Crook Campground

This group campground is situated in a tall ponderosa pine forest, just down the road from the popular Woods Canyon Lake in north central Arizona. The shaded campground is a nice hideaway for large groups, with opportunities for boaters, anglers, hikers, families and photographers. Popular activities include trout fishing, hiking, boating, cycling, horseback riding and photography. Woods Canyon Lake is the most popular of four lakes in the Rim Lakes Recreation Area, and allows electric boat motors only. The paved Meadow Trail borders Crook Campground and will bring you about 1 mile north to Woods Canyon Lake. The Rim Lakes Vista and Rim Trail is just a quarter mile from the campground and leads to spectacular views of the Mogollon Rim and surrounding area. The campground is arranged in two loops in a cul-de-sac design. Each has a group area that can host up to 110 campers and 26 vehicles (parallel parking only). The sites can accommodate both RVs and tents, though some areas are less suited for tent camping. A picnic shelter is located in the middle of the group use area, and a dump station is near the park. Groceries are available at the Woods Canyon Store, and firewood is sold at the store and onsite. The campground sits in ponderosa pine forest at an elevation of 7,500 feet. Wildlife viewing includes birds, squirrels, deer and elk, and hikers who venture onto nearby trails are afforded expansive views of the land beneath the Mogollon Rim. The Mogollon Rim, pronounced by locals as "muggy-own," is a 200-mile long escarpment in northern Arizona that ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 ft. in elevation and serves as the geographical divide between the cool high country above and the hot, dry desert below. Summer temperatures can be very pleasant because of the elevation. However, the rainy season often brings afternoon thunderstorms from late June through August, so come prepared for rain and cool nighttime temperatures. Gas, food and groceries are available in Forest Lakes 9 miles east. The nearest full service community is Payson, Arizona, 34 miles west on Highway 260. The surrounding Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest encompasses 2 million acres of magnificent mountain country in east-central Arizona and New Mexico.