General Information
Your destination for spiritual growth in the heart of the Prescott National Forest!
Our History
In 1947, the Southern California Arizona Methodist Conference entered into negotiations with the Fain family to purchase the tract of land which was to become Mingus Mountain Camp & Retreat Center. Francis LaPoint was hired by the Conference to locate an ideal location for the camp. With the direction of LaPoint, Methodists from Arizona and California provided the funding and manpower to build the original camp buildings; a number of rustic miner’s cabins were transported to Mingus Mountain Camp from Jerome and additional cabins were built by churches in the Phoenix valley brought to camp on flatbed trucks.
In 1953, portions of the original homestead were recycled to create the building currently serving as the Craft Cabin. The Dining Hall was completed in 1956 and the Director’s Home was built in 1972. First UMC Mesa built and completed Mesa Hall in 1978 and LaPoint Hall in 1981. 5 years later, the Nurse’s Cabin was completed in 1986. The 3 Retreat Cabins were built between 2001 and 2002 with funds donated by United Methodist families in the Phoenix area.
Mingus Mountain Camp & Retreat Center continues to welcome hundreds of guests year round!
Location
Mingus Mountain Methodist Camp and Retreat Center is located on Forest Road 104, just off of Highway 89 between Prescott Valley and Jerome. For detailed directions, please visit here.
Setting
Our 121-acre camp is nestled in a meadow at the top of Mingus Mountain, amid Ponderosa Pines, junipers, and a variety of wildlife. Bordered by National Forest on all sides, there are ample trails to take you through the woods during the summer, and there is great sledding to be had during the winter!
Inclusivity at Mingus Mountain
In following the example of Christ and the declarations of The United Methodist Book of Discipline, the Desert Southwest Conference sees all persons as individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God. All persons, regardless of age, gender or gender-identity, ethnicity, race, ability, marital status, or sexual orientation are entitled to participate in our ministries, as well as be protected against intimidation or abuse.
Click here for our Full Inclusivity Statement.
DSC Program Goals & Objectives
DSC Camp & Retreat Ministries desires to help renew lives through God; Click here to see our detailed goals and objectives for camper development across all programs at our camps!
Facility and Features
Overnight accommodations at Mingus Mountain include retreat cabins, rustic cabins, motel-style rooms, RV sites with or without hookups, and tent sites. The 3 retreat cabins include 6 bedrooms with 5 beds in each room (2 sets of bunk beds and 1 single bed), a meeting area with a fireplace, full indoor restrooms and a large front deck. Two VIP motel-style rooms, with private restrooms, are each furnished with 2 twin beds as well as a microwave and mini fridge. The 6 rustic cabins each sleep 9 people (4 sets of bunk beds and 1 single bed). Restroom facilities are a short walk.
The site offers a number of meeting spaces for groups of varying sizes, including LaPoint Hall, Mesa Hall, the Craft Cabin, and Dining Hall. Meals at Mingus are generally served family style at round tables in the Dining Hall.
Activities include the high and low ropes course , climbing tower , mini and full-size zipline, a large sports field, basketball and volleyball courts, gaga pit, hiking trails, 9-hole disc golf course, archery, and fishing at Mingus Lake (permits required).