Gabaldon Horse Camp
Gabaldon Campground is situated amid spruce trees at the foot of the Mount Baldy Wilderness. The campground is named for Juan Gabaldon, who retired from the Forest Service after working on many of the trails in the area. The campground is a perfect spot to relax after a day's ride. This campground is limited to campers with horses or stock animals.
More like this: first-come in Arizona · free in Arizona · tent only in Arizona
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | There is no fee to camp. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Forest | Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest |
| Booking | Reservations are not available; first come first served. |
| Fees | There is no fee to camp. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 33.9289° N, 109.4864° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedD6 Wallow West Unit 6 Rx
9 mi from the campground · 7,605 acres
- PrescribedD6 - Heifer Rx
14 mi from the campground · 3,116 acres
- PrescribedD7 Brushy Mtn North Rx
23 mi from the campground · 1,353 acres
- PrescribedD7 Brushy Mtn South Rx
23 mi from the campground · 887 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 5.6 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sportsman's Warehouse ↗ | 36.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Video of Gabaldon, AZ from Isaiah G.
Worth a stop
- 2.3 miLightning Ridge Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 3.8 miCrescent Lake Point Area Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 4.5 miCrescent Lake Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 4.8 mi
- 4.9 miBig Lake Dam Parking Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 5.7 miBig Lake Marina Boating Site ↗Boat launch
Show all 7Hide
- 7.9 mi
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miEast Baldy ↗5.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.1 miEast Fork ↗7.7 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.6 miMt. Baldy Crossover3.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.1 miSunrise Snowmobile 249 ↗8.4 mi trail · ATV, e-bike, snowshoe, ski
- 2.3 miSunrise Snowmobile 409/261 ↗19.1 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
- 2.7 miWest Baldy ↗8 mi trail · hiking, horse
Trailheads within three miles
- 2.3 miLightning Ridge Trailhead ↗Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
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
This campground sits inside Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.
- inApache-Sitgreaves National Forests ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,110,688 acres
- 0.7 miMount Baldy Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 6,819 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
On the National Register nearby
- Butterfly LodgeBuilding · Greer · 6.6 mi
- Ps Knoll Lookout ComplexStructure · Maverick · 13.1 mi
- Water Canyon Administrative SiteBuilding · Springerville · 14.5 mi
Guidebooks for Arizona
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- 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
Do I need a reservation at Gabaldon Horse Camp?
No. Gabaldon Horse Camp is first-come, first-served. Reservations are not available; 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 Gabaldon Horse Camp?
Nothing. Gabaldon Horse Camp is listed as free. There is no fee to camp.
Source: Forest Service
Is Gabaldon Horse Camp open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Gabaldon Horse Camp?
Gabaldon Horse Camp is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Gabaldon Horse Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Winn (2.5 mi), Cutthroat (5.5 mi), and Brookchar (5.6 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby