Bonita Canyon Campground, near Willcox, Arizona, is a charming spot tucked within Chiricahua National Monument, known for its stunning rock formations and diverse wildlife. This campground is perfect for those who appreciate a peaceful retreat surrounded by nature, with sites that cater to tents and small RVs.

The campground offers a serene atmosphere with shaded sites, picnic tables, and grills for cooking up your favorite meals. Visitors rave about the incredible night sky views, making it a prime location for stargazing and photography. One camper noted, “It’s the perfect place to watch the sky at night and take amazing pictures.”

For outdoor enthusiasts, Bonita Canyon is a gateway to fantastic hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities. The area is rich in birdwatching, with unique species like the Arizona Coatimundi often spotted around the campground. As one reviewer mentioned, “This continues to be one of our favorite places in Arizona to camp and hike.”

While the amenities are basic, with no showers or sewer hookups, the clean facilities and friendly hosts make for a pleasant stay. Just remember to bring your own firewood and ice, as these aren’t available on-site. Whether you're here for a weekend escape or an extended adventure, Bonita Canyon Campground offers a memorable experience in a beautiful setting.

## Overview

 Bonita Canyon Campground is located in Chiricahua National Monument, also known as the \"Wonderland of Rocks\". Visitors love Chiricahua for its stunning rock columns (hoodoos), hiking trails, and bird watching opportunities. NOTE: Vehicles and RV's longer than 24 feet are NOT permitted on the scenic drive beyond the campground. Trailers are not permitted on the Scenic Drive. [See campground regulations and map.][1] 
## Recreation

 Chiricahua National Monument offers 17 miles (27 km) of day-use hiking trails. Birders frequent this site for the diversity of species that reside in or migrate through the area. Enjoy sweeping views of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges which make for stunning photography opportunities at Massai Point, the end of the 8-mile (13 km), paved scenic drive. No backcountry camping is permitted in the park. The Coronado National Forest surrounds Chiricahua and may offer dispersed or other [camping opportunities][2] as well as [reservations for developed campgrounds][3]. 
## Natural Features

 Set in a pine and oak forest, Bonita Canyon Campground provides an atmosphere of relaxation. Most campsites are well shaded and have views of Bonita Creek which is dry most of the year, 
## Nearby Attractions

 The park visitor center is open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mountain Standard Time (except Thanksgiving Day and December 25). Inside you will find interactive exhibits about the cultural and natural history of the park, plus a Western National Parks Association store. Visitors may explore [Faraway Ranch][4] , originally the Erickson family pioneer homestead, converted into a 20th century guest ranch by the family daughters and currently an historic site. For more information visit the [Chiricahua National Monument website.][5] Nearby [Fort Bowie National Historic Site][6], [Coronado National Memorial][7], the [Coronado National Forest][8], Portal/Cave Creek, Tombstone, Bisbee, and Willcox are additional places visitors to Chiricahua may also enjoy exploring. 
## Charges & Cancellations



[1]: https://www.nps.gov/chir/planyourvisit/upload/SB-CG-rules_regs_online_res-ACC-2.pdf
[2]: https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/coronado/recreation/camping-cabins
[3]: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/1093
[4]: https://www.nps.gov/chir/planyourvisit/faraway-ranch-historic-district.htm
[5]: https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm
[6]: https://www.nps.gov/fobo/index.htm
[7]: https://www.nps.gov/coro/index.htm
[8]: https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado

Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Portal. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Arizona camping has to offer. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Arizona camping adventure.

Portal

The Best Camping Near Portal, Arizona

The campground is beautiful and the national monument feels very spiritual.  If you have not explored this southeast corner of Arizona, you are missing out!

Chiricahua National Monument is very underrated!

Super underrated and amazing national monument on the south eastern border of Arizona.  Definitely worth a stop in!

Chiricahua National Monument!

Truly amazing, remote, below the radar park in southeast AZ, worth a stay. The campground is a typical NPS facility in a wooded grove next to a creek with plenty of shade. Black bear sighting!

Special spot

Not for large RVs. Check on length constraints

Great campground home base for Miles of hiking trails in geological wonderl

So much shade and nature. Had a wonderful hike right by our campsite. Bear box does hold a lot. BBQ is used for campfires and it was actually perfect. Had a water Spicket right by our camp. The  bathrooms were very clean and even had soap to wash your hands. Camp host, Steve, was very helpful. Went on a weekday end of May and it was very quiet. Don’t notice your neighbors really.

Very relaxing place

My husband, myself and our 2 small dogs live in Tucson, AZ. We recently acquired a roof top tent and we’ve been trying out various campgrounds across the Southwest. 

This is still one of our favorite National Parks to stay at. The sites were “pull though” so it’s perfect for our Roof Top Tent set up. Plenty of trees and hiking opportunities. Honestly, it’s worth the trip just to see the coatimundis. They are ADORABLE!

Pros: Coatis! Scenery. Easy to access. Water. Bear boxes. 

Cons: As typical in National Parks, the majority of hiking trails are not dog friendly. No showers. no fire pits, just BBQ that can be used for cooking with fire. 

One of our favorites

Small, quiet campground in Chiricahua National Monument with a dutiful camp host and clean bathrooms. Ample water throughout the site and food storage lockers provided. Did not see bears but enjoyed great birding and observed a large family of coati on our day hike. Your phone will be of little use except taking pictures unless you drive to the top of the mountain where the view are amazing and several trailheads lead into the hoodoos.

Bryce Canyon of AZ

Beautiful and unexpected. The drive getting there is pretty disappointing however when you arrive the land scale completely changes. We have camped here twice. The first time tent camping in site 3 which was good but not a ton of privacy. The second time in our 23’ travel trailer In Site 11. Super cool very private spot (next to amphitheater but with COVID nothing was scheduled) may not be as private when people are attending amphitheater. but this site is NOT intended for trailers, the site is intended for tents however we had the reservation for so long they allowed us to attempt to stay and park the trailer. We did but other ground was very uneven. GREAT campground, quiet, cool hikes. They have blue birds that look like the angry birds and they are a nuisance dropping twigs in your food and coffee and tormenting your dog if you bring it. STILL AWESOME.

Hidden GEM

This was a great campground. Nice and shaded and on the way to all the trails in Chiricahua. Quiet and small. We have a tall 20' trailer and it was a tight squeeze and we were definitely one of the big ones. But once we were in it was fantastic.

Beautiful campground

We just returned from a two night stay. It was one of the most beautiful campgrounds ever. It was quiet, shady, clean and small. A wonderful trail is within the campground that takes you to the visitor center and beyond. Only 25 spots and even though they are close, you feel alone. Can’t wait to go back!

One of the most beautiful 

Hubs and I really enjoyed our 4 day/3 night stay at Bonita Canyon. The problem was with the online reservations. We stayed April 28, 29 and 30 and left on May 1 after making the reservations at recreation.gov back in December 2020. We completed the online registration exactly as directed and entered our InterAgency Senior pass number. In spite of this, we were charged$30 per night and were not given our Senior discount. I contacted recreation.gov by e mail twice to dispute the charges. The first response stated that they had charged me correctly and that case was closed. I sent a 2nd e mail asking them to check again, given that recreation.gov showed the nightly rate as$20 WITHOUT the senior discount- after that, they failed to respond entirely. I've been home 4 days now and still no response. Ignoring us is not the right way to handle things. I'm disappointed. Anyway as far as the campground goes- it is a delightful treed setting with level terrain. There is a tent pad(gravel), a picnic table and a dirty BBQ grill on each site. There is also an ash pail and a rudimentary BBQ tool to shove the ashes into the pail.(Our pail had large holes in the bottom). Only ADA site(#08) has electric. Electric is not available in any other site except the camp host sites. There are water spigots placed evenly throughout the campground. This campground is NOT for any RV over 30 feet. There are dips and tight corners, trees and boulders(as well as fences) all around the grounds and within the sites themselves. We saw mostly tent campers, car campers, vans, small couples campers and truck campers. There were a few larger units but they had difficulty with the dips in the road and backing into their sites. There are no showers. There is only one restroom building containing a men's room and a ladies room. These bathrooms are heated and have two toilets each.(one stall is ADA). The bathrooms are filthy, have only a cold water, no paper towels and if you're lucky- liquid soap. There is also an air hand dryer. The bathrooms really need to be power-washed. I was there 4 days and 3 nights and the bathrooms were never touched. Once a day the fellow who emptied the garbage threw a couple of rolls of toilet paper on the ledge between the bathroom stalls. That was it. Next time I visit I'll be bringing along a pair of rubber gloves, a can of Ajax and a scrubbie pad. There are bear-safe containers for food at each site and trash cans dispersed throughout the campground. There's a Visitor's Center and a small museum(museum was closed during our visit due to Covid- and masks required inside the building). The hiking trails are numerous and have a variety of difficulty levels. Massai Point(a short drive up the hill) has a great little nature hike and is a good learning experience as well. We will be going back in October to hike more trails. The closest town is Willcox, AZ which is 37 miles from Bonita Canyon. Make sure you have everything you need BEFORE you go to the campground as there is nowhere to buy ice or other items. Our first 2 days/nights were very peaceful, filled with rustling trees, gentle breezes and great star-gazing. Our last night(Friday) was pretty noisy as larger groups of people arrived for the weekend- so time your visit to match your preferences.

Small and scenic campground

No shower but clean restroom and beautiful trails

quiet, beautiful

No power or shower but worth it. Tough hiking with spectacular scenery. Love it here!!

Rustic beauty

Small but adequate campground in the National Monument.  Some sites are tight for a trailer.  Fabulous hiking nearby. 

RV Comfy

Remote, quiet, dark skies. Great campground with amazing hiking within the Monument.
Large campsites

Hidden gem

Great little campground with great camp hosts. The campground is clean and quiet. Park rangers are friendly and helpful. Nice clean bathroom with flush toilets.

Bonita Canyon Campground

This is an incredible place. Campground was constructed in the 30’s by the CCC and its impeccably maintained by NPS, it’s no surprise that it is about to become AZ’s fourth National Park. 

OMG!

Bonita canyon campground is the perfect place to camp, great for small groups in normal sites, group site are available. Perfect place to watch the sky at night and take amazing pictures.

Perfect place to camp!

We've stayed here a number of times, always in March. Very nice, quiet campground in a wooded canyon with a small stream running right through the CG. There are 25 sites, mostly smallish, better suited for small rvs/trailers or tents. Not enough room for very rigs in here. 

Water spigots are scattered throughout, 1 restroom with flush toilet. Last time we were there they had an issue with water system and had to shut it off and bring in port-a-potties.

As far as other amenities, there's spotty cell service (at least Verizon) and Wifi at the visitor center not far from the CG. Nearest services and dump station are in Willcox, 37 miles away. There's also a gas station/convenience store at a place called the Mustang Mall (it's not a mall in the usual sense), 29 miles west of Bonita.

A number of good hiking trails, mostly up on top at Massai Point with a few additional trails starting at the CG. Our favorite is Echo Canyon to the Visitor Cntr.

One important note: Ground fires are not allowed (at least as of 2023), which means you can have one in the above ground little BBQ grill or you have to have your own fire pan to have a wood fire. Speaking of which, no wood is for sale at the Monument nor are you allowed to gather it.

So, bring everything you need!!

Old school CCC built campground in an out of the way location

Bonita Canyon Campground at the Chiricahua National Monument is a quiet little campground in a scrub pine forest. Chiricahua National Monument is a  “dark sky” park, so there is very little light at night. Bring flashlights but leave lanterns at home!
There are 36 sites with picnic tables and grills. There are community water faucets, but all were turned off when we were there.
There are bathrooms with flush toilet, but no hookups or showers.
Most sites are small and could accommodate tents, a small class C or van campers. 25’ is the max length and 14 days is max stay.
The sign said the campground was full but there were empty sites. All sites are reservable through the www.US.gov web site.

Quiet and peaceful 

Bonita Canyon CG- Chiricahua NM: 
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)

Overall Rating:  Campsites in outer loop are more nicely spaced(rate 4) and trailer adds to privacy. Inner loop sites are often a bit close (rate 3).
Price 2024: $  10 w interagency
Usage during visit: Very full, especially weekends.  
Site Privacy:  No
Site Spacing:  Outside sites are spacious 
Pad surface: Gravel 
Reservations:   Yes
Campground Noise:   Very quiet.   
Outside Road Noise:  None
Through Traffic in campground:    No
Electric Hookup:  No 
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: No
Potable Water Available: Yes. Spigots are scattered, locations clearly marked 
Generators: Allowed, but other than ours, I never heard one. 
Bathroom: Built by CCC.   Clean and rustic. I like them. 
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: I didn’t notice any
Cell Service (AT&amp;T): No.  WiFi at the visitor center 
Setting: Woods
Recent Weather:  70s to low 80s.  
Solar:  At our site with good positioning, we were able to bring in 12amps per day with 400 watt fixed panels.  
Insects:  None now 
Host: Yes, 2 couples 
Rig Size: Limited to 24’. 

An Amazing National Monument 

If approved by congress, Chiricahua National Monument will become Arizona's fourth National Park.  While the current monument  is a compact area geographically,  it definitely has the uniqueness of a national park and warrants the added protections.  It will however make a very special place more popular, so you might want to visit sooner than later. 

If you camp in a tent, van, micro-camper, or small travel trailer you will find Bonita Canyon Campground to be a memorable and wonderful place.  Don't try to bring any big rigs as they simply won't fit.  Reservations are a must. 

The campground is small, beautiful, shaded and right in the middle of some incredible scenery providing easy access to the fantastic hiking and wildlife viewing that is all around you.  Hosts were professional and friendly, bathhouse small but super clean, and the site boundaries were mostly marked with fences which is somewhat unique.  This is an old CCC built campground.  From the campground you can easily walk to the foundations of the original camp located nearby.  

Pay attention to fire regulations and status.  If permitted, campfires are limited to the raised grills (no rings) but you can bring your own solo type camp stove. You will need to bring your own wood and ice.  Pay attention to your fuel levels in your vehicle as this is a remote place.  

This is premier birdwatching country.  If you can, I would highly recommend taking  one of the guided walks provided by the rangers and park biologists.  We learned a bunch and I am not even "a birder" and enjoyed it.  The nearby visitor center will have the details. 

The Arizona Coatimundi's are a very unique mammal and frequently visit the campground.  Deer, turkeys, quail, and other wildlife are in abundance and easy to see from the hikes.  The views of the night sky are unparalleled. 

A short drive away provides access to some incredible trails for hiking or simply viewing the surrounding Wilderness areas.  The rock features found in this area make it unique. 

This continues to be one of our favorite places in Arizona to camp and hike.

Chiricahua National Monument is special indeed

I love Bonita canyon campground in Chiricahua second time visiting, I plan to visit this amazing place every year Milky Way photography varies depending on the month of visit

Chiricahua is Amazing 

Second year visiting, awesome campground very busy, great place to watch the stars and hike long trails.

2nd  year visiting 

Stayed on a Sunday in mid January and lucked out on a last minute site that was available. It’s a small campground, so reservations are ideal if you can plan ahead. 

There’s no fire rings but there are small grills to cook food and/or have a small “fire” in. 

Food storage boxes and bear boxes are available! Some sites have their own and others share the boxes. 

Bathrooms are modernized and super clean.

Overall a great campground and would definitely stay here again!

Photos of Bonita Canyon Campground — Chiricahua National Monument

Real photos from real campers