Sights & Sounds of the Peak: Three Days in the Pinal Mountains

By Rachel Joel  ·  AZ Places  ·  Tonto National Forest

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Most people drive through Globe on their way somewhere else. What they don't realize is that just south of town, rising over 4,000 feet from the desert floor, is one of Arizona's most rewarding and least-known camping destinations — the Pinal Mountains. In May 2024 Rachel and Luca spent two nights and three days at Six Shooter Campground in the Tonto National Forest. What unfolded was one of those trips that reminds you why you do this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNnaA2NhylY

The Drive Up

Getting to Six Shooter Campground is part of the experience. From the Globe Ranger Station it's about 15.9 miles via FR 651 — a narrow, winding gravel mountain road that takes roughly 56 minutes to drive. Take it slow. The road climbs through chaparral and desert scrub before transitioning dramatically into ponderosa pine and white fir as you gain elevation. Communication and radio towers near the summit are visible ahead and serve as a useful landmark. The road is maintained — in part because of those towers — but it is not a road for rushing.

Snow in May

We arrived to find snow still lingering in the shaded spots near the road. In May. At nearly 7,700 feet, the Pinal Mountains operate on their own schedule, and the snow patches tucked into the shadows of the pines were a welcome reminder of just how much elevation we had gained from the desert below.

The Campground & Surroundings

Six Shooter Campground has 12 units tucked into tall stands of ponderosa pine and white fir — the shade is genuine and the quiet is real. The nearby Pinal Campground has 4 units and Upper Pinal has 3 sites for those wanting even more solitude. Sulphide Del Rey and Pioneer Pass offer additional dispersed options in the area.

What gives this place an extra layer of interest is its history. Both Six Shooter and the nearby Pinal Campgrounds sit on a site once occupied by the U.S. Army, which used it as a heliographic signaling station in the late 1800s — flashing messages across the desert landscape using mirrors to reflect sunlight. Standing in those pines knowing soldiers once stood in the same spot communicating by reflected sunlight across the Arizona territory adds something to the place.

The Hiking

At least eight trails branch out within one mile of the campgrounds. We hiked to the fire lookout tower at 7,838 feet — one of the highlights of the trip. The view from up there is extraordinary, looking out in every direction across central Arizona. We also set out to find a spring, which turned out to have been tapped off. The trail system rewards those who explore it and there is genuinely more to discover here than a single trip can cover.

We also found a cluster of large boulders that made a natural outdoor living room — the kind of place you settle into and don't want to leave. With the pines overhead and the quiet of the mountain around you, it was one of those moments that doesn't need any enhancement.

Wildlife

The Pinal Mountains are considered a sky island and the wildlife reflects that. Our biggest surprise was the coatis — a first sighting for us. We also encountered a horned toad lizard, white-tailed deer and an impressive variety of birds throughout the trip. The Pinal Mountains are well known among birdwatchers and it's easy to understand why once you're up there. Keep your eyes and ears open — this mountain delivers.

Camp Life

Firewood was plentiful for gathering throughout the forest, the trees were perfect for hammocks, and the wildflowers were in full color for a May trip. Luca processed yucca into fibers — a hands-on primitive skills moment that felt right at home in a forest this rich.

The culinary highlight was a Dutch oven goulash cooked over the campfire — featured in the main video and in a second dedicated cooking video. Camp cooking at nearly 7,700 feet in a ponderosa pine forest is a completely different experience from cooking at home, and the goulash did not disappoint.

Getting There

From Chandler or Phoenix take US-60 East through Superior and Miami to Globe. Follow Jess Hayes Road southeast to the junction of Icehouse Canyon Road (FR 112) and Six Shooter Canyon Road (FR 222). Continue on FR 112 for 2.5 miles to the junction of FR 55. Take the right fork, continue 2.5 miles to FR 651, turn left and follow FR 651 approximately 10 miles to the campgrounds. No fees, no reservations — first come, first served.

Potable water is available at Six Shooter and Pinal Campgrounds. No trash service — pack it in, pack it out. Check fire restrictions with the Globe Ranger District at (928) 402-6200 before your trip.

The Pinal Mountains are one of the locations in the AZ Places bucket list. See the full location guide → · AZ Places also offers guided camping trips in Arizona — view our hosted adventures →