Valentine campground - photo by Tony Padegimas
Valentine Ridge campground sits upon its namesake in the Canyon Creek area of the Tonto National Forest, on of four campgrounds that dot this area. While the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire devastated much of this area, the campground remains safely surrounded by a stand of pinon pines. The bare slopes in the area did not fare as well. Campers will find no shortage of available firewood.
Nine designated campsites are arranged along the rocky ridge at 6600-foot elevation. Each site has a table and fire grill, and the campground itself has a vault toilet. There is no water, trash service, host or fee.
Valentine Ridge trail, a nine mile loop blazed and graded for mountain bikes has a trail head at the campground. A few miles down the road, there is access to Canyon Creek, a perennial stream stocked with rainbow trout.
See the Canyon Creek area main page for information about the general vicinity.
The campground can be reached directly from AZ288 by heading east of forest road 188 for two miles. FR 188 continues east, then north to intersect with FR33 near two other campgrounds. There are several undesignated cam sites along this route as well.
About a mile into FR 188 from the “highway” is the turn off for forest road 109, which wanders up and across the ridge to the south, providing a wealth of vistas across woodlands both healthy and in recovery. It seems a little rough at first, but is certainly passable by passenger car in good weather.
Return to Canyon Creek campgrounds
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