About Rainbow (Az)
Rainbow is the largest campground in the Big Lake Recreation Area in eastern Arizona. Because of its proximity to the lake, size and the many amenities it offers, Rainbow is a favorite for families. Popular activities include hiking, horseback riding and fishing. The campground is adjacent to 450-acre Big Lake, one of Arizona's top fishing lakes. The lake is known for its trout fishing, with rainbow, cutthroat, brook and Apache being the most sought-after species. The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, birding and wildlife viewing. Curious campers can attend educational programs at the recreation area's visitor center. The facility boasts 165 campsites organized into six loops. Four double sites are available for up to 16 people each, which is convenient for larger families, and two single unit accessible sites are also available. A small store nearby sells…
- Fees: **Standard Family Sites** per night $20 - $22 Group Sites are not eligible for Interagency/ Senior Pass Discounts **Mini Group Sites** (2…
- Season: May 15
- Managed by: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, FS
- Where: 10 mi south of Greer, AZ · 33.87639, -109.40389
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Jun–Sep (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Oct–Apr.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake Nature | Hiking | 0.2 mi | 0.4 mi |
| Railroad Grade | Horse | 1.6 mi | 19.2 mi |
| Overland | Hiking | 1.8 mi | 17.8 mi |
| West Fork (Br) | Horse | 1.9 mi | 2.3 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
No signal at camp
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way casts shadows and the sky is crowded with stars.
Class 1 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Dump station: 0.3 mi
Propane: 19.1 mi
Camps nearby
- Big Lake Recreation Area 0.5 mi
- Brookchar 0.5 mi
- Grayling 0.6 mi
- Cutthroat 0.9 mi
- Apache Trout Campground 0.9 mi
- Gabaldon Horse Camp 6 mi