Top Free Dispersed Camping near Chandler Heights, AZ

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Chandler Heights, AZ (39)

Showing results 1-10 of 39 campgrounds

Recent Dispersed Reviews In Chandler Heights

167 Reviews of 39 Chandler Heights Campgrounds


  • e
    Camper-submitted photo from Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
    Sep. 22, 2024

    Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

    Dispersed camping not allowed currently

    September 21, 2024: We’ve dispersed camped here many times in last three years, took a trip out there today and every dispersed access point is plowed up with very deep trenches not allowing vehicles or rigs to access. Sad affair with squatters taking advantage and leaving trash, there was not a soul in sight. Maybe they’ll reopen it later when it cools down.

  • Jim A.
    Camper-submitted photo from Saguaro Cove
    Jun. 13, 2024

    Saguaro Cove

    Remote Camping

    Takes a little 4 wheeling to get there or you can access it from the water.  Basic dispersed camping but gets a little warm during the summer months.  Views are nice and its a nice pack it in, pack it out spot.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Picket Post
    May. 22, 2024

    Picket Post

    Quick Night

    Good place to pull off in a pinch for free. You do hear road noise. Close to Arizona Trail, where it crosses 60 so you can hike both directions if you decide to, or take the trail up to the top of the mountain. Very beautiful area

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Cactus Forest - Park Link Road - S. Cattle Tanks Road BLM dispersed
    May. 3, 2024

    Cactus Forest - Park Link Road - S. Cattle Tanks Road BLM dispersed

    Remote, Private, and free but accessible.

    Remote, private, and free but accessible. Not a standard RV parking lot campground but rather several campsites with ample space between them for privacy, along an unpaved sandy road, just off a quiet paved back road. About 20-30min from gas stations, water, food, etc. It has no facilities or even pit toilets. Exactly what I wanted. This campground is aptly named as it is quite literally in the middle of a Saguaro cactus forest 🌵 along with many other different cactus species and wildlife. This location is tranquil and wild. I couldn't think of a better way to immerse yourself in the middle of this national park than this campground. It's a tight drive in if you go past the 2-3 RV sites at the beginning of the east side. I have a 2015 Toyota Tacoma with a roof top tent pulling a 12x6 enclosed trailer with standard wheels. My trailer made it through without scratches and at no point did I even think about four-wheel drive. A larger camper I couldn't speak for. It is quite sandy and has some mogul sections where the water flows have washed some of the trail away but overall an easy drive.

    Disclosures and warnings:

    There are three sides to this campground. The east side, west side, and North end. The West side is the most trailer friendly and most visited as it is where the GPS leads you. However, it gets worse the deeper you go in after roughly 10-15 sites. The east side you could probably manage a trailer for the first 2-3 sites. After that there would be no where to turn around and it gets rough off-road quick, like deep dried up sandy river bed crossings (month of May) and is more exposed to the sun with slightly less cacti than the west side. The North end is the most private and remote of the other two and the quietest. However, it is nothing short of a four-wheel drive off-road trail. I would not recommend anything other than off road vehicles in the north end and the sites are small, just for tents or 1 vehicle.

    There are almost no rocks to worry about on the way in but the cacti here are more than capable of creating flat tires so take care to avoid pieces that have fallen onto the road. Especially the Jumping Cholla cacti! They are the worst things you will come across in this campground and are everywhere, easily the most dominant species of cactus in this area. They have evolved to break apart into spiny segments when they make contact with someone or something to propagate. Sometimes if the wind blows strong enough they cover the ground around their base with a mound of their spined segments. These segments often roll or blow into the roadways. The spines are hard as stone and sometimes over 2 in long. They have evolved special reversed barbs that you can't see with your eyes on every main spine. They go into anything except metal, including Kevlar reinforced tire sidewalls like a knife through hot butter and then hook in and don't come out unless you rip them out. I rode my adventure bike through the campground to explore, lost my footing in the sand and fell against one of these. I had 3-4 segments stuck to my arm. I spent 10 to 15 minutes ripping these segments out of my arm, pulling my skin away from my body about an inch before they will rip out. Don't make the same mistake as me.

    GUNS! In my opinion the biggest downside to this campground is the almost constant gunfire all day long as there is a public shooting area on the south west side of the campground. If you are in the west side and you are looking southwest, there is a tiny little mountain ridgeline about a half mile away. All around the base of that ridgeline people are allowed to pull up and shoot at targets on the hill side. The locals show up as the sun just comes over the trees around 5:00 a.m. and they don't stop until the sun sets almost everyday of the week. They do however, quit at night so you can sleep.

    If you camp here you are IN THE desert. During the day is fine. You will likely only run into swarms of flies. At night however, is a different story. ESPECIALLY If you decide to have a fire on a cold night or set up a lantern near the ground while making dinner. I stayed here for 9 days straight and I came across 6 rattlesnakes (mostly sidewinders), more camel spiders than I can count (at least 5+ per night), 3 brown recluse spiders, packs of coyotes rolling through at night and early morning (watch your pets), and 2 killer bee swarms in the trees. All within the campground boundaries, so just be ready for rugged camping.

  • Patrick C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Box Bar Road Dispersed
    May. 1, 2024

    Box Bar Road Dispersed

    Fun spot

    This is a great spot and easy to get to. Lots of shaded areas. You can camp next to your car , wich there might be campers running generators, or you can hike towards the river and set up camp to get away from that. Close to the river with several walk in spots to play in.

  • Jacquelyn I.
    Camper-submitted photo from Box Bar Road Dispersed
    Apr. 27, 2024

    Box Bar Road Dispersed

    Easy Drive In

    We don’t have an offroad car, so it is always nice when the gravel road is well managed. No heart aches getting in and finding an open area to camp. I was pleasently surprised at the many little nooks of privacy that you could set up camp. Outhouses are well maintained. Bring your own water though and you do need to pay ahead of time, there are no pay boxes on site.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Dispersed
    Mar. 10, 2024

    Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Dispersed

    Enjoyed tent camping

    I’ve never been out here. Got a state land trust family pass for the area just in case we needed it. The cottonwood canyon rd is dirt/gravel and it is very flat and not washboarded. Cars can drive in. Just be aware that many of the pull offs from the road have dips or hills but there are also plenty of flat pull offs that lower ground clearance vehicles can pass. For tent camping finding a spot without a lot of sharp rocks and prickles from the various cacti can be a little challenging but it’s totally doable. Use caution when walking about between the cacti. Lots of prickles you can’t see well on the ground. Be extra careful if you have dogs. Probably want to have tweezers or pliers with you to remove the spines. We came out when it was covered in grass but I can imagine it might get pretty dusty if there isn’t any grass. There’s basically no shade to speak of but plenty of bushes/cacti etc for privacy. Very easy to find spots away from other campers on the weekend. There’s lots of gunfire and explosions in the distance during the day and at night. Many ATVs/OHVs driving up and down the main road at night. It got pretty much silent at about 11pm. There are probably a lot of places a decent way from the main road that may be quieter but there are no signs anywhere so you just kind of have to pull off and drive around. Camp was raided by quail early in the morning and we had some cows visit but they didn’t come too close. All in all pretty cool area will definitely come back

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Schoolhouse Point Dispersed
    Mar. 2, 2024

    Schoolhouse Point Dispersed

    Free Lakeside camping

    Pretty, dispersed camping near schoolhouse Point in Roosevelt lake. On the road down to the state campground there are two dispersed camping areas on the left easily visible on the left side, (the gps point may not be accurate, I made it after I left) if you pass both there's an easy turn around at the boat ramp even for big rigs. Some dips coming off the paved road but very easy access overall, might be tight for really big rigs. Probably 20+ sites at each of the two pull offs, most have fire rings and decent shade. Couple minutes drive to the boat ramp at schoolhouse Point which has bathrooms, dumpsters, and both drive in and walk-in lake access. Currently (as of 3/24) no potable water even at the paid campground at the end of the road, you can either pump from the lake if you have a filter or Tonto national monument about 10min up the road has a water spigot before the pay gate. 14 day limit per usual for national forests but a really lovely spot to call home for a while! Lots of great hiking nearby as well as swimming and boating on the lake

  • S
    Camper-submitted photo from Dispersed Site Near Tonto National Forest
    Feb. 6, 2024

    Dispersed Site Near Tonto National Forest

    Area Closed now due to "homeless problems"

    I live in the area and the BLM finally closed this area along with other areas nearby due to junk, abandoned vehicles, vicious dogs etc. It will become the Apache Junction and Goldfield Recreation area. Closed completely for 2 yr for vegetation restoration and when it reopens it will provide residents with OHV and Horse trails along with Staging areas.

  • Danny T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from BLM Sonoran Desert National Monument - Vekol Road Dispersed Camping Area
    Jan. 24, 2024

    BLM Sonoran Desert National Monument - Vekol Road Dispersed Camping Area

    Nice spot. Few issues

    January visit Rv 23ft Easy to find.
    Good cell service Overall it’s a decent spot with a few issues. Several of the spots were trash dumps. We were able to find other spots that were clean though. Spots are just off the road so you’re not real far away from the other campers but we really didn’t hear a thing from anyone. That said , there is a military base close by and jets fly over a few times a day and are real loud. We didn’t mind this but some people may. We also had a couple of helicopters dj a low pass one evening.
    The mountains around the area are very pretty.

    This spot is not real remote so you are close to the freeway and will hear some trucks occasionally.
    There are signs warning of illegal immigrants and that but we didn’t see or hear of any issues.

    Update to this review. We didn’t go as far down the road due to some standing water etc. however , go further down the road to find the better spots that are more remote. Most rvs and big rigs can make it really far down this road There is a few private property signs. Go past those TK the next set of camp sites.

  • J
    Camper-submitted photo from Apache Trail North Camp
    Jan. 9, 2024

    Apache Trail North Camp

    Superstition Dispersed

    There’s a hill north of this spot that we camped on. Some power lines in the way, but generally a great view. Not intense off reading or anything, but not suitable for trailers. Very exposed area so be ready for wind.



Guide to Chandler Heights

Camping near Chandler Heights, Arizona, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly spot or a place to park your RV, there are plenty of options to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Biking: The trails around Lost Dutchman State Park Campground are perfect for both hiking and biking. One camper mentioned, "Loved staying at Lost Dutchman. We are full-time in our RV, stayed for a full week and had access to the bathrooms, showers, dump & fill stations."
  • Off-Roading: If you’re into off-roading, Usery Mountain Regional Park has mountain bike trails that are a blast. A visitor shared, "There are mountain bike trails connected to this campground that were very fun!"
  • Water Activities: For those who enjoy water sports, Canyon Lake Marina & Campground is right on the lake. One reviewer said, "You can launch your boat and then bring it to the campsite and tie off for easy access."

What campers like:

  • Scenic Views: Campers rave about the views at McDowell Mountain Regional Park. A visitor noted, "Gorgeous views, very spaced out sites, and access to great mountain biking and hiking trails."
  • Clean Facilities: Many appreciate the cleanliness of the campgrounds. A reviewer at Mesa-Apache Junction KOA said, "The place was impeccably maintained."
  • Friendly Atmosphere: Campgrounds like Eagle View RV Resort at Fort McDowell are known for their welcoming vibe. One camper mentioned, "We have met great people here and enjoy that you can walk or bike ride directly from the RV Park."

What you should know:

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping, have minimal facilities. A camper warned, "The road is in the worst condition... it was impossible to get through."
  • Busy Weekends: Expect crowds on weekends, especially at popular spots like Canyon Lake Marina & Campground. One visitor noted, "Been staying here off and on for over a decade. Great place to hang out with the family."
  • Wildlife: Be prepared for wildlife encounters. A camper at Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping mentioned, "We saw wild horses, woodpeckers, and heard the distant coyotes carrying on."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for spots like Usery Mountain Regional Park, which has trails suitable for all ages. A family camper said, "There are tons of trails and the views are awesome."
  • Plan for Activities: Bring bikes or hiking gear to keep everyone entertained. One reviewer at Lost Dutchman State Park Campground noted, "There is plenty to see around the area."
  • Pack Snacks and Drinks: Having refreshments on hand can make a big difference. A camper at Tortilla Campground mentioned, "Beautiful surroundings and a great value."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Hookups: Make sure your chosen campground has the necessary hookups. A visitor at Picacho-Tucson NW KOA said, "Big roomy level spaces, we had a premium spot."
  • Be Mindful of Noise: Some campgrounds can be noisy due to nearby roads or trains. A camper at Mesa-Apache Junction KOA noted, "A bit noisy at night from traffic but almost all campgrounds are."
  • Plan for Dump Stations: If you’re staying longer, check for dump stations. A camper at Canyon Lake Marina & Campground mentioned, "They have a truck that will come pump your tank for a small fee."

Camping near Chandler Heights, Arizona, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the beautiful surroundings!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Chandler Heights, AZ?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Chandler Heights, AZ is Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance with a 3.7-star rating from 26 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Chandler Heights, AZ?

    TheDyrt.com has all 39 dispersed camping locations near Chandler Heights, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.