Lake Pleasant Regional Park offers 148 sites for RV and tent camping within the campgrounds (does not including primitive camping sites)

Each "Developed Site" has water, electricity, dump station, a covered ramada, a picnic table, a barbecue grill and fire ring. 

Each "Semi-Developed Site" and tent site has a covered ramada, a picnic table, a barbecue grill and fire ring, unless otherwise acknowledged in the description or camping map. 

Restroom and/or shower facilities are available at both types of campsites. All sites in the campground may be reserved online at www.maricopacountyparks.org/.
Campgrounds

    Desert Tortoise Campground has 74 campsites: 25 Developed Sites, 39 Semi-Developed Sites, and 10 Tent Sites.

    Roadrunner Campground offers 71 sites for RV and tent camping. All sites are Developed.

    Large groups can reserve the Desert Tortoise Group Campground. The Group Campground includes a parking area for RVs, picnic tables, and ramadas. The use of this area is by reservation only and requires a minimum commitment of 10 camping units.

Shoreline Camping

Lake Pleasant Regional Park also has shoreline/primitive camping during most of the year, depending on water levels. Shoreline camping is only permitted within designated areas for such use, when available.  Day-of availability will be on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be reserved during business hours at the park. For information on camping fees, click on this link to be redirected to the "Fees" page.​

The first phase or re-introducing primitive/shoreline camping will be rolled out in late January 2021, with the area of the Dirt Spillway.  Future areas will be included in phases at later dates.

Campers must park in designated parking areas.  Tent camping will be permitted along the shoreline within the designated area.  No vehicles will be permitted to park along the shoreline within the area. 

Check-in time the day of arrival shall occur no earlier than 2 p.m.  Campers must check out the day of departure by 12 p.m. (noon).
Boat-In Camping

Boat-in camping is now available at the 10 Lane Parking Lot.  Roughly 30 assigned parking spaces have been designated for such use.  Each camping/parking space is approximately 45 feet long by 12 ft. wide to accommodate most boat trailers and towing vehicles. Reservations are required. Day-of availability is on a first-come, first-served basis, and can only be reserved during business hours at the park. 

Boaters must camp on the waters of Lake Pleasant – no shoreline camping available at this time.  Camping is not permitted within the parking lot/camp space.  Boat-in camping is a great option for fisherman looking to fish in the late evening/early morning hours.  Boat-in campers must arrive and check-in before the park closes at night (8 pm).

Lake Pleasant Regional Park Campground

You really can’t miss with Maricopa County Parks. The landscape and appeal of Lake Pleasant is quite a bit different from places like McDowell Mountain, Usery, and Cave Creek. It may seem strange to say we were fortunate to be at Lake Pleasant in inclement weather but it brought out insane levels of dramatic beauty looking out over the saguaros. We were only able to score two nights there but boy howdy we got a show. 

  

The sites at Pleasant Lake are a bit more difficult to manage than other Maricopa parks. The terrain is more challenging in terms of slope and they are not as spatially generous, also because of slopes. Still totally worth it but you’ll have to work harder to get into your site. We had to hastily block the road while we dropped the toy hauler ramp to unload the sidecar before we could back in properly. We were fortunate in that no one came by in the time we feverishly did that, sensitive to not messing up others’ experiences and creating a roadblock, even for a few minutes. 

  

Because it’s tight, we had to summon our best marshalling skills to back in and not tag the palapa at the site. But once in, the site was very level and no more work was needed to get settled. Cue up happy hour! 

  

Sites are paved and restroom/bath facilities are in line with all of Maricopa parks. Which means, well-maintained and very agreeable. But because Maricopa parks are well-deservedly popular, book hella in advanced for peak season. They’re popular for a reason. Note for those who carry“toys”: on the way out we made use of a larger, group parking area to load the sidecar. Depending on your site, you may want to consider unloading your tow-in/hauled vehicle at a larger parking area before getting to your campsite. Next time(now that we know the site challenges), we certainly will.

Gorgeous well-appointed park, sites are challenging for longer rigs

This is my favorite campground in the Phoenix area. Water to play in, several boat ramps, lots of well-marked hiking trails including one that has a floating bridge, and a whole herd of wild donkeys to watch!

I joined a guided hike in September and had an excellent ranger who pointed out birds and plants, gave advice about snakes and lizards, and explained the history of the park. It was an great way to be exposed to trails I may not have chosen on my own. After the 4 mile hike, we visited the Discovery Center and saw more desert creatures and had an opportunity to take in more free education.

The camp sites are spacious, the restroom facilities are up to date and generously numbered, and most of the sites have a view of the water. You can also camp right on the water's edge, but keep in mind the lake's water level is full early in the season, which means less waterfront parking so the park does fill up on busy weekends. I'd say reservations are a must for holidays!

There's a private marina on the west side of the lake within the county park (Lake Pleasant Regional Park) which is where the campsites are located. There's an additional marina (Pleasant Harbor) on the south east area of the lake with a separate entrance and entrance fee that does NOT have access to the campgrounds, but does have an RV park, two 2-lane boat launches, kayak/SUP rentals, and a restaurant. There's water access to Pleasant Harbor, so you can camp in the park, launch your boat and cruise over to access the restaurant, get gas for your boat, and buy ice from their little store.

Donkeys and hiking and camping - oh my!

Lake Pleasant has developed into a wonderful retreat from the heat and business of Phoenix or Wickenburg. Featuring hiking, biking, activities for all ages, and of course water fun! The lake is really a reservoir for Phoenix, and is just as blue as water comes. Water levels are low during this visit, so hopefully more rain comes!

Desert oasis!!

It was easy to find and had a nice spot close to the water

Lake pleasant camp ground

It's a lovely area with great scenery, cactus forest, wild burros. But there are way too many people. The park may even close down if too many people are there. And it needs some love. Some rude, tacky people have littered.

Beautiful but way too crowded 

It was a great location. We were easily able to take our tubes and kayaks to the lake from the campsite. Not many trees so it can get hot. Their is a shade structure but I also took my canopy and had lots more shade.

Desert Tortoise Campground 

Wish they had sewer hookup. (There is a dump station)

Great place to RV camp. 

Great little place to camp near Phoenix. The lake is beautiful and I recommend taking the Roadrunner hike -- even easy for kids!

Beautiful Views

You can camp right on the shore at this lake or choose a designated camp site but know you won’t have any privacy. This is generally a very popular place so avoid in peak season if you’re looking for solitude. Boat rentals are available and you’ll have several docking options. Take one of the hiking trails offering gorgeous views of desert landscape and blue lake water. You’ll also usually spot a few wild burros (donkeys). Great recreation lake. 

Desert Oasis

We were supposed to be in site 173 at the Desert Tortoise campground in Lake Pleasant Regional Park. However, I’m not sure how ANY RV could possibly get in that site! The incline is ridiculous and our 15,000 pound fifth wheel would certainly roll into the lake! We ended up changing to a shoreline campsite. Of course, they made us pay a change fee. You can park pretty much anywhere along the shore. Most of the spaces were filled even though it was only 1 pm (check in time). We found a nice spot on the hill with a beautiful view of the lake. I think we got lucky because they are still letting people in for shoreline camping seven hours later and it’s full!

Beautiful lake views

Weekend adventures at the lake are always fun especially at Lake Pleasant. When camping here, be prepared for plenty of company as camping fills up quick. If you are ok with the sound of generators then you love the amazing views, easy access to the water and convenience of not leaving town! 

Camping Convenience

Have lots of fun and respect the land and lake

Best Place year around 

My wife and I took a two day trip upto Lake Pleasant with our Coleman Camper and Bayliner Boat. It's just a 50 min drive from Buckeye, so it's very close and convenient for us to getaway and still have city amenities near by 15 min drive. The campgrounds are very well taken care of and the restrooms are clean. Unfortunately there was a Fire Ban when we stayed, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the nightlife of the stars and mingling with fellow campers. During the day the lake was so relaxing and refreshing during the heat of the desert. Took the boat as far north to explore the lake and the secluded coves this lake offers. The website makes it easy to pick your site based on availability, however during the week you probably can just pull in and grab a site.

Midweek Getaway

Great spot if the lake is on the fuller side because you have access to the water right down the hill. We beach our pontoon every year. There are bathroom with running water and water available. No hookups on this loop. Well maintained. 

Desert Tortoise 

We really like camping here. It’s a short distance from home and beautiful lake view spots. We stayed in 124. The spot is really level and easy to back into. The fire pit is in a good spot as some of the others are terrible placement. Each have a concrete table and a shade covering over each table. The bathrooms with running water are just a few spots up. Fishing was not good from shore. 

Great site

I’ll start by saying this was my first time actually camping the lake, our spot (Desert Tortoise site 173) was awesome.  Granted our camper parking spot was definitely on a pretty steep incline but that only made for even more amazing views of the lake.

We got in like at 8 on our first night but everything was well marked and we had no issues finding our site.  When we finally got set up we had an incredible sky full of stars and a nice fire.  This led into an amazing sunrise in the morning.  

That morning we met the brand new campground hosts who were super nice and full of info for us since it was our first time out. We then saw the restrooms that were next to us had not only flushable toilets, but showers.  They were super clean and tidy.  Needless to say we had a great time even in some colder evening temps.

Things I’d recommend brining or doing : 
A boat -  even if it’s an inflatable one but you have to get on the water.

Walking shoes - there are tons of walking and hiking trails nearby

Lunch or dinner at Dillons on the Bayou - this is an awesome full restaurant and bar on the other side of the lake but it is a definitely must do when you’re here.  


Great times...great campground 

Site 103 isn’t on the water, but it’s just across the street. There is a nice little place to set up your chair and sit on the shoreline. It looked to have more space between neighboring sites, which is great. Burros would hang out in our camp grazing grass completely unfazed by the barking dogs and screaming kids. Bathrooms were clean. All sites had Ramada’s. We had a wonderful time.


Spacious site on Scute Loop

Whether you get a campsite with a view of the lake or a view of the beautiful Sonoran Desert, the Maricopa County Park Service does a great job keeping the area clean and safe for all visitors. Most campsites have water and power hookups and there is a dump station on the way out. 

  

Plenty to do here...bring your water toys, your mountain bikes, or your dirt toys. Just up the way are some great Jeep Trails. Water access makes for a great way to cool off. 

  

This park is not to be confused with Pleasant Harbor Marina, run by the Maricopa Water District that is on the South East side of the lake.

Beautiful Lake, Beautiful Campin

I’ve been coming to this campground for about 10 years.  We have never had a problem, hosts are very nice &amp; grounds are kept up.  Rangers do lots of different hikes if you are interested.  All kinds of water sports and rentals.  UTV trails are great.

Great views - Quiet campground 

Awesome in spring or fall in a tent! Moonless night.

Lake pleasant

Great fishing incredible views, clean restrooms a great barbecue restaurant. Dillon's BBQ

Million-dollar views

3 words....beautiful-beautiful-beautiful!!! We stayed in late September and had no neighbors next to us so we felt like we were in the desert. There was no direction that had a bad view. The water level was low so we had to drive out to the water. The lake was amazing. Huge cactuses next to our camper was awe inspiring. Water and electric hookups at most spots and the dump station is close by on your way out. 

Amazing!

The campsites are each set up that you have privacy and a view! Well thought out, clean, and hosts very helpful!  We stayed Thursday thru Sunday. Things picked up for the weekend and it was busy but no line at dump station on the way out and very quiet at night time. They have clean restrooms and showers which came in handy! 

We had visitors to the camp site at night tarantulas donkey skunks and raccoons.  So be prepared at your nightly shut down! I would highly recommend this campground and we will be back!!! The convenance of the lake and amenities it offers is a super bonus to the camping experience!

Wonderful stay in every way!

We stayed the first night I Roadrunner Campground site 9. Fairly level gravel with water and electricity. Dump station is nearby. Then we stayed Desert Tortoise Campground the next 2 nights because it was a walk to the lake. The site is EXTREMELY uneven so make sure you have some bricks for leveling. We didn't have enough with our 10 pack. We almost witnessed a trailer fall into the water of a big rock didn't stop it from rolling backwards! 

If you get the lake as your back yard, it's beautiful

Wanted a place not too far from home and Lake Pleasant is the perfect quick getaway. The camp sight had the most beautiful view at night and during the day. At night we were able to see so many constellations. Our camp site wasn’t a spot with a direct walk to the lake but the drive wasn’t long at all. Definitely bring a floatie or life jacket if you want to hang out in the lake. There is a little market by the marina that has water, ice, and snacks of sorts.

The View!

An outstanding evening at Lake Pleasant - enjoying the relaxful evening.   

Lake Pleasant Beauty

Great quick get away

There are many campgrounds on Lake Pleasant - we stayed at Roadrunner which is near the Discovery Center.

We went there for an afternoon hike on the Roadrunner Trail and ended up going back the next day to stay a night during our RV Xmas trip. We lucked out and they had one site left. Then we REALLY lucked out because the site was water-facing and absolutely wonderful!

We tried to have a fire but a few minutes in the (very kind) ranger came by and said that we couldn't have a fire because it was a holiday. Odd. Apparently that is a land law and the state is trying to cut down on air pollution and it's a blanket rule of no fires on holidays. Again... odd.

But we still went on a great little walk and wandered around and found a hike across the road through the desert - just watch out for jumping chola!!!! We even saw a jackrabbit! 

There's a dump station outside the campground area that is used by all the lake campgrounds, but there's two and it gets the job done. 

You can also pay a small fee and just go there to hike or just go there to dump. The rangers are all super nice!

Roadrunner RV campground

Good campground with full hook ups and bathrooms.  Close to town still but far enough out makes it great. 

Nice and by the water

We stayed in the roadrunner landside campground  site 44 with our 30ft TT. Lake side looked nice but we couldn’t get a spot. Good size pad with a Ramada and water/electric hook ups. This place was packed for the entire week. But our site felt pretty private. They allow wood fires and provide a fire ring. The shower/bathrooms were clean. It’s about a 20minute drive to get supplies or groceries if you forgot something. They do sell firewood $7 and ice $3 at the park entrance. 

Plenty to do on the lake, fishing, boating, hiking and biking trails. We even spotted the wild donkeys a few times which was pretty cool. 

Great Views

Nice campground, near the water, clean restrooms, great hosts

Best westside winter camping.

Stayed in the Roadrunner Campground and loved it! Sites have a good amount of space between them and are kept very clean. We have two kids and enjoyed being so close to the playground. There are also several walking trails and a discovery center (open Friday/Saturday). Apparently there is also a restaurant at the marina and we heard it’s pretty good, although we never checked it out. 

Biggest issue is the dump station is near the park entrance so a good 30 minutes round trip to dump with a tote. Also, I’m super upset even though we kept seeing evidence (poop) we didn’t see the wild burros!!! I did however see a bald eagle so that made up for it. 😁

Great location just outside Phoenix! 

My husband and I have camped here occasionally for several years and we have always loved it, for the most part. Until fairly recently when it began to get more popular and crowded. People will tend to set up camp almost on top of your site and persist to blast music throughout the night or be extremely loud and even more so, extremely dirty. We have always looked forward to our quiet nights away from usual civilization and would stay awake to hear the coyotes howl, along with the rest of the wildlife. But it is getting extremely difficult to enjoy ourselves lately. I understand that some people like to go party there but why they assume the whole camping area and wildlife want to hear their blasting music all night... Is beyond disrespectful. Besides that, they messes, garbage, and filth they leave behind is horrendous. It makes my heart sad and I can only imagine how it is affecting nature and the campsite itself. If you go on weekdays, you have a better chance of having a peaceful getaway. Overall, it is beautiful and serene. We catch plenty of fish and enjoy some time on the lake with our boat. The marina is accessible to guests and is decently stocked with basic needs and supplies, as well as basic groceries. It's a shame that we are limited on places we can camp like true campers, because others can't appreciate the idea of truly "roughing it" or basic camping. We have built many good memories there and try to enjoy ourselves as much as we can. It is most beautiful in spring months.

At one with nature.. until they blast their music all through the night.

I stayed at Lake Pleasant for quite a while I’m December, I even spent my Christmas here. I preferred the dry camping in Desert Tortoise over the hookups &amp; sites in Roadrunner. Roadrunner was lovely and families with big RVs and children seemed to enjoy it, but as a solo vanlifer, Desert Tortoise was more my pace. The burros are hilarious and LOUD. I had never heard anything like their braying. So funny. The lake is nice to walk down to, my pup enjoyed it. 

Desert Tortoise > Roadrunner

Very clean bathrooms and showers we were on the west side of the hill so no lake view 😪, but over quiet and kind of hot today

Roadrunner campground

I camped for 5 nights in the Roadrunner campground of Lake Pleasant.  I had a site overlooking the lake and it was fantastic.  Easy to get my 39' toy hauler in and room enough that I didn't have to unhook and could even put out my rear ramp as a deck.  

Great view, easy to back in site (watch for the picnic table awning!), good power and water, no sewer (although there's a dump site nearby) and no WiFi.    

I'll definitely go back.

One of my favorite RV campgrounds. 

Being near the lake is very nice. Our campsite was not level at all. Basically on the side of the hill. We could not reach the water hook up because of this. There are bathrooms and that’s the only amenity. Having two gate codes was frustrating. The map and signs are not very clear or easily navigated. People were friendly. The burrows and coyotes were the real party animals at night! 

Desert Tortise 

No frills but where else can you camp with burros?  Nature Center was great and the staff was helpful.  Showers were "meh".  

Fun!

We stayed at Lake Pleasant for 2 weeks.  Had a beautiful site facing west, beautiful sunsets!  Water and electric.  This is a large county park in Maricopa county.  It has a man-made lake that is fine for boaters, but no beach for swimming.  Everything is rocky.  There are lots of great trails for hiking in the park.  Love the saguaros and teddy bear chollas.  There are wild burros in the park.  

Our biggest complaint is that the showers are NOT warm enough!  They are lukewarm at best and if it is windy a cool wind blows through the building and it is not heated.  Most people with RV's use their own showers.  We were in the Roadrunner campground.  There are several other loops.  Some do not have electricity but campers can use generators.

Large county campground NW of Phoenix

Great camp sots

This review is for the Desert Tortoise Campground. Overall, I enjoyed my stay here. Campsites are decent but a couple of shortcomings.

PROS
Campsites have covered pavilions with a picnic table, fire ring, and gravel drives. Bathrooms are dated but clean and in good working order. Portable water is available at the rest rooms. Dumpsters are available.

CONS
No hot water in bathrooms. No showers. Other campgrounds within the park had showers that you could use, but there was only one functioning bathhouse. No dishwashing station available. Boat noise on the lake is sometimes a disturbance.