Rustler Park is a wildflower-carpeted meadow high in the Chiricahuas. Around the turn of the century, rustlers concealed stolen stock there while altered brands healed and pursuit cooled. Today, the meadow provides a cool mountain respite from the deserts below. Rimmed with Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine, the meadow is sprinkled with seasonal wildflowers.
Campsites at Rustler Park are scattered in the shade of tall trees along access roads that have been purposefully kept out of the meadow to avoid damaging fragile plants and soils.
Rustler Park is an excellent place to pursue birdwatching. Larger animals, including black bear, are frequently spotted here, too. Trails lead from the campground into the Chiricahua Wilderness and to other places of interest. The Crest Trail #270, is accessible via a trailhead in the campground’s outer loop, or by a 4-wheel drive road south of the campground entrance.
Location: 120 miles east of Tucson, 18 miles west of Portal.
Access: From Tucson, take I-10 east 81 miles. Turn right (south) on AZ 186 and continue for 23 miles. Turn left (east) on AZ 181 toward Chiricahua National Monument and drive 3 miles, then turn right (south) on Forest Road 42.
From Douglas, take US 80 two miles west to US 191. Go north on US 19135 miles to Sunizona. Take AZ 181 east, then north, for approximately 28 miles (stay on paved road) to FR 42. Continue up FR 42 (Pinery Canyon) 12 miles to Forest Road 42D. Turn right at Onion Saddle and drive approximately 2.5 miles to Rustler Park Campground.
Forest Roads 42 and 42D are gravel roads suitable for two-wheel drive passenger vehicles, though high-clearance vehicles such as pickup trucks or SUVs are recommended. Open from April through November, these roads are not plowed and are usually closed following early or late season snowstorms. Expect slick conditions after a rain.
Elevation: 8,500'
Season: Open April through November, weather and fire conditions permitting.
Attractions:
Facilities:
Mountain meadow setting
25 sites
Forested sites
Tables and fire rings
Birdwatching/wildlife watching
Toilets
Forest trails
Notes:
No drinking water. It's always a good idea to bring drinking water with you on your camping trip.
No hook-ups. Trailers limited to 22 feet.
Pack it in, pack it out.
Pack and saddle stock are not permitted in campground.
Bear Warning: Black bears frequent this area. To avoid putting a bear’s life in danger and risking the loss of some of your own property, please dispose of all garbage in the bear-proof containers provided and use the bearproof food boxes to keep all food out of reach and out of sight. Never feed a wild animal. Never approach a bear. For more information, read "How to Live with Black Bears."
