Payson Lakes Group Campsite C

We reserved group site C for a last minute family reunion. It's a beautiful area and we loved this site. It was perfect for us. The parking was great. There was enough tent space, even accommodations for large tents. There were plenty of tables, with a couple in the shade. The main cooking space doesn't have much shade, but we brought shade canopies, which remedied that. There were two fire pits. The main pit has concrete surrounding the metal ring, which is so handy for keeping small children safe around the fire. The bathrooms have flush toilets which are well maintained and fairly clean. (Bring your hand soap!) The water pump is conveniently placed within the food prep area of the site. The camp hosts were friendly and involved in enforcing rules. We loved bird- watching and even heard a couple of owls having a conversation one night. There were some cows in the area who had left a bit of a mess and were noisy at night. Other than that, we had a great stay.

We camped c10, but looked around at other spots. There's not much space for a larger tent like ours (9 man tent). There was a lot of overgrowth. Each campsite has a fire pit/ring with grill that slides over top, and a picnic table. Many spots will only permit one vehicle to park. Decent access to the lake. It is only a 5min walk. There is water near the vault (pit) toilets.

This is a great place to bring a group to enjoy the great outdoors. There is plenty of space to gather as a group. There is a nice area to have a campfire. There is plenty of parking for everyone in your group, even if they have a camp trailer. And there are even flushable toilets right there. In 2021, the lakes are low due to the drought. But normally the lakes are nice and full and it's a great place to recreate. For another place to canoe/kayak/swim, look for Pete Winward Reservoir just down the road a bit. Be very careful of bears. Keep any and all food locked up, and far away from where you sleep. There were lots of bugs, but not too many mosquitoes.

We go to Payson Lakes every year for a reunion. It's a beautiful campsite and the couple who manages the campground are very kind and helpful. It fills up fast, so book early. We used to go swimming a lot, but there has been too much swimmers itch since the water levels have decreased. Edit: 2024 Water levels were great this year. It was wonderful to spend time on the lake in the tranquil beauty. No swimmers itch this year. 🤩

I have loved this lake for as long as I can remember, and even with the recent management changes, we had so much fun! Nothing beats the "mini bears/pot guts" getting brave near the end of the trip. We named the one in my photos "Chonkers"