Herb Martyr Campground is where the road ends and the canyon begins in earnest. Located at the terminus of Forest Road 42A — a four-mile dirt road that branches off FR 42 just past the Southwestern Research Station — it is the most remote of the Cave Creek Canyon campgrounds and the most rewarding for those who make the drive.

The campground sits beside Cave Creek in a forested setting of sycamores, cottonwoods, and Arizona cypress at approximately 5,400 feet. No fees, no reservations, first-come first-served. Basic amenities — picnic tables, fire rings, pit toilets. No water on site. Tent camping only. The road in is dirt — passable in most vehicles in dry conditions.

The campground is named after Herb Martyr, a Forest Service ranger who worked in Cave Creek Canyon.

Our Camp — Site 4 — May 1–2, 2026

We selected Site 4 for a specific reason — just a short distance below the campsite a 12-foot waterfall drops on Cave Creek. Created by a series of rock dams built across the creek at various intervals the waterfall drops into a pool and runs downstream through more dams and pools we explored the next morning. We still don't know when those dams were built or why. To create fishing holes, perhaps. The mystery was more interesting than any explanation.

We set up camp. Luca set up his cot and worked on practicing different methods of setting up a rain cover using a tarp — a skill he wanted to develop for open camping. We gathered what firewood we could find and had brats and vegetables over a small fire as evening settled in. A wild turkey walked through camp while we were cooking — crossed the creek without hesitation and worked its way up the steep slope on the far bank at a pace that suggested it knew exactly where it was going. After dinner Luca turned in early and Matthew and I sat by the river in the dark until late — the waterfall audible the whole time.

The next morning I rose early and hiked back up the canyon with my camera before the others were up. A campsite near the restrooms — empty the night before — was now occupied by a couple watching SpongeBob in their tent. Camp life in all its forms. After a simple breakfast we took one more walk along the lower river, following the rock dams downstream and finding more pools. Then packed up and moved on.

On the Drive In — FR 42A

Along Forest Road 42A on the drive in we noticed trail signs for Crystal Cave and John Hands Waterfall — both looked worth doing. We didn't have time on this trip. Both are added to the return list.

The Ash Spring Trail leads north from near the campground through riparian forest of sycamores, cypress, and fir to a picturesque old homestead site shaded by large ash trees and watered by a perennial spring.

Southwestern Research Station

Just before turning onto FR 42A sits the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History — a scientific research facility where staff occasionally offer public programs. Worth a stop for the bookstore, espresso, and conversation with researchers working in the canyon.

More Information

• Camping fee: $15/night — self-pay fee station on site

• First-come first-served, no reservations

• Tent camping only — no RVs or trailers

• FR 42A is dirt — passable in most vehicles in dry conditions, check after rain

• Crystal Cave and John Hands Waterfall trailhead on FR 42A — worth a future visit

• Fees current as of 2026

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