Brookchar

Brookchar Campground is tucked on the banks of Big Lake in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. It is a small, tent-only facility comprised entirely of walk-in sites, and of the lake's five campgrounds, Brookchar is nearest to the water. The stocked lake draws anglers, and boat rentals and a boat ramp make it easy for campers to enjoy the lake's blue waters. Big Lake is one of Arizona's top trout fishing lakes, with rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Apache trout being the most sought-after species. The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birding and wildlife viewing. The facility is small, with 12 tent-only, walk-to campsites. Campfire rings and restrooms are provided, and a campground host resides on-site for visitor assistance. A dump station, store, firewood, gas, food and boat rentals are located a short, half-mile drive away, and showers are just 1 mile away. The campground sits in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest at an elevation of 9,100 feet, forested with ponderosa pine, fir, spruce and aspen and interspersed with high elevation meadows. Summer temperatures are pleasant and cool, a nice respite from the heat of lower deserts; visitors should come prepared for afternoon thunderstorms and cool nighttime temperatures. Several other lakes can be found in the surrounding area.