Hilltop Campground (AZ)

Hilltop Campground is located in the Prescott Basin at 5,712 feet in elevation, just over three miles south of Highway 69 and east of Walker Road. Campers will appreciate the mild weather and the cool ponderosa pine forest, set among oak, manzanita and a variety of shrubs and grasses. The campground is available during the summer season and is enjoyed by people of all age groups and diverse backgrounds. There are 34 single and three double occupancy campsites, designed for RV, trailer or tent camping. Each campsite has a picnic table, steel fire ring and an established tent pad, and universally accessible campsites are available. Campsites generally allow one camp unit — an RV, or a tow vehicle and trailer — with a limited quantity allowing an extra vehicle. The asphalt-surfaced driveways include five pull-through, 16 back-in and 16 parallel parking spaces. Services include five vault restrooms, five trash dumpsters and six water faucets. There are no RV hook-ups and no dump station. The facility's location allows opportunities for a variety of recreation: fishing, bird-watching, boating, backpacking, hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, mountain biking, picnicking and just plain relaxing. Connector and loop trails allow access to most of the Prescott Basin, and most trails allow for multiple modes of travel. North of the campground, within walking distance, is Lynx Lake. At 55 acres it is an immensely popular attraction on the Prescott National Forest, with fishing, boating and hiking among its draws. West of Hilltop, across the Prescott Basin about 11 miles distant, is the Thumb Butte Recreation Area, whose 6,515-foot prominence is quite visible in the basin and is very popular for its scenic vistas, jogging, hiking and birdwatching; rock climbing is allowed, but only between July 16 and January 31, as climbing is prohibited during the peregrine falcon nesting period. Mountain bikes have access to trails from the parking area. To the northwest, within 13 miles, is the Granite Basin Recreation Area, which has several day-use areas, Yavapai Campground and the five-acre Granite Basin Lake, known for channel catfish, large-mouth bass and sunfish. Rising prominently north of the lake is Granite Mountain at 6,874 feet, whose rugged topography and mixed vegetation make up the Granite Mountain Wilderness Area. Also to the northwest, at fifteen miles, is the Alto Pit Off-Highway Vehicle Campground and Day-Use Area, where OHV riders of all skill levels can ride several miles of trails through challenging terrain. The City of Prescott offers several day-use recreation facilities within ten miles — Watson (70 acres) and Willow Lakes to the northwest, Goldwater Lake (15 acres) to the southwest — each with its own qualities and opportunities including boating, fishing, birdwatching and hiking. The Tri-City Community of Prescott, Chino Valley and Prescott Valley has events and attractions throughout the year, all within a few minutes' drive.