Grayling

Grayling Campground offers perhaps the most secluded sites in the Big Lake Recreation Area in eastern Arizona. It sits on the shoreline of the lake in a mixed conifer and aspen forest and affords visitors many recreational opportunities in a quiet, scenic setting. Popular activities include trout fishing and hiking. The campground is adjacent to 450-acre Big Lake, one of Arizona's top fishing lakes. The lake is known for its trout fishing, with rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Apache being the most sought-after species. The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, birding and wildlife viewing, and curious campers can attend educational programs at the recreation area's visitor center. All 23 campsites in this small facility are located along one loop. Some sites have a view of the lake, though none are directly on the waterfront. Flush toilets are a comfort of home; showers and a dump station for RV campers are one mile away, along with a store selling gas, food, boat rentals and firewood. Grayling sits in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9,000 feet. It is a very scenic area, forested with ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, spruce and aspen trees, which provide ample shade. Summer temperatures are pleasant and cool, a nice respite from the heat of lower deserts; visitors should come prepared for cool nighttime temperatures and occasional summer rain storms. Springerville, Arizona is the closest town to the campground.