In 1908 the Arizona Power Company began construction of the Childs Power
Plant. For more than 90 years, the water of Fossil Creek had been diverted by
a system of pipes and flumes from its natural course to power the turbines of
the Childs and Irving hydroelectric plants. During this time, Fossil Creek had
been reduced to a mere trickle, compared with the normal one million gallons
per hour flow once witnessed by early inhabitants of the region.

In 2004, APS, the current owner of the plants, agreed to decommission them and
restore the creek to its natural flow. (From "Pine-Strawberry Archeological
and Historical Society")

The area is now a very popular dispersed camping area. It sits below the
remnants of the old power plant buildings on the edge of the Verde River. A
short hike upstream and some wading will get you to the ruins of the Verde Hot
Springs, a once famous resort.

**Photos & Multimedia**

<p>In 1908 the Arizona Power Company began construction of the Childs Power Plant. For more than 90 years, the water of Fossil Creek had been diverted by a system of pipes and flumes from its natural course to power the turbines of the Childs and Irving hydroelectric plants. During this time, Fossil Creek had been reduced to a mere trickle, compared with the normal one million gallons per hour flow once witnessed by early inhabitants of the region.</p><p>In 2004, APS, the current owner of the plants, agreed to decommission them and restore the creek to its natural flow. (From &quot;<a href="http://www.pinestrawhs.org/childsirving.htm" target="_new">Pine-Strawberry Archeological and Historical Society</a>&quot;)</p><p>The area is now a very popular dispersed camping area. It sits below the remnants of the old power plant buildings on the edge of the Verde River. A short hike upstream and some wading will get you to the ruins of the Verde Hot Springs, a once famous resort.</p><p align="right"><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTQxNjAwjQL8h2VAQA9Dlhuw!!/?ss=110304&amp;navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&amp;cid=3379&amp;navid=110000000000000&amp;pnavid=null&amp;position=null&amp;ttype=photogallery&amp;pname=Coconino%20National%20Forest-%20Recreation" target="_new"><strong>Photos &amp; Multimedia</strong></a></p>

Free. There is no fee for dispersed camping at undeveloped camping areas on
the Coconino National Forest. There are no amenities at this camping area.

Bird's eye view of the campground

Childs Dispersed Camping Area

## Overview

This cozy group campground is tucked in the Lower Sonoran Desert along the
banks of the fresh, chilly Clear Creek. Campers can wade in the creek, fish,
or curl up with a book under the umbrella of cottonwood trees. Another popular
pastime here is birdwatching, where you might just spot a hawk or bald eagle
in flight.  
  
Clear Creek Campground is seven miles southeast of the small ranching town of
Camp Verde. It's part of the Coconino National Forest, one of the most diverse
forests in the country. Landscapes range from alpine tundra to desert valleys
and red canyons.

## Recreation

The campground is part of an oasis that attracts a variety of wildlife.
Colorful songbirds and raptors are common birdwatching finds, and cool water
species such as smallmouth bass and green sunfish make for enjoyable fishing.
Wildlife watching includes black bears, elk, turkey, deer, and bison.

## Facilities

Clear Creek Campground is grassy and flat, with some shade from surrounding
cottonwoods. The group campsite holds 80 people with a maximum of 20 vehicles.
The campsite is a popular destination, with its relaxed, open atmosphere, so
be sure to book early for holiday weekends. This facility also has 18 standard
family sites available, 5 of which are first-come, first-served/13 are
reservable on Recreation.gov.

## Natural Features

Clear Creek sits in the Verde Valley at 3,200 feet elevation. It's part of the
Sonoran desert near the base of Cactus Mountain, and the climate is arid with
hot summer days and mild winters.

## Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (928) 203-0624.

## Nearby Attractions

A must-do day trip is the Montezuma Castle National Monument, where you can
marvel at a well-preserved Native American cliff dwelling that dates back
1,000 years. Near the dwelling is the Montezuma Well, which is a naturally-
formed well that collects over a million gallons of fresh water a day.  
  
Hot-air ballooning and horseback riding are also fun outings near the
campsite.

<h2>Overview</h2>
This cozy group campground is tucked in the Lower Sonoran Desert along the banks of the fresh, chilly Clear Creek. Campers can wade in the creek, fish, or curl up with a book under the umbrella of cottonwood trees. Another popular pastime here is birdwatching, where you might just spot a hawk or bald eagle in flight. 
<br/><br/>
Clear Creek Campground is seven miles southeast of the small ranching town of Camp Verde. It's part of the Coconino National Forest, one of the most diverse forests in the country. Landscapes range from alpine tundra to desert valleys and red canyons.<h2>Recreation</h2>
The campground is part of an oasis that attracts a variety of wildlife. Colorful songbirds and raptors are common birdwatching finds, and cool water species such as smallmouth bass and green sunfish make for enjoyable fishing. Wildlife watching includes black bears, elk, turkey, deer, and bison.<h2>Facilities</h2>
<p>Clear Creek Campground is grassy and flat, with some shade from surrounding cottonwoods. The group campsite holds 80 people with a maximum of 20 vehicles. The campsite is a popular destination, with its relaxed, open atmosphere, so be sure to book early for holiday weekends. This facility also has 18 standard family sites available, 5 of which are first-come, first-served/13 are reservable on Recreation.gov.</p><h2>Natural Features</h2>
Clear Creek sits in the Verde Valley at 3,200 feet elevation. It's part of the Sonoran desert near the base of Cactus Mountain, and the climate is arid with hot summer days and mild winters.
<h2>Contact Info</h2>
For facility specific information, please call (928) 203-0624.
<h2>Nearby Attractions</h2>
A must-do day trip is the Montezuma Castle National Monument, where you can marvel at a well-preserved Native American cliff dwelling that dates back 1,000 years. Near the dwelling is the Montezuma Well, which is a naturally-formed well that collects over a million gallons of fresh water a day. 
<br/><br/>
Hot-air ballooning and horseback riding are also fun outings near the campsite.

Picnic site.

Site 8.

Information Center.

Entrance

Clear Creek Campground (AZ)

This popular day-use area is the trailhead for several trails. While there is
a permanent vault-type toilet installed here, there is **no trash pickup**.
Please practice **_Leave No Trace_**  principals and **PACK IT IN, PACK IT
OUT!**

For maps of the area, see the following web pages:

  * Blodgett Basin Trail
  * West Clear Creek Trail
  * West Clear Creek
  * West Clear Creek Wilderness
  * Clear Creek Campground

<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This popular&nbsp;day-use area is the trailhead for several trails. While there is a permanent vault-type toilet installed here, there is <strong>no trash pickup</strong>. Please practice <strong><em><a href="http://lnt.org/" target="_new">Leave No Trace</a></em></strong>&nbsp;principals&nbsp;and <strong>PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT!</strong></p><p>For maps of the area, see the following web pages:</p><ul><li><a href="/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=55238" target="_new">Blodgett Basin Trail</a></li><li><a href="/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=55430" target="_new">West Clear Creek Trail</a></li><li><a href="/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=74378" target="_new">West Clear Creek</a></li><li><a href="/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=74374" target="_new">West Clear Creek Wilderness</a></li><li><a href="/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=55274" target="_new">Clear Creek Campground</a></li></ul>

Childs Dispersed Camping Area

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Clear Creek Campground (AZ)

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