Gordon Hirabayashi Campground
This site is also known as Prison Camp.The site was a Federal Honor Camp beginning in 1937 to house federal prisoners supplying labor to build a road for access into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Prisoners had been convicted of federal crimes ranging from immigration law violations to tax evasion to bank robbery. During World War II, many of the prisoners of this camp were conscientious objectors whose religions prohibited them from serving in the military. Some were Japanese Americans protesting the Japanese American Relocation, the largest forced removal and incarceration in U.S. History that started after the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941.
More like this: first-come in Arizona · tent only in Arizona
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Group site: $50 plus $10 per vehicle. Payable with cash or check. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | November to April |
| Forest | Coronado National Forest |
| Fees | Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Group site: $50 plus $10 per vehicle. Payable with cash or check. |
| Rules | RV Camping is 22 feet and less. No hookups. No pack and saddle stock permitted in campground. Pack and saddle stock are allowed in group site. The Sheep Management Area in nearby Pusch Ridge Wilderness is closed to dogs for the protection of desert bighorn sheep. Mountain bike access is generally east of the campground and not allowed in Wilderness. Pets must be leashed at all times. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 32.3389° N, 110.7187° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 14.6 mi |
| Outdoor gear | REI ↗ | 15.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Frost RV ↗ | 16.4 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
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Video
Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Area, AZ
Worth a stop
- 11 mi
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miBug Springs ↗4.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.1 miMolino Basin ↗2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_scenic_or_historic
- 0.1 miSycamore Reservoir ↗3.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_scenic_or_historic
- 0.3 miSoldier2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.5 miBabad Do'Ag2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.4 miMolino Vista ↗0.08 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
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
Pusch Ridge Wilderness begins about 1.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 1.2 miPusch Ridge Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 56,973 acres
- 3.8 miSaguaro Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 70,905 acres
- 13.6 miRincon Mountain Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 36,949 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Guidebooks for Arizona
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- Best Backpacking Trips in Utah, Arizona, and New MexicoMike White and Douglas Lorain, 2016Find 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 Gordon Hirabayashi Campground?
Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Group site: $50 plus $10 per vehicle.
Source: Forest Service
Is Gordon Hirabayashi Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season November to April.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Gordon Hirabayashi Campground?
Gordon Hirabayashi Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Gordon Hirabayashi Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Molino (1.4 mi), General Hitchcock Campground (3.3 mi, first-come), and Rose Canyon (4.2 mi, partly first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby