Free Camping on Forest Road 616 | Happy Jack

After our beautiful experience camping along the Mogollon Rim, we continued north and found camping on Forest Road 616 near Happy Jack. We had been looking at the map and the nearby trails in the area and found some intriguing options that we wanted to check out. Camping off of Forest Road 616 made for a convenient spot to boondock in the woods while setting off on a couple adventures in the area. Keep reading for information on what the camping conditions were like as well as what incredible hike can be found a few dirt roads away!

free camping near happy jack on forest road 616

Quick Info: Camping Near Happy Jack on Forest Road 616

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Strawberry, follow the AZ-260 W/AZ-87 N for about 14 miles staying on the AZ-87 N at the junction. Then take a sharp left onto Forest Road 616. After about a mile there is a large dispersed campspot on the right.

Solar: Limited; the dispersed sites in this area are in the woods.

Miles From Town: About 18

Water: None

Road Conditions: Well maintained dirt/gravel road to the spot we chose.

Cell Service: None

Our Experience Camping on Forest Road 616

Since we weren’t planning on staying in the area for very long, we didn’t take the time to go very far to find camping on Forest Road 616. We took the first open pre-existing spot though we noticed that there were a lot of spots deeper into the woods. Our spot was near Clover Creek (no water) and was among the trees. Not long after we arrived, we noticed several deer on the hillside nearby! We arrived on a Friday morning and it seemed very quiet.

By the time we got back from our hike by Tom’s Creek, the road that curved around our spot was much busier. There were dirt bikes, four wheelers and other toys as well as more campers arriving. And throughout the weekend, there were people camping all along this short portion of Forest Road 616. During the week, I’d imagine traffic would be much more minimal.

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All was quiet at night, and the spot was pretty peaceful. This particular spot could hold any size rig or multiple rigs for that matter. There were fire restrictions during our time of stay so no camp fires. Overall, camping on Forest Road 616 has good options for some dispersed camping in the woods.

The particular spot that we camped in is not a great option if you’re looking for seclusion and privacy but it is large and easily accessible! We didn’t spend much time at our camp spot though – there are adventures all around!

adventures near our spot camping near happy jack

Epic Hike to Do While Camping on Forest Road 616

If you’re camping off of Forest Road 616 or if you’re just anywhere in the area at all – we definitely recommend checking out Point Trail in the West Clear Creek Wilderness! This trail is one of the best – if not the best – trail that we’ve done in Arizona so far. Although it was much busier than we thought, we are so glad that we went ahead and checked it out anyway!

Point Trail VERY STEEPLY descends 700 feet into West Clear Creek Canyon and for the rest of the hike we were surrounded by jaw dropping beauty! The trail meanders along West Clear Creek, crossing it numerous times and exposing gorgeous 700 foot towering walls all along the canyon. There are numerous swimming holes, petroglyphs, and an insanely beautiful cathedral like formation that requires chest deep wading. I’ve said too much – find out more about this EPIC adventure in our Point Trail article here!

Also in The Area

Our first day camping on Forest Road 616 we packed a bag and drove until we found Tom’s Creek. From here we parked next to the water and wandered into the small (much less dramatic) canyon and followed the creek. This was a nice shaded hike, that followed the water and passed several eye catching landscapes. We enjoyed this hike and were glad that we did this one before we did Point Trail so that we could appreciate it more for what it was. I’m telling you, that Point Trail really blew our minds. This is a great a alternative though – relaxing, mellow, and pretty.

We were only here for two nights and we enjoyed both of the adventures that we were able to check out. Obviously, we barely scratched the surface and if you have more time to spend in the area there are numerous lakes, trails, and canyon nearby to check out!

Thanks for Reading!

We love boondocking! And not knowing what we’re going to find as we explore new areas is always an adventure. That’s why we can’t imagine living in one place again. Check out some of our other boondocking experiences below:

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