Spencer Canyon Campground

9-21-2019, We went to check out Spencer Canyon campground and rented a spot for day use. Nice area with fresh air amidst ponderosa pines.
Plenty of spaces (60). First come, first served.
Several well kept and pleasant smelling vault toilets with fresh paint and no graffiti.
All campsites have iron fire pit, grill, stone table and steel food box to protect food from bears.
Fees: Bring cash and no change is available. Fill out envelope, insert cash, keep stub, and drop envelope in slot
Overnight camping is $24.00,
Single vehicle day use is $10.00
Firewood bundle for $6.00

The camp is at 8,000ft so it can be quite cool up here. It is closed usually from about Nov-Apr. Camp is in the pines.

For beginner campers, this is prime real estate. Campsites are pretty close together and there are restrooms nearby. BBQ grills surround each campsite and if you're lucky, so are friendly, fellow campers. There is great shade coverage on hot days and the wind gusting through will cool off anyone.

Spencer Canyon campground and Gordon Hirabayashi campground are NOT the same, and are thousands of feet different in elevation. They are both on Mt. Lemmon. I'd recommend rewriting this description. I prefer Spencer Canyon because it's much higher, in a pine forest rather than high desert (which is where Hirabayashi is). Incidentally, Hirabayashi campground was called prison camp until recently. It's where Asian Americans were imprisoned in the 40s. I've been there a few times, and you can see the foundations of old prison buildings. Very sad.