Tent campsites near Black Canyon City, Arizona range in elevation from desert floor sites at 2,000 feet to mountain locations above 7,000 feet. This elevation variation creates significant temperature differences, with higher camps often 15-20 degrees cooler than valley locations. Fire restrictions typically run from May through September at most dispersed camping areas, while winter brings snow to higher elevations like Crown King.
What to do
Mountain biking access: Several camping areas connect directly to trail networks. McDowell Regional Park-Ironwood offers "excellent mountain biking and hiking trails right out of the campground," according to one camper. Another visitor mentioned, "This campground is really beautiful. The sites are spaced out and in general it's very quiet (although the park is popular with mountain bikers)."
Fishing opportunities: Multiple campgrounds provide access to stocked waters. At Horsethief Basin Lake, located in the Crown King Area, one camper noted, "The lake fish species present include Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, and Muskie." The higher elevation (6,000 ft) provides cooler temperatures similar to Prescott.
Hot springs hiking: Several tent camping areas serve as base camps for hot springs access. At Childs Camping Area, campers can take "the 1.5 mile hike from the campground to the hot springs" which is "absolutely worth the effort" according to reviewers. One camper warned, "You will have to cross the river, so don't take anything that can't get wet."
What campers like
Cooler temperatures: Higher elevation tent sites provide relief from valley heat. At Crown King Area, one camper highlighted that it's the "perfect elevation, 7-8k. About a 3 hr drive from Phoenix" making it significantly cooler than the city. Another noted it's an "escape from the desert heat" with "unimproved camping area, hard to get to and a cool old little mountain town."
Privacy between sites: Many tent camping areas offer well-separated sites. At Enchanted Forest Trail Campsites, a camper mentioned, "I lucked out and got site #11 which was well separated from the other sites." Another visitor noted, "The sites are spaced well," though they also mentioned finding trash from previous campers.
Basic town services: Some remote camping areas have limited services available nearby. In the Crown King Area, "The main city of Crown King has a general store with essentials and a 1 pump fuel station. Prices are steep so best advised to fill up on gas and supplies before heading up." Another camper mentioned, "When you head to town there are services, the saloon, breakfast joint, and pizza place coming soon."
What you should know
Road conditions: Many tent camping areas require significant travel on unpaved roads. Boulders OHV Area has "the typical rumble strip dirt road to this point but easily doable." One visitor mentioned, "There are several fenced in and cleared dirt areas to park and pull through trucks, a camper, tent and car, etc. Any vehicle can make it to the staging area, road is easy to travel."
Site prep needed: Most dispersed tent sites require some cleanup before use. At Enchanted Forest, campers often "picked up a little bit of trash from previous campers." A visitor mentioned, "This place is gorgeous the sites are spaced well. Unfortunately there's been a lot of homeless and left behind trash when we stay we always leave with bags and bags of trash."
Cell service limitations: Signal strength varies dramatically across tent camping areas. At Trittle Mountain Road, a camper reported, "Our problem was that we operate with Verizon and TMobile. Unfortunately neither carrier had a good enough signal here for us to spend the week we planned." Another camper at Enchanted Forest noted, "No cell reception, T-Mobile and I were lucky to get a single bar. In this area, the sites sit in a valley. No chance."
Tips for camping with families
Avoid hot springs areas: Some tent camping areas attract adult-oriented activities. A Childs Camping Area visitor warned it's "NOT family friendly...unless you don't mind your tiny humans seeing naked people wandering around. Other than that, awesome place to visit!" Another camper described it as a "peaceful hippy haven during the week...Party central on weekends!"
Consider playground access: Some established campgrounds offer kid-friendly amenities. At McDowell Regional Park, one camper mentioned, "We stayed in site 27 which was close to the kids playground." The same camper noted they "did do a short 3 mile hike and it was very nice on the Granite and then Wagner trail."
Prepare for dust and noise: OHV areas can be challenging for families with young children. At Boulders OHV Area, a camper described it as a "little dusty and noisy but plenty of room to camp and the trails are great!" Another visitor noted, "Sound of ATV and dirt bikes is pretty constant, otherwise it is quiet, great star views."
Tips from RVers
Consider spacing between tent and RV sites: At Trittle Mountain Road, a camper warned, "Trittle Mountain Road advertises 16 campsites BUT most of them are clustered in groups of 2 or 3 and we found that a lot of the people occupying them would intentionally take up all of the spots for 1 RV/group." They added, "About half the spaces are in more pine tree settings and the other half are more of a 'high desert'."
Winter access issues: Higher elevation tent camping areas may become inaccessible during winter months. At Crown King Area, a visitor explained there's "amazing weather all year round, but extremely limited travel available while snow is on the ground." Another camper described their winter visit as "breath taking" but cautioned to "fuel up before going up there."
Leveling challenges: Many dispersed tent camping sites around Black Canyon City require significant leveling. At Trittle Mountain Road, a camper found "a lot of the spaces were uneven or had rough washes/entrances," making it difficult for RVs to find suitable parking spots. Another camper at Boulders OHV Area appreciated that the area had "nice and levelled" spots with "plenty of space" when they visited on a Friday night.
