Pine Grove Coconino Nat'l Forest

[maromeo]

Spent 5 days at Pine Grove campground about 17 miles south on Lake Mary Road, south of Flagstaff. The road is all paved and all sites are paved have one sand pad with a picnic table and one open pad for a large tent. There are no hookups for $18 per day but have flush toilets, pay showers, dump station and potable water at all of the restrooms.  Some sites are closer together than others. Our site 30 was a little close to one side of the neighbors. It does open up to the forest to the back. Sites 38 and 39 are larger and a little further away from neighbors. The campground hosts keep a stock of fire wood for $6 a bundle, ice and have some area maps. The weather was hot the first day and took a while to cool down at night but getting out of 115 heat 95 felt a little cooler. From the second day on there were afternoon showers which kept it cooler for the rest of the trip.

About 2 miles away is Lake Mary. The water levels were up a little. There are a few pull off areas where you can go to the lake or fish. Just beware there is no sandy beach, large rocks everywhere. The forest service has a boat ramp and parking and picnic area but there is a $5 day use charge for the area, again no sand.

There is also a small country store with just about anything you may forget or ice cream just past on the north side of the lake.  But Flagstaff and a Walmart is not that much further up the road.

Mary Romeo

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Sometimes I stay at this campground and I will take one of my road bicycles and ride around Mormon Lake or up to Flag. I have only stayed at the campground in my large tent 10x10 have yet to take my popup. I set up in one of the large rv spaces since I set up a large tent and gazebo. I dont remember the store to the North but the store at Mormon Lake. Though there are trees that area does get warm

[maromeo]

I decided that we would try to camp near Flagstaff since we haven't spent much time there.  We have been to the White Mountains many times, done the Grand Canyon, Kartchner Caverns, Sunset Crater and local camping. We have made many cross country trips with the PUP in tow but felt this year we needed to stay closer to home.  We did spend a day at Lowell Observatory for my DH and DD.  They really enjoyed it.  We drove highway 3 around Mormon Lake.  It is more like a marsh puddle than a lake.  We went to the Lodge and walked around. The campground and area was crowded because they had a rodeo going on.  After the weather cooled down on the second day it was much more bearable to relax and sleep. It is not a campground that I have a real strong desire to go to again. It was just OK in my book. Maybe if we weren't so close to neighbors it would have been more enjoyable.

Mary Romeo

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What did you think of the Sunset Crater Campground ? Stayed at the campground. One trip at Kartcher the overnight temp was in the teens. Same thing at Deadhorse SP.

[maromeo]

There is no campground at Sunset Crater.  The closest is Bonito campground. It is nice, no hookups, decent space between sites, ponderosa pines, have restrooms but no showers. It is run by the national forest so the rates are $16-$18. It can get warm during the day in the summer.  I do remember fires were nearby the campground the past couple of years so don't know if it received any damage.  

Been to Deadhorse SP for a PUT ralley in 2003 and we enjoyed it. We hiked to Tuzigoot, had a great time. We were in the group site. I would relish the teen temps right now.

Mary Romeo

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Could not think offhand of the campground next to Sunset, it was warm that trip. Get a chance ride the Verde Valley Railroad.