TREASURE PARK - EAST

Overview Treasure Park East sits along the scenic Swift Trail in the deserts of southern Arizona. The picturesque mountain meadow setting offers visitors an escape from the desert heat and opportunities for viewing wildlife and wildflowers, as well as group camping, hiking, mountain biking and picnicking. The location boasts an interesting history.

Legend has it that a treasure of stolen gold and silver was buried here by a band of outlaws in the 1850s. They reportedly marked the site with a triangle formed by three colored granite stones, though no buried treasure was ever found. Recreation The campground lies along the Swift Trail Scenic Drive, which takes visitors from the Sonoran Desert at 2,900 feet to alpine meadows and forest on the 9,000+ foot ridges of the Pinaleño Range.

Because of its diverse habitat, the area is well-known for birding and wildlife watching. The Swift Trail provides access to a number of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails, along with several other campgrounds that invite you for an afternoon picnic. A trip up to Rigg’s Lake, stocked with trout by Arizona Game & Fish, or to the Columbine Visitors Center could make a worth-while day trip as well.

Facilities Treasure Park East can accommodate a single group of up to 100 guests at a time. The site is equipped with picnic tables, a group campfire ring with grill, a parking area and a drinking water spigot nearby, with water available seasonally. Dead-and-downed firewood may be collected in and around the campsite.

Note: There are no toilets on site. One portable/self-contained toilet is required for every 15 people. Natural Features This site lies within the mixed conifer area of the Pinaleño Mountains at an elevation of 9,000 feet.

The high elevations makes this area very pleasant in summer compared to the heat of lower deserts. 78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.