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Prescott National Forest › Verde Ranger District › Arizona
› Yavapai County
› Mayer
› Sycamore Cabin
› Campsite #1
Campsite #1 at Sycamore Cabin, AZ
$125
Cabin Site #1
| 8 people | |
| 2 | fair |
3/6
3/15
Campsite #1 Features: Back-In parking, Cabin Site, Drinking Water
Campsite Reviews (25)
5.0 out of 5
| 5 star | | 68% |
| 4 star | | 20% |
| 3 star | | 0% |
| 2 star | | 4% |
| 1 star | | 8% |
@kristab6231872 · Camped on Dec 28, 2025 at Campsite #1
We enjoyed our stay. The creek was running and weather was perfect. Cookware and cutlery were new condition. Beds were comfy. Fenced yard was great.
@JiteshK985F9E8 · Camped on Nov 14, 2025 at Campsite #1
We have been visiting Sycamore cabin for many years and it has been excellent as always. Always peaceful time, no cell, no tv clear skies provides great of the stars.
No Service
@DoraL1751555 · Camped on Nov 10, 2025 at Campsite #1
Truly enjoyed this very cozy Sycamore cabin during our two day stay Thanks to the recent rainfall, the creek was actually flowing and happily bubbling. The weather was cool and perfect for a bond fire . Most definitely recommend this cabin.
No Service
@TiffanyH355647 · Camped on Oct 17, 2025 at Campsite #1
E-Coli was in the water system and no one told us beforehand. We saw a notice in the hallway but that was after we all had used the water. Kept feeling sick the whole time. Terrible experience. They need to email people beforehand and let them cancel with refund.
No Service
@DoraL1751555 · Camped on Sep 25, 2025 at Campsite #1
Our 3 day stay at Sycamore cabin was very relaxing even with the boil water notice. We were notified about the E. coli contamination in the well and given explicit instructions to prevent illness. We were also told that we could cancel our reservation and get a full refund. We were well and so had no issues at all. I will most definitely come back to this very zen cabin.
No Service
@DoraL1751555 · Camped on Jul 11, 2025 at Campsite #1
Our first stay in this very clean and comfy cabin. We found it very clean and tidy. The beds were very comfortable for our group of 6 adults. The AC works great and kept the cabin very cool. The kitchen has basic appliances and a few dishes. I would recommend bringing a good fry pan because they have a couple of worn out nonstick pans. They stocked the bathroom with plenty of toilet paper. Theres a lovely creek behind the cabin with some puddles of water. We found wild aromatic spearmint along the creek. We brought camping chairs to sit outside and stargaze at the very dark night sky. Be aware that you will lose phone and navigation service about 5 miles once you exit I17 freeway. So make sure you map out directions before leaving home. We had to stop and turn back to get phone service and figure out directions. Theres also a puddle of water you will have to cross and if theres heavy rain it may be impassable. We took some time to clean the heavy cobwebs in lovely kitchen window. We will most definitely be back to enjoy this beautiful cabin!
No Service
@DavidS3927304 · Camped on May 26, 2025 at Campsite #1
Extremely happy with our stay. Pros: Really clean inside and outside, random extra stuff around the house, good size yard, nice bathroom, plenty of room inside the cabin for all 5 (2 adults and 3 kids under 9) of us, fridge/oven/stove/sink worked great, and ZERO cell service (T-Mobile/Verizon). We read a lot of reviews before going to the cabin, so we brought our own sheets, pillows, toiletries, and kitchen stuff.Cons: Playing "Is it a spider or a piece of string?" It was only a spider once. I saw how it's possible to get stuck if it rains enough. We will definitely be back.
No Service
@jefff8502208 · Camped on Feb 13, 2025 at Campsite #1
Very relaxing and clean. Love that there is no TV and no Cell service.
No Service
@CarolT4507862 · Camped on Dec 24, 2024 at Campsite #1
This is probably the 10th time that I've stayed at Sycamore Cabin. It's like coming home to an old friend. I love to hike both of the Wildernesses nearby.When you come, if you want a fire (and if it's below 60 degrees, have a fire!) bring wood and paper to start it with. You can gather wood but it's pretty picked over. Yes, there's a working furnace, and a fire is always the best. You CAN NOT cook a pot of beans on the wood stove - it's not designed for that.Also, if you're a foodie bring any specialized cooking tools that you'll need. The kitchen is stocked but it's pretty basic. (My kid yelled "NO ZESTER!") Other those 2 things that a Princess like me wants, it's perfect.
No Service
@JustinK8383191 · Camped on Nov 25, 2024 at Campsite #1
The cabin and bathroom were pretty clean, the heat worked well, but I do wish instead of 1 queen and 4 bunk beds there was a 2nd queen. Great experience, I just wish the sleeping setup was better for 2 families.
No Service
@MichaelR189137 · Camped on Oct 27, 2024 at Campsite #1
This was our 5th time at the cabin. It was just how we remembered it. Great get away from city life.
No Service
@DeboraRB03083A · Camped on Sep 30, 2024 at Campsite #1
On arrival, door was unlocked and lights on inside. With trepidation we entered the cabin. The entire premises was filthy. Sign posted in kitchen states that the cabin is cleaned weekly. Kitchen and bathroom sinks were dirty. Toilet had feces on the bowl and under the seat. Refrigerator was dirty. All floors were dirty. Chunks of bacon under the kitchen table. Windows were grossly filthy, the sills were dirty and had dead bugs on them. Between the windows and screens the spider webs, bugs and dirt obscured our view. There were cobwebs in almost corner of each room. The mattress covers on two bunks were soiled with what appeared to be menstrual blood. No serving bowls. The fry pan had a nonstick coating that was deeply scratched and chipped. I would not have used it. Kitchen floor had many chipped and loose tiles. The floor was quite dirty. I had been recovering from neck surgery and was hoping to have restful exploration. Instead my husband and I cleaned. I tried to reach the Ranger. Due to a total lack of cell service in the vicinity, we drove over 10 minutes down the very bumpy road to attempt to speak with someone. We were given one free night stay for our troubles. One of the green pillars (holding up the roof) fell down into the garden. We did not receive a fair refund in exchange for the many hours of labor we spent on cleaning. If this were an AirBnB the rental would not survive.Do not drive a sedan to the property unless vehicle is suitable for off-roading.
No Service
@RobertM1452522 · Camped on Jun 19, 2024 at Campsite #1
Love the location in the middle of nowhere. If we had neighbors, they went unseen and unheard. We literally saw no other people during our stay. My only complaint is the a/c couldn't keep up with the Arizona daytime heat. But, that was expected. We opened windows and brought fans. Bird activity around the cabin was constant, varied and entertaining. At night bats took over the sky. The bat roost must have been nearby as they filled the sky before sunset.
@RoseF0FE693BB1 · Camped on Apr 26, 2024 at Campsite #1
The cabin was clean and tidy when we arrived and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Love the seclusion of this location and particularly the stream behind the cabin. Fenced yard works great for the dogs.
@JoelE6AEB41CFD · Camped on Apr 16, 2024 at Campsite #1
Ive stayed at the Sycamore Cabin on three occasions and love this place. In the spring when the weather is warm, the shade trees and creek make for a cool, relaxing experience. And its so peaceful and quiet.
@MatthewS683247 · Camped on Mar 29, 2024 at Campsite #1
Cabin was clean. Queen bed was well worn and I would consider removing the mattress next time and using our exped on top of the box spring next time.Cabin was all out of toilet paper, so we used my back up supply in my car. Make sure to bring your own paper towels as well. Download geocaches before you get to the cabin, if youd like to do that, as there is no signal at the cabin. Reading through the old logbook, there was apparently an old tire swing, but this has been taken down probably by Gerald.There were coffee makers here, but no kettle (electric or stove top kettle) Next time I will bring my own as we like hot tea, and I French press my coffee.We brought sheets to place over all the furniture, as it makes fast tidy up. I read this recommendation in somebody elses post and appreciated it. Other cabins we stayed at have had mops to clean the floor, but this one just had brooms.
No Service
@BradfordG5D9D2 · Camped on Mar 13, 2024 at Campsite #1
I didnt get the cabin code on my confirmation email but I called and they promptly got their info from nfs and sent it to me. Great service
@CynthiaS564883 · Camped on Jan 19, 2024 at Campsite #1
A beautiful, serene oasis in the high desert. If you have realistic expectations about what a Forest Service cabin is and is not, this is an incredible getaway with amazing wildlife-watching opportunities. I identified more than 20 bird species, saw deer, and javelina, and relaxed with no cell or internet service. It's a great place to unplug and get back to nature.
No Service
@StaceyE8361179 · Camped on Sep 7, 2023 at Campsite #1
There were no sink plugs so I ended up buying a cheap one at the dollar store. The cleaning lady really needs to work on the cobwebs trapped in the windows and around the cabin. It's not a hard cabin to clean, but the cobwebs have gone out of control. There was no wood, as previous reviewers have stated, but I brought a box of wood with me, and I cut up wood I found on the property to use in the fire pit. I really appreciated the fenced yard so I could let my dogs run "loose" without worrying they'd run off. If you bring dogs, please bring a lint roller with you. I spent about 15 minutes cleaning up the couch that was filled with longer black dog hair. There is no vacuum cleaner in the place. There is strangely a lot of personal items being kept there. A cat carrier, kites, and toothpaste and other toiletries. This isn't your house. Bring that stuff home. There is no reason to keep anything of yours in a rental cabin. I really appreciated that the road the cabin is located on is not the main one. It was nice not having a continuous flow of traffic going past. The only traffic was people going in or out of the property at the end of the road, and the forest service guy came around on my last day. A tarantula the size of my hand ended up on the window part of the front door in the middle of the night, so just be warned if you're phobic. I don't like driving on highways, so I didn't spend much time venturing outside of the immediate area. The stream behind the cabin was dry, so I didn't get to experience that, but it looks like it's really lovely when there's water flowing through. The basement door is locked with a padlock, which is annoying for people like me that like exploring. So, if you want to use the fire pit, bring your own wood, despite what the description claims. The kitchen also isn't "well stocked" despite the description. It has the appliances, but the dishes, bowls, cups, and everything else are pretty sparse. Bring your own.
@PhilipS8287414 · Camped on Jun 16, 2023 at Campsite #1
Great experience. Any prior issues we had with our stay in April were addressed. Hot water in the shower, propane grill was there, and repairs done to the window locks and screen latches.
No Service
@CoryS2353442 · Camped on May 27, 2023 at Campsite #1
Another fun weekend at Sycamore Cabin, really time to lose that futon though, its gotten pretty nasty. A big table in the main room would be great for dinners/playing games etc. Otherwise, we had a nice relaxing weekend.
Major Issues
@RoseF0FE693BB1 · Camped on May 5, 2023 at Campsite #1
Sycamore Cabin is awesome - almost seemed like we were in a Fairy Tale. The cabin was very clean and cozy. The stream behind the cabin was a great spot to hike or just relax and listen to the many variety of birds. We've been to ~ 6 different cabins in the last few years and this is going on the list as a favorite!! Thanks Forest Service for doing a fine job of maintaining this cabin for the enjoyment of the public.
@DanicaD3B4EC97 · Camped on Apr 30, 2023 at Campsite #1
Large clean house. The creek is only large enough for fishing, not swimming, but beautiful either way.
No Service
@PhilipS8287414 · Camped on Apr 28, 2023 at Campsite #1
Usually, our visits to Sycamore have been problem free. This time around the propane BBQ was missing, and many of the window locking mechanisms were broken along with the screen latches ripped out which made it appear someone was attempting to break in. There were roughly 4-5 windows affected. There was also an issue where the hot water wasn't working properly in the shower while it worked fine elsewhere in the house. The bathroom was recently remodeled, so it was likely some issue with the cold/hot water mixture in the faucet handle.I reached out to the forest service on it, and they brought a new BBQ the day I reported the issues (Saturday) so they were quick to address the issue which was great! We had forgotten our propane tank and stopped and paid for one up in Cordes Junction on the way so if it were missing the entire time, it really would have been a crummy situation. We ended up placing some shims in the affected windows to prevent anyone from entering the house.
No Service
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