1 votes

Rucker Forest Camp

5861 East Rucker Canyon Road, Douglas, Arizona 85607 USA

Independent
Pet Friendly
Not Wheelchair
Accessible
Public
Restrooms

Permanently Closed

This location is permanently closed.

“Find the ruins of Fort Rucker”

This camp is located at the end of a Forest road that wanders up Rucker Canyon into the Chiricahua high country. Campsites are situated on both sides of the road in a stand of big trees that include ponderosa pine, Apache pine and Arizona cypress. This is bear country, so you’ll want to take advantage of the bearproof food boxes for storing your cooler and any other odorous items. On the way to Rucker Forest Camp, you’ll pass old Rucker Lake bed, which silted in after the Rattlesnake Fire in 1992. Rucker Creek still runs nearby. Closer to the campground, a number of Forest trails offer opportunities to explore the Chiricahua Wilderness high on the upper slopes. Rucker Canyon Trail #222 and Raspberry Ridge Trail #228 start at the edge of the campground and lead deep into the Wilderness. For those who like good views but don’t like to walk far to enjoy them, there is a short trail that starts at the same trailhead and leads a few hundred feet to an overlook of Rucker Canyon and the peaks that surround it. Campsites at Rucker Forest Camp have leveled pull-ins that accommodate trailers up to 16 feet long.

Reviews of Rucker Forest Camp

1 person has reviewed this location

Ratings Summary

5.0 Access

5.0 Location

5.0 Cleanliness

5.0 Site Quality

5.0 Noise

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Reviewed by
Campendium

May 20, 2018

I stayed there a few years ago in the fall. There was no water and no fee at that time. I was there in a little, two seat sports car. Rucker Canyon Road was certainly bumpy and wash-boardy. The only problem I encountered on the drive was a brief rain shower that turned the road very slick and I did slide around briefly.

The campground has the look of the CCC era with rock walls. The sites in the Rucker Creek side are wonderful. The bubbling of the creek (nice for a dip to end a hot day), a beautiful piney smell and mountains piled sky high on most sides. Great hiking up both Rucker and Bear Canyon trails. Bear boxes, firepit grills and picnic tables at most sites.

If solitude is your thing, go mid week and you'll likely have the place to yourself. People didn't start coming until the weekend. My only disappointment was no Rucker Lake. I talked to a couple of forest service people saying they would like to dredge out the lake bed, but still some instability after the Rattlesnake Fire in the late 90's.

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Nightly Rate: $10.00

Days Stayed: 5

Site Number: 5

5 Access

5 Location

5 Cleanliness

5 Site Quality

5 Noise

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