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Best Tent Camping near Arizona City, AZ

329 Reviews

Dispersed tent camping is available near Arizona City, Arizona, with several primitive options within a reasonable drive. Pipeline Road BLM Camping offers free dispersed tent camping on public land about 30 miles northwest of Arizona City. Garden of Peden provides established tent sites in a desert setting with reservable campsites. Peralta Regional Park Primitive Remote Campsites and Charouleau Gap Trailhead Camp also offer tent camping options in the surrounding region.

Most tent sites in the area feature minimal amenities consistent with dispersed camping on public lands. Pipeline Road BLM Camping has no drinking water, toilets, or trash facilities, requiring campers to pack in all water and pack out all waste. Access can be challenging, with Pipeline Road featuring a difficult entrance and a significant dip in the road that restricts larger vehicles. Fire restrictions vary seasonally in the desert environment, with many sites allowing campfires but requiring visitors to follow current fire regulations. Campers should note that Peralta Regional Park has recently eliminated many dispersed camping options, with trenches dug to prevent access to unofficial sites.

The desert terrain provides distinctive tent camping experiences with opportunities for stargazing and wildlife observation. Sites at Peralta Regional Park offer good spacing between campsites, creating a sense of solitude despite being an established campground. According to one visitor, the area provides "clean dark sky for star watching" and peaceful surroundings. Tent campers should be prepared for encounters with desert wildlife, including rattlesnakes, particularly when hiking near campsites. Charouleau Gap Trailhead Camp features small sites that work well for overnight stays but have limited privacy. One camper noted that "several spots off a dirt road that parallels the main road" can be accessed with careful driving, though road noise may be present at some locations.

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Best Tent Sites Near Arizona City, Arizona (4)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Arizona City, AZ

2 Photos of 4 Arizona City Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Arizona City, AZ

329 Reviews of 4 Arizona City Campgrounds

  • P
    Sep. 13, 2020

    Gilbert Ray Campground

    Very Nice

    My grandson and I stayed in a tent campsite for two nights. There are only a 5 tent sites and they don't have a tent pad. After two passes we were able to find a site with a smooth spot without rocks for the tent, B5, a picnic table but no shade. I felt there could have been more bathrooms and water spickets but honestly I did not do much walking in the campground. It is the quiet time of year, before snowbirds come, so we were able to have our pick of electric or not sites. It was quiet; I think three trailers and one other tenter. No generators allowed and 7 day strict limit. The coyotes were very vocal at night, which I enjoyed.This is more of an RV campground but suited us fine for two days. We interacted with the hosts and they were very nice. We explored the trails, visitor center and Sonora Desert Museum, which we loved. Thirty minute drive to Tucson. We went to the Reid Park Zoo, which we thoroughly enjoyed; LOTS of animals for a small zoo. We drove the loop in East Saguaro National Park. Some things closed in West Saguaro park so be aware of that, like Old Tucson, but we found lots to do.

  • KJ G.
    Feb. 16, 2025

    Pinal County Fairgrounds

    Quick practical spot

    We were dry /primitive campers saving our coins here and there camping! This was an easy quick $10 but I do recommend getting there before closing hrs. As you have to call the camp host to let you in. There is no designated camp zones it is a very dry area ofcourse being in the middle of Arizona. But we were prepared with sleeping pads and tent tarps for comfort. But for 10 bucks you can’t beat that! There was an animal 4H fair of some sort going on which we enjoyed even through all our sleep! The animals did seem to “sleep with us!” There is showers and easy convience to I-10/I20? Also Walmart/standard fast food defiantly more RV friendly but with the right gear you should be fine! I love supporting places like this over the hotel industry

  • Deborah C.
    May. 17, 2019

    Gilbert Ray Campground

    Gilbert Ray Campground , May, 2019

    May, 2019 we visited Saguaro National Park near Tucson AZ. We had planned to hike into the park at one of their few campgrounds but the office informed us that there was a controlled burn and recommended we not stay in the park and suggested Gilbert Ray as a good option. Gilbert Ray Campground is a great location for visiting the National Park. We arrived to find the office closed for the summer, so self serve option was available, at 10.00 per night for tent camping you can’t beat the price. The bathrooms were clean and as an added plus they have a dishwashing station. We stayed in the A loop. There are no showers and the campsite it all gravel making it next to impossible to put a tent stake in. The sites are fairly close together, for example, I could hear our neighbor unzip his tent. All sites have picnic tables. Cell service is good.

  • Janet H.
    Mar. 18, 2021

    Catalina State Park Campground

    Catalina State Park campground is one to add to your trip itinerary

    Camped 14-15 March 2021 - Minutes from the hustle and bustle of Tucson and Oro Valley, but surprisingly quiet. Catalina State Park Campground has two campsite loops- A and B, as well as the Ringtail group tent site. I tent camped at site A16, which was a decent distance from the neighboring sites. The loops and parking slips are asphalt paved. Familiarize yourself with the site map, because most of the campsite numbers were on posts set back a distance from the road, making it tough to locate some of the sites, especially if you’re arriving after dark. Campsites are typical desert sand, with mesquite and palo verde trees. I had plenty of location options within the site for setting up my tent, but had to choose carefully, as to not sleep atop an access hole to the round-tailed ground squirrel burrows that are in abundance throughout the campground. The site had water, an electric hook up (which I didn’t need), a nice sized thermoplastic polyethylene coated metal picnic table (easy to clean), a raised BBQ grill and a beautiful view of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The restroom and shower facility in loop A was clean and adequate, with three toilet stalls (one of which was ADA compliant, as well as two showers (one being ADA compliant). Signage on ADA shower stall indicated adaptive equipment (shower chair, etc.) was available through the camp hosts. An open breezeway between women’s and men’s restrooms includes a sink, soft drink machine, a small “Take a book, share a book” cabinet, and informational bulletin boards. A posted sign indicated wifi password for the campground, but whenever I tried to connect, I got a prompt that it was unavailable. I had a strong Verizon signal. Per another sign posted in the breezeway, the 48-day Bighorn Fire of June 2020 burned almost 120,000 acres / 25% of Catalina State Park. Because of vegetation loss, the Canada del Oro wash (along the main road between the entrance/ranger station and the campground) is prone to flooding when it rains at higher elevations. The wash has been running black with ash, and for longer periods of time than before the fire. The ash coats the sand, preventing the rainwater from being absorbed, creating the potential for flash floods. The Romero Trail to Romero Pools has been closed since the fire, with signs indicating reopening in May 2021. There are still plenty of miles of beautiful desert trails to enjoy. There are two large grocery stores and two gas stations within five miles of the campground.

  • Danny K.
    Oct. 28, 2020

    Gilbert Ray Campground

    All Gravel

    This is a very nice and well maintained campground with many sites to choose from, but it is definitely geared toward staying in an RV given the utility hook-ups. Luckily I packed two sleeping pads along with my tent for the night or it would've been extremely uncomfortable; every site is filled with heavy gravel closer to a stone consistency. I didn't have any problems with coyotes venturing around, but the grasshoppers that would continually crash onto the stones was a little annoying while sleeping. There are no fires allowed at any site here because there are no fire pits or rings, though the large concrete picnic tables are a nice touch. The bathrooms are clean and orderly. If you want to stay here for a nice and easy hike up Brown Mountain nearby, this campground is a no-brainer.

  • cal K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2023

    Picacho Peak State Park Campground

    Pricey but really nice!

    $30 /night in winter. Really nicely maintained. No water available tho. Probably due to drought? Hot showers clean restrooms. Nice sites with paved pads and picnic tables. Gorgeous views of the peak driving in. Saguaro abound. Gate closed at 10pm and office closes at 5 but you can self check in on non/reserved sites.

  • Amber A.
    Jun. 30, 2016

    Catalina State Park Campground

    Saguaro wonderland near Tucson

    Lots of hiking in the area, from easy trails through the cacti to steep canyons nearby. There are group hike events with expert naturalists, really worth it. TONS of wildlife, including a bobcat and great birding. Amazing sunsets like nowhere else I've traveled. As for the campsite, it's really clean with nice standard amenities. Good privacy and pretty large individual sites. Shade varies. We couldn't have fires, so bring a gas backpacking stove to cook. Reservations recommended since it's so close to Phoenix and Tucson. Absolutely lovely campground setting.

  • Lora H.
    Jun. 20, 2019

    Picacho Peak State Park Campground

    Jewel in the desert!

    We try to stop at this SP campground every time we're heading out of town or come back home (Tombstone) We always stay during the Fall/Winter months though. I'm not sure if they are even open in the summer, due to extreme heat. This park is just beautiful. Full of blooming cactus in the Spring and gorgeous sunsets always. The bathrooms are spotless and they have individual locking showers. For $30 you get water, electric, a huge site &, tent area in addition to your rv lot, The lot is pavement, and the tent is sand. All sites are set up in a random pattern, to give you the most privacy.  our site had a Ramada with picnic table & fire pit. They do sell firewood but it's $7 a bundle. We also once stayed in their overflow area, which is dry camping and that's only $15. They have great hiking trails, but use a walking stick, I got too up close and personal with a rattlesnake.

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 17, 2022

    West Pinal County Park

    Remote County RV park

    Close to I8 and the BLM Sonoran National Monument. This is a Pinal County park and there are about 19 sites, most are nice large pull thru sites. Well maintained dirt gravel roads. 14d limit and $10 nite for standard site with a shade cabana, table and bbq grill. Camp host on site. However there is NO potable water, no electric and no RV dump. There are dumpsters and scattered potta-potties for toilets. Cell service is excellent on all carriers. There is a huge cattle feedlot about 6 mi to east and east winds will be smelly. Also the truck traffic on I8 will be noticable at night. No services for fuel, water and food except in Stanfield 10 miles away and that is just a Circle K and a Family Dollar. Three stars due to lack of water, smelly feedlots, interstate truck noise. Note: locals told me they go to Maricopa for groceries and fuel.

Guide to Arizona City

Tent camping options near Arizona City, Arizona extend throughout the Sonoran Desert region where elevations range from 1,500 to 3,000 feet. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F while winter nights can drop below freezing. Most dispersed camping areas require high-clearance vehicles due to unmaintained desert roads that frequently wash out during monsoon season.

What to do

Hiking nearby trails: Access multiple hiking routes from Peralta Regional Park Primitive Remote Campsites, which connects to popular desert trails. "Very close to popular hiking trails. We enjoyed the rustic campsite," notes Julie F., who appreciated the proximity to outdoor activities.

Stargazing opportunities: Desert camping areas provide exceptional night sky viewing due to limited light pollution. One camper at Peralta Regional Park noted their recent visit offered "Amazing stay! Very quiet and peaceful. Clean dark sky for star watching."

Wildlife observation: Desert camping near Arizona City provides opportunities to observe native species in their natural habitat. However, caution is necessary as venomous creatures are common. A camper at Peralta reported, "Came across a rattle snake when hiking."

What campers like

Accessible primitive sites: Pipeline Road BLM Camping offers free dispersed camping within 30 miles of Arizona City. A visitor noted, "Dispersed BLM camping folks the main road in has a pretty good little drop-down I wouldn't take a big rig past the first area on the right."

Solitude between campsites: Tent camping areas near Arizona City often provide good spacing between sites. At Peralta Regional Park, a camper observed, "Each campsite has plenty of space in between. Literally no complaints at all."

Helpful camp hosts: Some established campgrounds in the region provide camp hosts who assist visitors. One camper at Peralta Regional Park mentioned, "The park host was amazing. Restrooms were great," while another noted, "The camp host was very friendly and helpful (Darell)."

What you should know

Road access limitations: Many tent camping areas near Arizona City have challenging access points. At Pipeline Road BLM Camping, one reviewer warned, "Entrance to pipeline road is not marked and difficult to enter and exit safely, about .6 tens mile in from cattleguard on Avra Valley road."

Restricted vehicle sizes: Large RVs and trailers face significant limitations at most dispersed sites. A Pipeline Road camper advised, "Sites are about 1/2 mile in till a big dip wash that restricts most TTs and RVs."

Environmental hazards: The desert environment presents several natural hazards. One camper cautioned about Pipeline Road, "Not really a area you want to be in if there's going to be a lot of rain and there are cattle."

Tips for camping with families

Small sites for overnight stays: Charouleau Gap Trailhead Camp provides basic tent camping suitable for short family trips. According to one reviewer, "Great easy little spot that is highly used so make sure you plan ahead. Not all sites have fire circle."

Limited facilities: Most dispersed camping areas lack amenities families might need. At Charouleau Gap, a camper noted, "if you don't have a toilet there are only a few bushes tall enough. Works for a quick one nighter."

Reservable options: For families preferring established sites, Garden of Peden offers reservable tent camping near Saguaro National Park. The site provides tent camping with some amenities not found at dispersed sites.

Tips from RVers

Class C access points: Some dispersed camping areas can accommodate smaller motorhomes with careful driving. A visitor to Charouleau Gap Trailhead Camp shared, "Several spots off a dirt road that parallels the main road here. Accessed relatively easily (slowly) in my 23 Ft Class C."

Noise considerations: Despite remote locations, some camping areas near Arizona City experience traffic noise. The same Charouleau Gap camper mentioned, "Some road noise" affected their otherwise positive experience.

Connectivity options: Cell service varies throughout tent camping areas near Arizona City. One Pipeline Road camper reported, "Cell is good but adjacent target shooting on State Land is a constant issue," noting connectivity is available despite other drawbacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Arizona City, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Arizona City, AZ is Pipeline Road BLM Camping with a 3.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Arizona City, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Arizona City, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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