Dispersed Camping

Mescal Road Dispersed Site

CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Mescal Road Dispersed Site is located near Tucson, Arizona, featuring flat desert terrain with sparse vegetation. Temperatures can range from 40°F in winter to over 100°F in summer. Nearby attractions include Saguaro National Park and Colossal Cave Mountain Park, offering opportunities for hiking and exploration.

Fee Info

Individual Permit: An Individual Permit is $15 and grants a single person access to State Trust land for certain types of recreational activities including bicycling, bird watching, GPS-based recreational activities (geocaching), hiking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle (OHV) usage, photography, picnicking, and sightseeing. Recreational Permits purchased online will be charged an additional $1 convenience fee. Alternatively, Recreational Permits may be purchased in person at the Arizona State Land Department Office, located at 1110 West Washington Street in Phoenix.

Family Permit: A Family Permit is $20 and grants a family unit (two adults and their children under 18 years of age) access to State Trust land for certain types of recreational activities including bicycling, bird watching, GPS-based recreational activities (geocaching), hiking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle (OHV) usage, photography, picnicking, and sightseeing. Recreational Permits purchased online will be charged an additional $1 convenience fee. Alternatively, Recreational Permits may be purchased in person at the Arizona State Land Department Office, located at 1110 West Washington Street in Phoenix.

Small-Group Permit: A Small-Group Permit is $15 and grants up to 19 people access to State Trust land locations for five consecutive days for certain types of non-commercial recreational activities including camping, bicycling, bird watching, GPS-based recreational activities (geocaching), hiking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle (OHV) usage, photography, picnicking, and sightseeing. Recreational Permits purchased online will be charged an additional $1 convenience fee. Alternatively, Recreational Permits may be purchased in person at the Arizona State Land Department Office, located at 1110 West Washington Street, in Phoenix.

Large-Group Permit: A Large-group Permit is for a group larger than 20 people. Please submit a Public Inquiry

Suggest an Edit

Location

Mescal Road Dispersed Site is located in Arizona

Coordinates

32.00571342141076 N
110.43066395720804 W

Open in Google Maps

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile5G
Excellent Coverage
Verizon5G
Excellent Coverage
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage
Last on 4/5/25

Detours Nearby

LOCAL FAVORITES PRESENTED BY

Tombstone Camp on Forest Road 687

1 hr 7 min away

Reddington Pass Dispersed

1 hr 12 min away

Drive Time

Presented by

32 min from Tucson
38 min from Sierra Vista
2 hrs 25 min from Phoenix
3 hrs 30 min from Prescott Valley

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile5G
Excellent Coverage
Verizon5G
Excellent Coverage
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage
Last on 4/5/25

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Site Types

Dispersed

Features

For Campers

Phone Service
Pets

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 Mescal Road Dispersed Site needs a permit.

Try PRO for Free

Contact

General Info

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented by

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Enter to Win

Ben & Anna S.

Scout

Reviewed Oct. 2, 2025

Decent Boondocking Close to Mescal Road

We spent a week here in March and really enjoyed the spot as a home base. One afternoon we checked out the nearby Mescal Movie Set, which was a fun step back in time. Access-wise, we had to stick closer to N Mescal Road—the washouts on the trail further in looked a bit dicey for towing a trailer. If you’re in a van or just your truck, you could push back deeper without much trouble. You’ll definitely notice the trains rolling through, about a mile away. It’s part of the soundtrack of Arizona boondocking—low rumbles that become background noise after the first night. A few campsites further back were unfortunately trashed, which was disappointing. We also had a couple of vehicles come and go around 1–2am, but they kept to themselves and never caused any issues. Overall, it’s a decent free spot with some character—worth it if you want a quiet base near the Mescal area and don’t mind the trains.

Large group of UTV trailers were parked near us when we setup camp, but didn't see them again the whole week.

Don't forget your AZ Land Trust permit, someone did stop by to check we had them.

Month of VisitMarch