com.

Swimming nearby

swimholesmap.com · within 30 miles

The nearest swimming hole to Riverside, in a straight line: Saguaro Lake (swimming hole, 18 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.

Reservable Ironwood Campground Fountain Hills · County

Reservable E.I. Rowland Campground Fountain Hills · County Reservable Mesquite Carefree · National Forest

Reservable Horseshoe Carefree · National Forest

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, sites, campsites), accessed 2026-09-29
fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-29
fs.usda.gov (closure), accessed 2026-09-29
broadbandmap.fcc.gov (cellCoverage), accessed 2026-09-27

Photo credits

Photo 1: Alan Stark, CC BY-SA 2.0

Reservable: Recreation.gov Single Site: $16 per night

Book a site