Empire Ranch Area Dispersed Camping
Kelly B.
Reviewed Mar. 29, 2023

Incredible views, peaceful and remote

This place is unreal. It reminds me of African plains. It's a higher elevation grassland that makes you feel like you're anywhere but in Arizona. The area is large. Roads are well-kept. It used to be a huge ranch and now it's owned by the BLM. Cows roam, so be aware. So do antelope and deer.

There's no shade to speak of. You can visit the old ranch headquarters and somtimes there's a doula there to give you a tour. It's interesting for the history.

You can get water at the headquarters and they have bathrooms there, but you cannot stay there overnight.

Just south of this area is Sonoita, famous for its wineries. You can hit some of the wineries or breweries and do some tasting.

The area is just stunning, and the elevation is higher than Tucson so if you're looking for some cooler temps, you'll find them here.

Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Empire Ranch Area Dispersed Camping by Kelly B., March 29, 2023