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Free Camping Collection

Dispersed Camping

Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area

Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area, near Phoenix, Arizona, is a rugged spot for those who enjoy the great outdoors without the frills. This location is perfect for boondocking, offering a free and spacious area where you can set up camp under the vast desert sky.

Visitors have praised the stunning scenery, with some likening the experience to being in a Western film, complete with wild burros and coyotes adding to the ambiance. The roads leading in can be a bit rough, but once you arrive, the views are worth it. As one camper noted, “Absolutely worth the drive!” Just remember to bring everything you need, as there are no amenities like water or toilets available.

For those looking to explore, there’s a small natural spring nearby called Mudd Springs that’s worth the hike. The area is popular with ATV enthusiasts, especially on weekends, so expect some noise during peak times. However, many campers appreciate the quiet nights and the chance to connect with nature, making it a great escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

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Location

Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area is located in Arizona

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

33.94940446 N
112.31276218 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Available

Site Types

  • Dispersed

Features

For Campers

  • Phone Service
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

DISPERSED CAMPING

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 Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area needs a permit.


Reviews

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4.0

out of 5

17 Reviews

Reviewed Mar. 17, 2024

Like something out of a Western film

We pulled in late at about 10pm. Wild burros and coyotes set the soundtrack and the cactus shadows looked against the bright night clouds. Absolutely worth the drive! We car camped and the weather was perfect and we slept great. We will definitely be back soon so we can actually pick a site and enjoy it!

Month of VisitMarch
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2023

Free and beautiful

It was a great area to boondock camp, roads are rough but worth the trip. Cellphone service is spotty. Lots of ATV on the weekends. Be prepared to get stuck in the mud if it rains. There's a great lil gem you can hike to called Mudd Spings, it's super small natural spring.

SiteJust pick a fire pit and park
Month of VisitDecember
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Anna O., August 4, 2023
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Anna O., August 4, 2023
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2023

Orv BLM site.

There is plenty or room to park. Get here early as people with truck and side-by-side on trailers show up about 9 am or so. Was very quiet at night. Donkeys and coyotes randomly making their presents known. I would camp here again.

SiteNorth East corner
Month of VisitJanuary
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Tony B., January 28, 2023
Reviewed Nov. 12, 2022

Lots of NAILS

People burn construction lumber in stone fire rings. When it fills with ash, inconsiderate people move the stones and leave the ashes full of nails as land mines for the next guy. Never drive within 20 feet of a fire ring. I missed a Veterans day event sitting at the tire store.

SiteBLM dispersed camping
Month of VisitNovember
Reviewed Nov. 28, 2021

Hard to get into but great once here

The road in is several miles of dirt washboard. But the views are great once here. Not close enough to lake unless want a mile or so hike. Most roads are little more than clearings of brush motorcycle trails. Lots of OHV in the area, so weekends really noisy. But nice otherwise. Good desert boindocking spot

Sitena
Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Randell C., November 28, 2021
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Randell C., November 28, 2021
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Randell C., November 28, 2021
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Reviewed Oct. 13, 2021

Dry Camping

A little rough getting here on a couple miles of gravel road. Signs say private property en route but there's other campers here. Brought a Thor Vegas class A. Also looks like a popular place to bring 4-wheelers.

Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Joe P., October 13, 2021
Reviewed Oct. 11, 2021

Camping fun

Very useful sight and amazing locations. Recommend to anyone

Siteopen
Month of VisitOctober
Reviewed Sep. 25, 2021

Mahestic to see

Bit of a drive to get down to but they just redid the roads so roads are nice. Locals with 4 wheelers pretty much dominate the area. But it’s still not to bad a place. Bring in everything you need. All they provide is the space.

Sitecamp spot BLM outside Phoenix
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Apr. 20, 2021

Long dirt road, but nice camping

This was a great place to camp in April (before it gets too hot). It took about 7 miles of dirt road to get there, but not the worst dirt road we have been on. This is a staging area for off road vehicles, so there are a lot of quads, ATV, and OHV there. But no one seemed to be running around at all hours of the night like at other areas. Other people there were friendly and there is lots of space for large groups or to be away from those groups.

SiteDispersed
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Chantal S., April 20, 2021
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Chantal S., April 20, 2021
Reviewed Mar. 18, 2021

Free and Beautiful!

We have a 4WD truck, so we were able to get past most of the RVs and toy haulers, but they all seemed like family friendly people! The burros are no joke! You can hear and see them all around you. We also heard a few coyotes right after dusk which was cool. We had our two dogs with us and just kept them on the leash so we had no negative cactus experiences... Overall, a really cool place to be even if you don’t have an OHV. We got in around 6PM and were able to find a secluded spot with a fire ring already there, no problem.

  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Elisabeth Q., March 18, 2021
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Reviewed Jan. 5, 2021

Busy With OHVs, But Spacious!

I don’t have 4x4 so I didn’t go too far into the staging area. Since it was a nice weekend there were a gazillion trucks with their OHVs. I must say I didn’t really mind, plus if you have 4x4 you can access more distant parts of the area for calm and privacy, I’m sure. Views are super gorgeous and stars were insane. I bet during the week it’s very calm and even better. I’ll be back! 3 stars bc of the traffic, dust, and noise.

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  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Kiley S., January 5, 2021
Reviewed Dec. 18, 2020

Geared towards rv camping

We arrived late at night to a site full of off roading vehicles and other ATVs. Obviously a meet.

The ground is very compact and straight dirt, multiple rvs had generators running so the night was loud. We ended up leaving.

I'm sure its a sweet spot for off roading and to rv camp but not so much for tents.

Reviewed Dec. 6, 2020

Great spot

First time dispersed camping with our 21’ pull-behind and had a great experience. Gravel road leading to the area is well kept and our truck had no issues getting to the area. Awesome views when we setup camp with plenty of space.

  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Alex H., December 6, 2020
  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by Alex H., December 6, 2020
Reviewed Nov. 27, 2020

Nice place to camp, rough drive in

Nice enough place for dispersed camping, but requires a very bumpy drive to get there. Really good cell phone service (Verizon - I got 3-4 bars of 4G, which got me 75+ mb/s download speed)

Reviewed Oct. 27, 2020

Perfect summer nights

Bonfires every weekend, swimming, camping, shooting. It’s really a dream here at this spot. So many amazing memories we’ll never forget!

Reviewed Dec. 24, 2019

Cactus Forest!

Free. Wide open space, an abandoned air strip. Really cool cactus variations all around, you can hear coyotes. And there are wild burros in the area you can def hear them and during the week it's likely you will see them! It is popular for ATVs and such, so it can get a bit noisy, and it apparently gets pretty packed over the weekend. But empty during the week. About 30 minutes away from town. Though there are a few paid campsites in the area. Not sure what the stay limit is, probably 14 days. All the cacti so close is a bit hazardous for pets and small children, my dog already got spines in her paws.

  • Review photo of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area by CrookedSnake , December 24, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the elevation of Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area?

    Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area is located at 1887 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area?

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