b'HEBER-OVERGAARD IS A FAVORITE ARIZONA SUMMER GETAWAY for desert dwellers who want to trade temperatures in the 100s for 80-degree days with the wind singing in the tall pines. In autumn, when the leaves begin to change, the side-by-side communities are an ideal place to make a base camp to explore backcountry roads and trails providing scenic vistas of blazing yellow aspen. Situated atop the Mogollon Rim, in the Sitgreaves National Forest, the community lies at an elevation of 6,627 feet.H eber was settled in 1883, by members of thefreight to and from Holbrook. He ran the store until Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,his death on August 2, 1912. and the town is named after either Heber J. Grant or Heber C. Kimball, both prominent membersToday, Heber-Overgaard has evolved into a of the LDS church.Overgaard, adjoining Heber, wasretirement and tourism destination. Recreational settled in 1936 and was named after the owner of theand lifestyle activities such as hiking and fishing can first sawmill, Niels Kristian Overgaard. be enjoyed in the summer, and cross country skiing in the winter. The climate is cool all year with a In 1891 John Hoyle, Johann Frederick Heil, anwinter low temperature of 14 degrees and a summer immigrant from Baden, Germany and former cookhigh temperature of 84 degrees. While the full-time for the Hashknife Outfit, opened the first Heber store.resident population is 3,600 summertime population He was called Hoyle rather than Heil becausenumbers climb to nearly 12,000. Heber is a great place some cowboys had trouble pronouncing his name.to take a moment and enjoy the scenery.In addition to his store he had a farm located down Buckskin Wash. John Hoyle had relocated to HeberCAMPINGfrom the failed Wilford, Arizona settlement, 7 milesBlack Canyon Rim Campground is three milesSinkhole Campground is the closest to Willow south of Heber, where he had a store and ranch.south of town, near the junction of FR 300 and 86Springs Lake and is open year-round. It has 26 camping Samuel Porter helped him on his farm, and hauledwith 21 campsites suitable for tents or RVs up to 16sites, barrier-free toilets and drinking water. Camping feet. Fire rings, picnic tables and grills, water andfee is $12 per vehicle and is subject to change. chemical toilets are available. Gentry Campground is 2 miles further down FR 300 and has 6 campingChevelon Canyon Campground is a primitive sites with water and a vault toilet. The campgroundscampground with six sites and a vault toilet. Each site are fee-based and you cannot make reservations.has a picnic table and fire ring. Chevelon Crossing Campground, on FR 504 near its junction with Canyon Point Campground 17 miles west ofFR 169, is another primitive campground with five Heber is located 3 miles east of Forest Road 149,sites and a toilet. Camping is free at both of these adjacent to Highway 260. The campground is thecampgrounds. Access is restricted in the winter when only forest service campground in the area with hotroads are closed due to snow, generally November to showers and flush toilets. It has 100 single-familylate April.sites, plus two group sites that can accommodate up to 40 people and 70 people respectively. TheFISHINGcampground features potable water, and a dumpBlack Canyon Lake lies 15 miles southwest of town station. Some sites have electricity. Daytime andand is stocked with rainbow trout during the summer. evening programs on nature-related topics areTucked in a forest of ponderosa pine, the lake has presented in the campground amphitheatera boat ramp and barrier-free restrooms. Youll from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Thefind primarily Rainbow Trout with some illegally campground is open from May 1 to October 31.introduced Largemouth Bass and Green Sunfish. The 877-444-6777. lake is stocked in the spring and early summer.24 August 2021'