Freidlein Prairie Dispersed Camping

There was not snow but the road was closed. Probably a seasonal closure. We stayed nearby and a strom did come in overnight. 4-6 inches of snow.

Was excited to camp here during a visit to flagstaff..but its closed due to wildfire potential danger. Which makes sense to ban campFIRES but all camping? On public land? Lame.

Lots of dispersed campsites on a trail that seems to go on forever. Some sites are pretty large which makes for some fun group camping

Typically closed during winter

Blocked at gate saying it’s closed.

We stayed in spot 4 and it was really lovely! It was easy to navigate there and find the spot, but the road was a bit bumpy. I drive a Prius so you definitely don’t need a high clearance vehicle, but it was a little sketchy in some spots so make sure to take your time. We were going to stay two nights but unfortunately it was slated to rain all day before our second night so we ended up leaving early, but it was still a good experience! There’s a good distance between other sites so it’s private but you don’t feel completely secluded. The one odd thing was that it looked like someone had groomed their dog or something at the site - there was a bunch of curly dog hair on the ground (adding a photo). Other than that one odd thing I would definitely recommend!!

We stayed here for 3 nights. The sites are a very good distance apart so that you don't even see or hear your neighboring sites. Our site was cool bc it had a little driveway that took you back to a more secluded are so you don't even have to see people driving by to their sites. So the other sites are very beautiful. We only saw 1 deer while here. No campfire or charcoal grills are currectly allowed. The road is bumpy, but doesn't need a high clearance car we are driving a kia sportage and made it up and down the hills and bumps just fine.

This place was great, quiet, lots of space for our kids and dog to explore. The camping is in designated spots only which are really spaced out. All are close to the road, but its not a main drag so other than people coming and going from campsites and mountain bikers not a lot of traffic. We loved this spot since there was amazing access to trails right from our campsite, we were in site 3, including the Arizona Trail. So if you're a hiker, mt biker, or runner this is an excellent spot! As far as noise, we had no issues and were there over the weekend and definitely couldn't hear the hwy. If you were in sites 1 or 2 they are close to the hwy so there might be more noise there.

Just stayed there over the weekend and yes, there are a lot of trees being cut in the area, so there are some sections that are not very pretty. However, the sites are very far apart and each site is tucked away from the road. 

Town is close enough that if you need any additional supplies, or just want to poke around in Flagstaff for a bit, it's an easy and quick drive.

Roads weren’t as bad as mentioned here or on Google Reviews. We scanned the entire place on my Honda Accord sedan just fine. Just go slow and be mindful of the terrain for rocks and bumps. The spot itself is ok, try to find a site that moves away from the dirt road. You can hear the highway outside a bit as well so it’s not a full escape with lots of privacy. We could hear loud party music from the other sites. But for a 15 min drive from Flagstaff, it’s great!

Drove up and they had the campground closed down.

This isn't designed for your average RV or car the road is crazy rough. We had been in the area and stopped at the Chapel of the Holy Dove and met some other campers who were staying here. They asked us if we wanted to come out and dispersed camp here and we really wanted to, but my little car couldn't make the drive. We ended up 4 wheel driving up to the site with them and it was beautiful!!

We spent a little time here before returning to the bottom but it was well worth the travel up. I just wish we had a place we could have left the car and taken our tent up or had a vehicle that would have made it.

This location is great from Flagstaff and close to all the snow facilities in the area so it would not be a great place to try to camp during winter. It was only about 25 minutes from the chapel including the rough road but only about 5 minutes to where it started to get all rocky with the turn off.

TIPS:

• Check out that lava cave also when in this area it is between the chapel and the turn off. It is crazy to think that this are has such a large tube. It does somewhat look like a hole in the ground with retainers but inside it is a whole different exploration.
• Check out the chapel, I have included a few photos but this landmark is something that is a must see on your own. Open 24 hours a day to the public one of the neatest structures in this area.

The road into the campgrounds are very rough, small cars are not advised. There are only 10-14 sites available (first come first serve) depending what time of the year you arrive, since a pair of endangered owls nest between some of the campsites for a few months and will have the sites closed down. Be cautious of the stage of fire alert going on, when I went no campfires were allowed so I used a propane stove.

The surrounding areas are beautiful and a family of deer made appearances regularly. Also its free, so it was nice to avoid a hotel cost for the night.

The cons are that its hard to reach camp due to rough roads, very few campsites, and it seems the local teenagers really enjoy partying and screaming at all hours of the night. I assume you're better off on a weekday when all the kids are still in school.

Had a great time. Thanks for everything!

It was beautiful and woodsy! We had a great time! :)

If you want to get out of the "camp sites", this is a great option...yes, it's simple and the area is remote (sort of) and you get a nice quiet night. One of my first options in Flagstaff...now, don't share it or the crowds will come...

Came in summer and luckily found one of the few open spots left. Very private camp spots so the whole forest feels like it's yours. Great place to base for mountain biking and hiking