Camper submitted image from Mittry Lake Wildlife Area - 1

Camper submitted image from Mittry Lake Wildlife Area - 2

Camper submitted image from Mittry Lake Wildlife Area - 3

Roads

Camper submitted image from Mittry Lake Wildlife Area - 4

Water

Camper submitted image from Mittry Lake Wildlife Area - 5

People

Dispersed Camping

Mittry Lake Wildlife Area

13 Reviews

About

Bureau of Land Management

The Mittry Lake Wildlife Area includes about 600 acres of surface water and 2400 acres of marsh or upland. A wide variety of vegetative and wildlife species can be found here, with a scenic backdrop of three mountain ranges. Numerous serpentine waterways connect to the main lake body and make exploring by boat a unique experience. This area is jointly managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Suggest an Edit

Location

Mittry Lake Wildlife Area is located in Arizona

Directions

Take AZ Highway 95 east 7 miles from Yuma, AZ. Turn north on Avenue 7E, go north 9 1/2 miles to pavement end. Continue on and Mittry Lake begins approximately 1/2 mile past end of pavement.

Coordinates

32.8295578933083 N
114.44762307472493 W

Open in Google Maps

The Dyrt Alerts

Get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.

Learn More

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Poor
Verizon
Good
AT&T
Good
T-Mobile
Good

Site Types

Dispersed

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Trash
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites
Big Rig Friendly

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.

PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Mittry Lake Wildlife Area needs a permit.

Try PRO for Free

The Dyrt Alerts

Get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.

Learn More

Contact

General Info

Aliza N.

Legend

Reviewed Dec. 1, 2022

Tight spots and busy but beautiful!

We drove pretty far out Mittry Lake Road to the “free camping” spot labeled on Google maps. There are lots of other dispersed spots on the way in (but we’re full) and a big dispersed camping lot with parking spots as well. This is a busy area with lots of folks around. Everyone was respectful when we were here but don’t expect too much solitude or privacy. Road in is in great shape, packed gravel. Lots of the camp spots are dirt. Beautiful sunsets and lots of birds chirping. A very lovely spot to be…but with lots of company.

Month of VisitDecember

(9) View All

Russell N.

Traveler

Reviewed Mar. 14, 2022

Beautiful, senic easy access.

This is a great spot to spend multiple days. We got here on a Sunday and it was a little busy. Lots of atv's so it was a little dusty. We found a spot a little off the road and up a little higher. Much more quiet and less dusty. On Monday, it was far less traffic. We took our 37' fifth wheel here with not much problem. The road does have some "wash boarding" in some places.

Sitejust south of the main boat ramp.

Month of VisitApril

Deborah C.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 29, 2022

Quiet and beautiful

Really great place. Primitive boondocking. Trash cans at boat ramp/day use area. Pretty crowded but not hard to find a secluded spot. No water or dump. Had to use the WeBoost for decent cell service.

Sitetop of the lake north of boat ramp

Month of VisitFebruary

Chip & Ted Y.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 19, 2022

Great views

Easy drive in and great lake views.

Month of VisitFebruary

(4) View All

Abby M.

Legend

Reviewed Dec. 1, 2021

Peaceful night

Pulled in on a Monday afternoon and there were several other campers but had no issue finding a spot. I drove past the boat ramp for more secluded sites. There’s 2 vault toilets and trash services by the boat ramp. Very quiet at night and felt safe. Had great cell service and no issues with working remotely. Traffic during the day but expected with a lake. Only stayed for a night but would definitely stay again. Be prepared for mosquitos though. It wasn’t unbearable but definitely a lot lingering around.

Month of VisitDecember

(7) View All

Dee W.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 18, 2021

Quiet Canal camping

BLM free camping on the waterway at Mittry lake. There's a boat launch area, trash service, and cell service (4g T-Mobile).

You are next to the road so it's not a lot of privacy but there were few people camping.

Drive down a half mile further to the oasis ... Palm 🌴 trees line walk out areas that just into the lake. Perfect spot for a picnic and afternoon sunning and reading.

Sitedispersed

Month of VisitOctober

Jessica M.

Ranger

Reviewed Mar. 20, 2021

Beautiful desert spaces

We enjoyed our 3 day stay here, but had a big dusty mess to clean up afterwards. Fishing revealed catfish and bass at the waters edge. A watercraft would be ideal; no swimming allowed. We parked on the lake near the road when gravel trucks worked weekdays. They did a good job of wetting down the road with water trucks. We might stay up on the “second deck” next time.

(6) View All

Thomas P.

Traveler

Reviewed Jan. 29, 2021

I stay away from the crowds

Stayed north on Milltry Lake ( free camping area on Google ). Great. Zero amenities and small and quiet. Just a ( kind of ) boat dock. Plenty of amenities at the main lake area, that's not for me.

James M.

Scout

Reviewed Jan. 23, 2021

Great BLM Location

Stayed here couple of weeks quiet place with great views and camp sites of the lake. Not to many people here must have hit it at a good time. had good Verizon reception using booster 4 bars.

Month of VisitFebruary

Mike M.

Traveler

Reviewed Dec. 25, 2020

Nice and quiet during the night.

I didn't choose to park right next to the lake but was on the other side of the dirt road. Real nice place to relax, camp out, ride my bike, all for free. Felt very safe and had no issues during the stay. Its close to town if needed also. Never saw bugs and wind was pretty calm

(4) View All

Katie O.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 14, 2018

bring bugspray

we adventured out to mittry lake in Arizona and boy was it beautiful. we brought our paddle boards to use on the lake and it was peaceful. not too many people were camping but during the day it was loud with people driving by with their boats. at night... the mosquitos came out and ate us alive. being from southern california, we haven't experienced mosquitos in a very long time. so make sure to be prepared.

(4) View All

Randall M.

Guide

Reviewed May. 30, 2018

Dispersed lakeside camping better for RV

March 23, 2018

Mittry Lake

North of Yuma, AZ

This was a quick, overnight stop on the way to somewhere after taking care of some business in Yuma. The lake is part of a system of small reservoirs on the lower Colorado River backed up by Martinez Dam and is heavily used winter visitors (snowbirds) in RV’s.

The RV’s are necessary since the camping area, while free of charge and worth it, is not overloaded with amenities. The lake has dumpsters and boat ramps but not much else besides a place to park. Parking is first come, first served and I would expect at the height of winter in the East this place gets very full since it was well-populated when I arrived.

Mostly it is a place to spend time on the cheap or the locals to drop a boat in the water for slow-speed recreation. Tried fishing from the shore and while fishing is always good, the catching is variable, in this case, nuttin.

If you are camping with an RV, Mittry Lake would be a lovely place to spend a few days between October and April, not so much in summer.

(5) View All

Becca H.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 24, 2018

Sweet little getaway

I camped here for a few weeks in January. It is beautiful and quiet even though I had quite a few neighbors. I found being by the lake brought more mosquitos so I camped on the raised portion just south of the lake. There are lots of birds! Also a few trails around the area through rocky hills. I thoroughly enjoyed my time staying here, and it was just a few minutes from town. It is just far enough outside of town to not have cell service. There are well maintained facilities. My dog loved getting to swim everyday! Overall i cant reccomend this place enough. I loved it and the convinience of it.

(4) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

Are fires allowed at Mittry Lake Wildlife Area?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Mittry Lake Wildlife Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Does Mittry Lake Wildlife Area have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Mittry Lake Wildlife Area does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Mittry Lake Wildlife Area?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is good, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is good.