Beaver Creek Campground « Camping Mama

Archive for Beaver Creek Campground

Campground: Beaver Creek

January 26, 2008 · Filed under arizona camping, Beaver Creek Campground · Tagged arizona camping, campground photos, camping with kids

Awesome creek, great trees!

Photo: me and my cuties enjoying wet beaver creek.

General Location: easy. About 2 hours from Tempe. From the Phoenix area, take I-17 north to exit 298 (sign will say Hwy 179), and take a right onto FR 618. Three miles to the campground.
Campground Rating: 9/10
What I liked the most: The Wet Beaver Creek is stunningly beautiful. I could have stayed there for weeks. It’s that red rock magic thing. It is easy to play and splash around in, as well as a few deeper pools for paddling about. Also, my kids (then 4 y.o.) had great luck catching lizards and bugs at this campground. It has reached legendary status now. And, we saw (and “played” with) stick bugs, which I had never before or since seen for reals. They are amazing. There are also lots of great big sycamore trees, excellent for climbing.

Photo: How to catch a lizard: go to beaver creek campground. Find a lizard on a big rock. Put your arms on the rock, in a circle around him. He has to climb onto you to get out, but he’s too scared to try it. Reduce your arm circle until the little guy climbs aboard and viola!

Shortcomings: Well, this is a bit awkward, but there was no creek running through the campground when we were there (late October 2006). Now, every guidebook you read and every ranger you talk to swears up and down that the creek runs right through the campground. The ranger said that we were there in a particularly dry year (2006). She said that 2007was better, so, apparently, the Beaver Creek campground has creek. Well, I am big on truth in advertising, so I wanted to find that creek. So, we drove about 5-10 minutes and then walked another 10 minutes down to the water. Even though I don’t like to get in the car when I am camping, this was well worth it. The creek was as beautiful as any I have seen.

Photo: how to catch a stick bug: go to beaver creek campground. Find a stick bug on the wall of the bathroom hut. Pick it up gently and put it on your kid.

Amenities: drinking water, fire rings, picnic table, camp host
Note: if you cross the street (the one you turn off of to enter the campground) there is a trail that follows the creek and it is very picturesque. Also, it is flat and easy for the little guys.