Mesquite Ranch Campground

This is among our favorite campgrounds. We have spent a couple of months there for the past three winters and, because campers return to places they love, it has come to feel like an annual family reunion. Owners Dan and Sharon are incredible hosts, hosting holiday parties and regular pizza nights -- you bring the toppings and Dan provides the pizza oven and crusts. 

The ranch features a roomy casita with a wood-burning stove, a pond that Dan actually stocks, and is surrounded by public lands with countless trails for exploring. (Bring your horses or ATVs.) Nearby Arivaca is tiny historic town with a fully stocked mercantile (with gas, diesel and propane), a hardware store with an incredible inventory, and La Gitana, a bar/cafe (also historic) with a mind-blowing chili cheeseburger.

Enough said. I'll regret revealing this gem for fear of too many people discovering it.

I should note that the GPS coordinates listed on The Dyrt are incorrect. The actual coordinates are 31°35'44.7"N 111°17'08.7"W.