Best Tent Camping near Central, AZ

This site was very private and expansive for the location. There is the lower campsite however it is a bit down from the area where the tents were set up. There were multiple fire rings set up around the camp and the rangers who visited us informed that we may not use them and they were going to be dismantled once we left. There is a "main" fire ring near two tables and a bear box. The restroom being close and CLEAN was a bonus but is the only restroom for both the upper and lower campsites. There are great hikes and trails in the surrounding areas especially if you want to venture off trail to a lookout point nearby. Highly recommend this site for families and new to camping campers.

My husband, myself and our 2 small dogs live in Tucson, AZ. We recently acquired a roof top tent and we’ve been trying out various campgrounds across the Southwest.

The drive up scenic highway 366 is worth a trip regardless. There are some amazing views of the Pinaleños. Since it’s still February, the road to the top of the mountain was closed to us so we decided to stay at Arcadia since it’s open year round.

We were the only people staying overnight, which surprised us since it was a holiday weekend. We did see a group picnicking when we first arrived though. Also, we could hear sports cars on the highway at night. Probably racing down the tight switchbacks.

No water, so make sure to bring your own. Toilets were clean, pit toilets and there were 2 sets. Campsites are pretty spread out. Some were 30-50 feet from the main road and wouldn’t really suit our needs as RTT campers. Lots of trash cans and a few bear boxes. Each site has a fire pit with a cooking grate and a cement picnic table. For camping in AZ, it is well suited for tent camping. We stayed in site 12. Most other sites wouldn’t not be ideal for RTTs.

I would definitely return to the Pineleños, but I’m going to wait until April, when we can access the sites at the top of the mountains.

Overall, it’s a nice wooded area, but with only 1 hiking trail (to Shannon Campground, 10mi r/t) and no vista views from the site, I don’t think it’s worth $20 a night. We decided to only spend 1 night here.

This tiny little campground is perched on the side of the road in another of AZ's Sky Islands. Just 3 campsites, not big enough for large RV’s, though Hamlet-sized trailers and camper vans are fine.  

Passable pit toilets available for use, but no drinking water. Each tiny site had a picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. A beautiful creek down the hill from the campground had crystal clear water for filtering and washing up.  Completely FREE and first-come, first-served!

Great hiking around the whole area, complete with snowy peaks in early April and waterfalls. Saw many road cyclists riding up the very steep, winding road, as it is lightly traveled. This sky island s a great place to head in the summer when the desert is too hot to enjoy it.

Closest town with supplies and services is Safford, AZ, about 20 minutes north.

I took the family out here (including the dog), a few months ago. We pushed out there and discovered a lovely little campground in the pines. The site we chose had a fire pit and a picnic table, which was great for us. We had the run of the place.

There was a pit toilet set up, even though the kids didn't want to use it. A series of trails pushing up into the ridge line gets you up to a clearing where lightning has given you a view of the surrounding area. You might be lucky to see deer in the area if you sit still. There are a number of manzanita bushes that were ripe when we popped up there.

Within a 30 mins drive from the nearest town, you can leave 112 degree heat, cactus, and sand to find yourself surrounded by large pine, long mountain hikes & 30 degree difference in temperature!

Surrounded by large pine, a cool breeze and a cornucopia of wildlife! Although fire restrictions are always a concern Arcadia campground is the blessing all desert dwellers need!

Fire rings, BBQ, & bathrooms are available at camp sights. There is a $10 day pass or $10 nightly pass required to stay.

Info from the USDA:

When early settlers ventured up Mount Graham, the Arcadia area was usually as far as they got on the first day. A little later in the history of the Pinaleños, Arcadia was the site of one of several Civilian Conservation Corps camps established in the 1930s to provide jobs for workers idled by the Great Depression. Today, Arcadia Campground is the first campground visitors encounter on their way up Mount Graham by way of the Swift Trail (AZ 366), which was built by those Depression-era workers. Arcadia Campground is shaded by stands of tall ponderosa pine interspersed with Gambel oaks and Arizona walnuts. Such a diverse habitat makes this an excellent area for bird watching. Watch for poison ivy.

RV’s up to 22' and vehicles with trailers less than 21' are recommended. Longer vehicles have difficulty negotiating the switchbacks on AZ 366. Pack and saddle stock are not permitted in campground. Limit 2 vehicles and 10 persons per site. 14 day stay limit.

Roper lake state park is a beautifully well kept state park. It's $20 a night for tent camping, $30 a night for full RV hookups. (which is kinda high for this area and amenities offered).

This is my local state park so I visit almost every weekend and kayak the lake. There is a lot of fishing, swimming, and hiking available. There are also some really nice cabins available to rent!

The camp sights are a small size but offer some privacy from other sites. There are fire rings in every site, as well as a Covered pick-nick tables!!!

They also offer some full hookup sites, as well as sewage dump and potable water.

There is a group sized hot tub available for public use that is filled with natural hot springs water as well as a swimming beach and day use area.

Great camping experience! We were pleased with our camping experience. Good amenities. A couple camping areas/campgrounds to choose from within the park. Camping is designed for Rv's it seems but tent camping is easy to do as well. We had a small 'pavilion' type structure at our site over the picnic table which was a nice feature. Camping cabins were also a nice feature of the park we may utilize on our next trip :) We heard about people having issues with excessive partying/noise, but we were there during the week and didn't have an issue with this. Hot Springs were a nice attraction of the park as well.