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Best Tent Camping near Bullhead City, AZ

392 Reviews

The desert landscapes surrounding Bullhead City, Arizona offer several tent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts seeking primitive experiences. Tent-only sites can be found at Windy Point Campground near Kingman and BLM Wild Cow Springs Recreation Area, while dispersed tent camping is available at Havasu Heights and Mid-Basin Cove in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. These locations provide varying levels of accessibility and amenities, with most sites situated within 30-45 minutes of Bullhead City.

Road conditions to tent campgrounds vary significantly, with several requiring high-clearance vehicles. Windy Point Campground features a steep, winding dirt road with loose gravel extending 11 miles from the paved road, making 4WD vehicles strongly recommended. Sites typically include basic amenities such as fire rings and picnic tables, with vault toilets available at established campgrounds. Summer temperatures can reach 110°F at lower elevations, though higher elevation sites like Windy Point may be 15-20 degrees cooler. Most tent camping areas lack potable water, requiring campers to bring their own supplies.

Tree coverage varies by location, with BLM Wild Cow Springs offering substantial shade. According to reviews, "Trees cover almost everything, there is a little creek, and plenty of opportunities to go exploring on hikes." Sites at Wild Cow Springs are well-spaced, providing privacy for tent campers. Campers noted that Windy Point offers exceptional views due to its elevation, though wind can be problematic for tent setup. Havasu Heights provides minimal light pollution, making it ideal for stargazing. Those seeking backcountry tent camping experiences can find more seclusion at Mid-Basin Cove, which one visitor described as "more secluded than its sister site up the road" with beach camping available. Most primitive tent sites in the region permit campfires and allow pets, though regulations vary by location.

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Best Tent Sites Near Bullhead City, Arizona (5)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Bullhead City, AZ

3 Photos of 5 Bullhead City Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Bullhead City, AZ

392 Reviews of 5 Bullhead City Campgrounds

  • T K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 24, 2021

    Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area

    Beach and regular campsite open

    Visited today and seen the primitive camping area (no hookups) was currently closed. The regular campsites with full hookups was open. Maybe with weather, and less campers is the reason for closing the overflow/primitive side. Only 1 RV today and all the other sites open. Beach was crowded on both sides. Was still able to get a spot on the water and set up canopy. Still favorite spot in Laughlin/Bullhead City area.

  • Steve R.
    Jun. 7, 2015

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    First time to the "Hualapais"

    This is a great place to get away from the heat in Bullhead City. There are lots of dry tent camping sites scattered throughout the park, or you could rent a cabin or even a teepee. There are rv sites with full hook ups if that's your preference. We went tent camping in the pine basin section there's no water so we brought enough for the trip. In our area I only saw port a potties scattered throughout the area. There are a lot of deer wandering around and they're not shy, a doe walked right up to me the first morning while I was making coffee. I have been told there are Elk wandering around too but I didn't see any. We enjoyed it there and will be going back. The fees are reasonable $17.00 a night for camping, you can buy firewood and ice at the check in station.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 23, 2018

    Hole In The Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve

    Great Place To Camp In The Desert

    We wanted to check out ZZYZX but there was no camping there so we had to explore other options. Really wanting to be as close to the dried salt lake area where you can literally yell out and hear your voice echo for miles we discovered Hole-In-The-Wall. It sounded a bit funny considered it was in the middle of the desert and everything is like a hole in the wall as you pass through miles and miles of nothingness, but we gave it a shot and were very pleased.

    It is a first come first serve campsite but when we were there that wasn't an issue there were only a few campers. It made for a quiet night in the desert where we were surrounded by low laying vegetation and views of the mountains around. It looked like a pretty large campground overall with lots of sites each with a picnic table and fire ring.

    There was no potable water when we were there and only pit toilets. Pretty basic, no hook ups and no showers.

    It was pleasant though and I would say it made us happy that we had stumbled upon it. It was $12 fo the night for our site and I did notice that those having the senior card could get a discount, so something to look forward to when I get older!!

    It was pretty no frills camping. But since we always come prepared we had firewood ready to go and were able to enjoy setting up then venturing over to ZZYZX to check out the "abandoned" site, which is actually partially used as a research facility and partially a ruin of times passed. Really unique experience from every angle.

    TIPS:

    • Pack extra water since there is none available and if you are interested in a shower make sure you have an outdoor shower bag already filled before you arrive.

    • While you can have a generator they do have a quiet hours policy for other guest. The campground is so quiet at night and everything echoes in the canyon.

    • Do not camp in washes because even though it seems dry when rain comes it quickly moves across the desert and will flood these areas and create very scary conditions.

  • Kyle V.
    Jul. 8, 2018

    Windy Point Campground

    Remote campground where you wouldn’t expect to find one.

    Although you can make it to the campground in 2wd, I wouldn’t take a car. SUV/truck preferred. Tent camping/car camping only, no RV sites at all. The road is steep, winding, dirt with loose gravel 11 miles off the paved road. Camp sites have a great view because of the elevation. picnic tables and fire rings in each site as well as many trash receptacles and clean toilets. no other amenities. Rough off-roading in the areas surrounding the campground leading to old mining areas. Awesome views, we went in June when it was probably 110 degrees at the base of the mountain, mid 90s up at the camp site.

  • Charlie C.
    Mar. 23, 2021

    Wild Cow Springs Campground

    Amazing Place

      Let me start off by saying I made it to this spot in my Kia Niro with its front wheel drive. Not the worst dirt road I've encountered but very steep in some parts and I would not recommend going to this site in the snow unless you have 4 wheel drive, snow chains and experience. I didn't go in the snow but I could imagine. One slip and you're in serious trouble. That out of the way, this place is GREAT!

      On the drive up you go through a sleepy little town half way up the mountain, the views along the drive are stunning. Bring plenty of supplies and know its about a 40 min drive each way to get more.

       Lots of wildlife in the area, was a little concerned about bears in the area as it looked like they had some scratching posts right around our campsite (pictures posted) but didn't end up seeing a one.

       May be pretty tight for a larger RV as sites are pretty small. Vaulted toilets were very well maintained. I will go back!

    -Chuck

    P.S. Don't forget, always leave the area better than you found it!

                LEAVE NO TRACE!

  • P
    Apr. 30, 2018

    Mid Hills Campground — Mojave National Preserve

    Winter Camping Without the Snow

    Having camped here twice this year, it's a favorite of mine. Temps are decent, even in January (mid-30s for lows) and perfect in April. Tree cover is still a bit sparse and hiking options are limited, but it's a great place to set up camp and do absolutely nothing. Normally, water is available, but they are revamping the water system and the result is that there is no water available at the campground until Spring 2019, so be sure you bring plenty with you.

  • Edwin M.
    Jan. 22, 2022

    Hole In The Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve

    Such a cool place to camp

    We stayed here for two nights both of which were quite windy so stake down your tent extra tight. The views here are definitely what make this place worth it to camp at. The Ring Loop trail is also a blast. Theres potable water available and we payed a total of $24 for two nights here. I would definitely visit again.

  • Ashlee L.
    Apr. 20, 2018

    Hole In The Wall Campground — Mojave National Preserve

    Gorgeous scenery and quiet, SUPER windy

    Pros: very quiet campground, with sites that are some distance apart. Absolutely breathtaking scenery - this campground is in the valley between hills and the undeveloped land around the campsites is covered in an amazing variety of cacti. The cost is also reasonable at $12/night. The tent sites are nicely designed with a large tent pad, a picnic table, and fire ring. The visitors' center is very close up the road, and they have flush toilets and water, as well as a very small gift shop, but not really anything else.

    Cons: The only way to get to the campground is driving for about a 1-2 hours on unpaved roads, which are rough in some spots. Once you get there, there are only pit toilets and no sinks or showers. There is usually potable water in the campground, but that was also unavailable during my visit because of drought conditions (however that info was easily found on the website and I was prepared for that). But by far the worst thing about this campground was the wind. It was breezy all day, which was fine, but at about 9 or 10 pm at night the winds picked up to about 30-40 mph sustained through the whole night, with gusts of ~50 mph. It definitely caught myself off guard, and by the looks of the remaining tents the next morning it caught a lot of other campers off guard also.

    If the conditions are like that most of the time (possible since it's in a valley?), I wouldn't tent camp there again because it wasn't relaxing at all. But if that was a fluke or I had an RV, I would consider another stay there. There were a lot of ORVs in the area, and I think anyone who enjoys doing that would love this campground.

  • Colette K.
    Apr. 25, 2018

    Cottonwood Cove Campground — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, near Lake Mohave, NV

    Ranger Review: Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios at Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

    CAMPGROUND REVIEW

    Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground is located 14 miles east of Searchlight, NV, on the shores of Lake Mohave. The decent into Cottonwood Cove is quite dramatic (about 2900 ft), for which the roadside cactus can attest, as the types of cacti change even with the slightest elevation change.

    The "lower" in Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground's name characterizes it's lower elevation compared to the "upper" campground, which naturally has higher elevation.

    Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground is included in Lake Mead National Recreation Area campgrounds, and keeping with their custom, all sites are first come first serve. The Cottonwood Cove area has low elevation, at about 650 feet above sea level, which means it gets very hot during the late spring, summer, and early fall months.

    Only a few of the 45 sites have shady cottonwood trees, and there are only uncovered picnic tables, so come prepared with a shade canopy for much needed relief! There are beautiful views of Lake Mohave, three very clean restroom buildings (no showers), water on taps, and fire rings at every site. There is an RV dump station located near the entrance to the Upper Campground (although the Upper Campground is closed).

    The Lower Campground is situated behind a hill, which obstructs cell service. Walking only a short distance to the marina area, you'll find a strong 4G signal. The park service provides fee-based internet at the campground, but we didn't try it.

    Cottonwood Cove has a full service boat marina, gas, motel, RV resort (with full hook-ups), watercraft rentals/supplies, sandy beach, and shaded picnic tables with BBQs.

    Here's a drive-along tour of Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground: https://youtu.be/s6AQ6KqtxPg

    Overall, we enjoyed our stay at this campground. It was a peaceful place, with jackrabbits, a couple of hungry ducks, many songbirds, and the stars at night were bright & beautiful. 4 stars (not 5 stars due to lack of provided shade).

    PRODUCT REVIEW

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. While camping at Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, we tested Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios (model T51).

    https://midlandusa.com/product/x-talker-t51vp/

    Camping in an isolated area behind a large hill was the perfect place to review these radios. However, with the hill as an obstruction our range was limited. [Note: We also tried these radios at home, and our maximum range was 3 small neighborhood blocks. Perhaps to achieve the maximum range of "28 miles," you'd need to be on the open ocean on a calm day or out on a very flat prairie.]

    Here's a video demonstration of the Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios:

    https://youtu.be/ocCEzY-MgUc

    As you can see in our review video, we compared the Midland radios with a very inexpensive set. Midland's quality is far superior.

    The Midland's instruction booklet is easy to follow, buttons are easy to operate, radio is comfortable to hold, and the belt clip is very tight (exercise care unlatching to prevent breaking). And… the NOAA Weather Radio scan was our biggest surprise, as you'll see in this video:

    https://youtu.be/nZvTipRcln8

    The radios can be charged while positioned on the charging stand or via a charging cord plugged directly into the radio and to an electrical source (such as a portable power bank).

    Overall, we are very impressed with the clear reception and convenience of the Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios. We are looking forward to using these radios during our future no-cell service camping, fishing, and hiking adventures. 5 stars

Guide to Bullhead City

Tent camping opportunities near Bullhead City offer primitive desert experiences ranging from mountain plateaus to lakeshores. The region sits at the intersection of the Mojave Desert and Colorado River watershed, with elevations between 500-5,000 feet creating temperature variations throughout the camping areas. Most primitive campsites require visitors to pack in water and basic supplies.

What to do

Explore old mining areas: The mountainous terrain around Windy Point Campground contains abandoned mines from Arizona's mining history. "Rough off-roading in the areas surrounding the campground leading to old mining areas," notes camper Kyle V. Exercise caution and never enter abandoned mines.

Night sky photography: The low light pollution at Havasu Heights makes it ideal for astrophotography. "There's not a lot of light pollution so you can get great stars and moon pictures," explains camper Bare Soul W., who frequently visits the area for night photography opportunities.

Hiking excursions: Trails throughout BLM Wild Cow Springs Recreation Area provide day hiking options with minimal crowds. Visitor Lyle F. confirms the appeal, noting "Hiking and views for days" at this mountaintop campground. Most hiking trails are unmarked and require basic navigation skills.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Tent campsites near Bullhead City, Arizona often feature good spacing between camping areas. According to Miranda T., who stayed at BLM Wild Cow Springs Recreation Area, "The sites are well spread out so each camp has privacy. We will definitely be back!"

Beach camping access: Some locations offer direct shoreline tent camping, particularly at Mid-Basin Cove on Lake Mead. Camper Matt R. appreciated that it provides "Dispersed camping on the beach, fires and pets allowed." The cove areas typically have gravel or sandy shorelines suitable for tent placement.

Convenient location near amenities: Campers appreciate that Havasu Heights provides a balance of seclusion while remaining accessible to towns. "Town is about 10 minutes south, and interstate 40 is about 10 minutes north," notes Savannah A., highlighting the convenient proximity to services while maintaining a natural setting.

What you should know

High clearance vehicles required: Many tent camping areas demand appropriate vehicles due to rough access roads. Crystal C. warns about Windy Point Campground: "I found this campsite on a map when living in Vegas and wanted to check it out, but when I actually went out there in my car, well needless to say I felt like I was cringing the entire trip. I would recommend a 4 Wheel Drive especially after any weather."

Alternative access options: If your vehicle can't handle the main route, seek alternate approaches. Brayden C. suggests: "Tried to camp here on May 20, 2019 and couldn't access the site because it requires a legitimate 4x4 with big tires. It is no joke. Our group of 4 instead followed big wash rd to the top and there was a fire pit already there and a solar panel."

Seasonal timing considerations: Fall and spring provide more moderate temperatures at lower elevation sites. Summer visitors should target higher elevation campgrounds like Wild Cow Springs, where camper Andrew B. reported, "Stay was in September and the weather was beautiful."

Tips for camping with families

Consider shade availability: When tent camping with children near Bullhead City, shade becomes essential. Andrew B. notes about Wild Cow Springs, "Trees cover almost everything, there is a little creek, and plenty of opportunities to go exploring on hikes." Tree coverage significantly affects comfort during daylight hours.

Bring noise considerations: Highway proximity affects some dispersed camping areas. Savannah A. mentions about Havasu Heights, "There was a little bit of highway noise, but nothing major," which might be important for families with light sleepers or young children needing naps.

Look for multiple vehicle spots: Some campsites accommodate additional vehicles, which helps for family camping. Lyle F. observed at Wild Cow Springs that "Each site has a table and fire ring as well as parking for one, sometimes two vehicles," making it suitable for families arriving in separate cars.

Tips from RVers

Scout locations first: The uneven terrain at many dispersed sites requires advance planning. According to Savannah A. who camps in a Class C motorhome at Havasu Heights: "There are lots of flat areas for easy setup, but there are also quite a few areas that would be challenging to level. Depending on your rig you may want to walk the area first."

Look beyond roadside areas: More secluded spots often exist beyond the immediate roadside camping areas. "I full time in a class c and flat tow my Jeep and was able to get about half a mile off the main road for my own slice of heaven," reports Savannah A., highlighting the benefits of exploring deeper into designated camping areas.

Internet access considerations: Some camping areas offer surprising connectivity options. Steven S. notes about Havasu Heights: "internet walks through small neighborhood store at the rv park xrss street," providing information about where signal might be available for those needing to stay connected.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bullhead City, AZ is Mid-Basin Cove — Lake Mead National Recreation Area with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Bullhead City, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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