U.S. Forest Service · Coronado National Forest · Arizona

Walnut Grove Campground

This campground is along Rucker Creek. The area is an excellent place to take photographs, do a little birdwatching, or relax. It was formally known as Camp Rucker Group Site. Further up the canyon is Rucker Lake. Rucker Lake silted in after the Rattlesnake Fire in 1992 and is now a dry lake bed slowly being reclaimed by riparian vegetation.

Open nowFirst-come, first-servedFrom $15 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in Arizona · tent only in Arizona

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
Fees$15.00 per site per day.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
ForestCoronado National Forest
Fees$15.00 per site per day.

Coronado National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Walnut Grove Campground40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.42 inches of precipitation, 1.4 inches of snowFebruary: 1.12 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowMarch: 0.93 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowApril: 0.39 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 0.46 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.88 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.86 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 4.35 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.10 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 1.28 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowDecember: 1.68 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 40.5°F averageFebruary: 44.3°F averageMarch: 49.0°F averageApril: 55.1°F averageMay: 62.2°F averageJune: 70.5°F averageJuly: 72.8°F averageAugust: 71.0°F averageSeptember: 66.1°F averageOctober: 57.9°F averageNovember: 48.0°F averageDecember: 40.8°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Portal 4 SW, 13 miles from the campground at 5,390 feet, station USC00026716 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 20 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 4 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates31.7582° N, 109.3701° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗17.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.7 mi
    Devils Canyon
    3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    Rucker Peak
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.1 mi
    Brushy Canyon
    2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.1 mi
    Turtle Mountain
    2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    Cub Canyon
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    John Long ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Chiricahua Wilderness begins about 1.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Arizona

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Camping Arizona
    Bruce Grubbs, 2021
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Tent Camping: Arizona
    Kirstin Olmon Phillips and Kelly Phillips, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Backpacking Trips in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico
    Mike White and Douglas Lorain, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Walnut Grove Campground?

No. Walnut Grove Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Walnut Grove Campground?

$15.00 per site per day.

Source: Forest Service

Is Walnut Grove Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Walnut Grove Campground?

Walnut Grove Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Walnut Grove Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Camp Rucker Group Site (0.8 mi), Sycamore Campground (7.3 mi, first-come), and Herb Martyr Campground (11.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby