As the clock ticks closer to the start of another season, Sun Devil Football heads up north to continue the tradition of toughness and hard work in the woods started by legendary Head Coach Frank Kush in 1959.
This year, Head Coach Kenny Dillingham takes his Sun Devils squad — C.J. Fite, Lyrik Rawls, Khamari Anderson, Montana Warren, Zyrus Fiaseu and more — to Payson, Arizona, to prepare for the 2026 season.
Maroon and Gold practice Don’t miss your chance to witness this one-of-a-kind experience and see Sun Devil Football up close and personal.
Practice will start at about 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15.
Join us for the annual Camp Tontozona Turnaround Bus Trip on Saturday, Aug. 15! This exclusive same-day bus trip is the perfect way for donors, season ticket holders, and fans to enjoy the excitement of the Camp Tontozona football practice. Your $60 registration includes:
Round-trip bus transportation
Breakfast
Access to a shaded viewing area
Snacks and nonalcoholic beverages
Know before you go
Bus departure: Mountain America Stadium at 6 a.m. Please arrive early for boarding.
Registration fees are non-refundable unless the practice is canceled due to weather.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a cherished Sun Devil tradition and get an early look at the team before the season kicks off. Reserve your seat today!
New merch at Camp T
We will have new and exclusive merch available for sale at Camp T, including gear to get you ready for the Union Jack Classic in September. Be sure to stop by!
Take pictures, get autographs, buy exclusive merch, and get a first look at the 2026 Sun Devil squad in the place they've gathered for training camp for decades.
Know before you go
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a first-time visitor, Camp T welcomes all. Bring the whole family, enjoy the cool air, meet fellow Sun Devils and cheer on the team as they prepare for the upcoming season. However, there are a few things you’ll need to know before you head to camp.
🏈 Come prepared
Check the weather. Should a monsoon storm occur, some areas could become muddy. Pack accordingly. Pop-up tents and umbrellas are not allowed.
Be ready to walk. Parking is limited (ADA parking is available with a decal), and the walk to the practice field includes uphill and downhill sections. A cart service will be running, but carts won’t be available for everyone at all times.
Bring plenty of water and small coolers: Concessions are available but limited, and free water is not provided. Bring plenty of bottled water, snacks, and small coolers to stay comfortable throughout the day.
🏈 Out of bounds
No pets
No alcohol
No pop-up tents or umbrellas
The cabins and team areas are not accessible to the public
🏈 The experience
Get up close and personal. Take advantage of the rare opportunity to see the Sun Devils up close and personal. Bring chairs, blankets, coolers, snacks and Game Day essentials for a picture-perfect Sun Devil experience unlike any other and make memories that last a lifetime.
Camp T concessions
Getting to Camp Tontozona
Here’s the official playbook with the Xs and Os to get you from Tempe to Tontozona.
Concessions will be available
Limited parking
Small coolers allowed (bring plenty of water)
No popup tents
No umbrellas
No alcohol
The cabins and team areas are not accessible to the public.
We ask that you please don't put staff in a tough situation and follow these guidelines.
Parking is limited, and the walk from the parking areas to the practice field involves some uphill and downhill sections.
We also encourage you to check the weather. Umbrellas are not allowed, and should a monsoon storm occur, some areas could become muddy.
Please understand that the team does have to clean up camp after the scrimmage on Saturday. The cleaning process for more than 150 Sun Devils will begin after the practice.
1. Take 202 (east from Phoenix) to 101 North.
2. Exit on McDowell Road.
3. Turn right onto McDowell and head east to the Beeline Highway (Highway 87). A sign will be noted: "To Payson, Arizona."
4. Proceed north-northeast on Highway 87 to Payson. Continue through the small city of Payson, and at the northeast end of Payson, take Highway 260, which will be on the right.
5. Follow Highway 260 about 17 miles northeast of Payson, past Kohl’s Ranch, to the Camp Tontozona exit. Stay in the right lane to access the Camp Tontozona access drive and Parking area.
6. After crossing the Tonto Creek bridge, the turn into Camp Tontozona is one mile past the fire station turnoff on the right side of the road. A private parking lot is about 300 yards from the gate.
We encourage carpooling for all fans. There simply isn't enough parking at Camp T, and most fan parking takes place on a closed section of State Route 260. Fans will need to walk.
Limited cart services will be available, but we are unable to accommodate all fans.
ADA parking is available for vehicles with a visible decal.
Behind the scenes with the 1987 Rose Bowl team: Camp Tontozona
Every championship has an origin story. For Arizona State’s only Rose Bowl champion, it began long before New Year’s Day in Pasadena. It began at Camp Tontozona, where competition, discomfort and camaraderie forged a team that would make history.
From Camp Tontozona to the Rose Bowl: Memories of where Sun Devil Football’s championship season began
Former Sun Devil Football operations director Dave Boller reflects on Camp Tontozona and its season-opening traditions that started the Sun Devils’ unforgettable 1986 Rose Bowl run.
In 1959, seeking solitude, toughness and unity, Arizona State University Football Coach Frank Kush stood among the towering pines outside Payson, Arizona, and envisioned something different.
Kush brought Sun Devils Football to a remote, wooded patch of land near Tonto Creek to train during the summer, marking the beginning of Camp Tontozona.
Affectionately known as “Camp T,” the location is breathtaking and unforgiving. While the scenery is postcard-worthy, the accommodations were anything but luxurious. There were creaky metal bunks, freezing cold showers and the occasional wildlife encounter.
The training was nothing less than intense as well.
Practices were grueling. Players would arrive for 10 to 14 days of training, often enduring three-a-days under the sweltering sun and cool mountain air. Mornings started with full-contact practices. Midday meant specialized drills and weightlifting. Late afternoon brought another full-pad session. And if a player made a mistake? Kush would send them running up the now-legendary Mount Kush. If they messed up again, their coach went with them.
Despite, or perhaps because of the discomfort, something transformative happened at Camp T.
“When you finished Camp T, you felt like you had achieved something before the season even started."
Jim Jeffcoat, who played in the early 1980s.
Those achievements often extend beyond the camp. In 1986, after a team bonding hike up the mountain, the Sun Devils won the Rose Bowl. The following season, ESPN was on-site filming players singing the fight song at the summit.
Hardship, brotherhood and hijinks Camp T isn’t just about football. It’s about brotherhood.
With little to do besides football, players often found creative outlets — some hilarious, some downright wild. Talent shows, pranks and legendary stunts became part of the culture.
Marcus Williams recalled the giant black beetles that used to freak out unsuspecting teammates. Rudy Carpenter recounted making highly touted recruits read their bios while the team mock-cheered.
Then there was Pat Tillman. Always up for a challenge, the fearless linebacker took to jumping off a cliff into a tiny pool of water near a hidden waterfall.
Sometimes, the pranks got out of hand. Jake Plummer and Juan Roque dropped a dead bat from a pillowcase in the freshman cabin. The players screamed. A window broke. Animal rights groups were notified. But to the players, it was just Camp T.
The legacy continues Camp T remains an essential part of the Sun Devil football DNA. The amenities have improved, cell reception is better, and the trailers are no longer falling apart. But the essence of Camp T— the stillness, the sweat, the stories — remains unchanged.
For all the discomfort, many players now look back at Camp T with something approaching reverence. Camp Tontozona is more than a location. It’s a rite of passage. A crucible of sweat, camaraderie and mischief where generations of Sun Devils forged bonds that carried far beyond the playing field.
And so, every August, when the Sun Devils load onto buses and head up the hill to the pines, they’re not just beginning a new season. They’re stepping into history.
