Happy Valley Saddle Campground

Happy Valley Saddle is a three-site, hike-in campground in the Saguaro Wilderness, high in the Rincon Mountains. It serves as a resting point for people climbing Rincon Peak. From Miller Creek, the shortest campground route in the park is about four miles with more than 2,000 feet of climbing. Expect a strenuous backpacking approach, not a roadside night. Both Miller Creek and Turkey Creek trailheads start on Coronado National Forest land; the first 1.5 miles of either approach are outside the park boundary.

From I-10, take exit 297 toward Mescal Road. The Miller Creek trailhead is about 16 miles north; the road is paved for its first two miles, then graded gravel, and can become impassable in wet winter or monsoon conditions. The Turkey Creek turnoff is another half-mile north, and its last 1.6 miles require high clearance and four-wheel drive.

There are three tent sites, with a maximum of six people at each. Site 1 has a bear box and a fire ring; the other sites are not described in the same detail. Treat this as primitive camping: don't count on a restroom or potable-water tap. The nearby creek is unreliable, and water can disappear beneath its sandy bed. Get a current water report from the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center and carry enough for camp.

The campground sits at about 6,200 feet among tall trees. Across the surrounding wilderness, six plant communities range from desert scrub and grassland up through oak woodland to pine and mixed-conifer forest. The roadless Saguaro Wilderness was designated in 1976 and covers about 57,930 acres; the Rincon Mountain Wilderness borders it on three sides.