CampgroundsDB

Idlewilde

Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), camping costs Single Site: $20 per night; Double Site: $40 per night, and it is open from May 1 to October 31. Idlewilde is a National Forest campground near Portal, Arizona.

First-come, first-served

National Forest · Portal, Arizona

Managed by
National Forest
Hookups
None
Access road
Paved

Idlewilde sits inside Coronado National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.4 miles outside the boundary of Chiricahua Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.

Cave Creek Nature Trail: Trail spanning lower Cave Creek Canyon from Sunny Flat Campground to the Silver Peak Trailhead, starting a short distance from the campground entrance.

Getting a site

Managed by
National Forest
Reservations
None, first-come
Fee
Single Site: $20 per night; Double Site: $40 per night

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

Sites and hookups

Hookups
None
  • ✓ Toilets
  • ✓ Potable water

On site: Toilets and potable water.

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

Rules

Stay limit
14-day stay limit

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

Access and cell service

Access road
Paved
Elevation
5,000 ft

Cell coverage by carrier (FCC map)

AT&T
No coverage at the campground; 4G LTE mapped about 0.2 mi away
T-Mobile
No coverage mapped
Verizon
No coverage mapped
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.

31.8981, -109.1611 in Cochise. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Open in Google Maps Directions

Season and winter services

Idlewilde is open from May 1 to October 31 , at 5,000 ft.

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

Common questions

Do you need a reservation at Idlewilde?
No. Idlewilde is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.
How much does it cost to camp at Idlewilde?
Camping at Idlewilde costs Single Site: $20 per night; Double Site: $40 per night.
Does Idlewilde have RV hookups?
No. Idlewilde has no hookups.
Is there drinking water at Idlewilde?
Yes, Idlewilde has potable water. It also has toilets.
When is Idlewilde open?
Idlewilde is open from May 1 to October 31.
How long can you stay at Idlewilde?
The stay limit at Idlewilde is 14-day stay limit.
Is there cell service at Idlewilde?
Not at the campground on the FCC map, but AT&T shows 4G LTE about 0.2 mi away. 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 Idlewilde itself, and nothing from T-Mobile or Verizon 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.
Who manages Idlewilde?
Idlewilde is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Around Idlewilde

First-come Stewart Portal · National Forest Season Not on record Fee Single Site: $20 per night; Double Site: $40 per night First-come Sunny Flat Portal · National Forest Season Year-round Fee Single Site: $20 per night; Double Site: $40 per night First-come Herb Martyr Portal · National Forest Season Year-round Fee Single Site: $15 per night; Double Site: $30 per night First-come Rustler Park Portal · National Forest Season April 1 to October 31 Fee Single Site: $15 per night; Double Site: $30 per night

More campgrounds: camping near Portal and campgrounds in Cochise.

Sources

First-come, first-served Single Site: $20 per night; Double Site: $40 per night
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