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

Sunny Flat Campground

Campsites are clustered around a grassy meadow in this relatively open streamside camp. All sites are shaded, some more than others, and all are reasonably close to Cave Creek. Birdwatching is good right in camp (as it is in all Cave Creek camps) with elegant trogons and many other interesting species sighted regularly among the sycamores and oaks that border the creek. The open character of the area makes for exciting views of Cave Creek Canyon’s famous rock formations which tower over the area.

Open nowBooking not published130 sitesFrom $20 per nightTents only

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

Sunny Flat Campground
Photo from the area. gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Site map

13 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesCampsites: Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Day Use: Day use: $8 per vehicle. Weekly: $10 per vehicle. Buy a pass online, or purchase a pass on-site with cash or check.
AccessibilityAccessible to persons with disabilities

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
ForestCoronado National Forest
FeesCampsites: Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Day Use: Day use: $8 per vehicle. Weekly: $10 per vehicle. Buy a pass online, or purchase a pass on-site with cash or check.
RulesNo hook-ups. Trailers limited to 28 feet. Pack and saddle stock are not permitted in campground. Limit 2 vehicles and 10 persons per site. 14 day stay limit.

Coronado National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Sunny Flat 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, 2 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

Coordinates31.8848° N, 109.1754° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗13.7 mi

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

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Sunny Flat
    1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.1 mi
    Silver Peak ↗
    4.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.3 mi
    South Fork ↗
    6.8 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.8 mi
    Snowshed ↗
    7.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.3 mi
    Crystal Cave
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.8 mi
    Burro ↗
    6.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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 0.3 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.

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

How much does it cost to camp at Sunny Flat Campground?

Campsites: Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Day Use: Day use: $8 per vehicle.

Source: Forest Service

Is Sunny Flat Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Sunny Flat Campground have?

130 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Sunny Flat Campground?

Sunny Flat Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Are there accessible sites at Sunny Flat Campground?

Accessible to persons with disabilities.

Source: Forest Service

What if Sunny Flat Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Stewart Campground (0.5 mi, first-come), Idlewilde Campground (0.9 mi, first-come), and Herb Martyr Campground (3.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby