Chinle is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Chinle is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Chinle camping trip.
The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department (NPRD) manages the Cottonwood Campground and collects fees for camping. There are about 90 individual campsites available and 2 group tent sites. Each site includes a parking space, picnic table and grill. There are 3 restroom facilities that include sinks and flushable toilets, but no showers. No hookups are available, but a dumpstation is located in Loop 1. Limited services are available during winter months. GROUP SITES: Reservations for group campsites are required. Sites are for tent camping only. No reservations are accepted for RVs. RVs: Sites cannot accommodate vehicles more than 40 feet, including vehicles-in-tow. Full hookups are available in the surrounding areas of Gallup, NM; Monument Valley, UT; and Holbrook, AZ.
$14 - $20 / night
$11 - $31 / night
$5 / night
Free camping, but entry fee required as well as a permit.
Camping is allowed in designated areas of the Navajo Nation. Permits are required and can be obtained through the Navajo Parks and Recreations website at navajonationparks.org. You will also be required to abide by the rules when camping and any violation to the rules is considered trespassing on Federal Indian Reservation. However we want you to enjoy Navajo Nation land, because there is much to see and experience.
$10 / night
The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department (NPRD) manages the Cottonwood Campground and collects fees for camping. There are about 90 individual campsites available and 2 group tent sites. Each site includes a parking space, picnic table and grill. There are 3 restroom facilities that include sinks and flushable toilets, but no showers. No hookups are available, but a dumpstation is located in Loop 1. Limited services are available during winter months. GROUP SITES: Reservations for group campsites are required. Sites are for tent camping only. No reservations are accepted for RVs. RVs: Sites cannot accommodate vehicles more than 40 feet, including vehicles-in-tow. Full hookups are available in the surrounding areas of Gallup, NM; Monument Valley, UT; and Holbrook, AZ.
$14 - $20 / night
Free camping, but entry fee required as well as a permit.
Camping is allowed in designated areas of the Navajo Nation. Permits are required and can be obtained through the Navajo Parks and Recreations website at navajonationparks.org. You will also be required to abide by the rules when camping and any violation to the rules is considered trespassing on Federal Indian Reservation. However we want you to enjoy Navajo Nation land, because there is much to see and experience.
$10 / night
Traveler
Plenty of spaces and happy to get one with shade on my camper. $20, no pass discounts. Reasonably clean, fairly quiet. No complaints
TravelerThis is a great central location to both the north and south canyon road. Self pay at the entrance, $20 a night no services. The park was quiet, well treed and clean. A number of bathrooms, older but clean and well stocked. Lots of garbage pails. Dump station easy to access with working black tank sprayer. Park was 1/3 full by the evening.
Scout
Juste pour vous partager ma mésaventure(Mieux vautêtre averti pouréviter les mêmes erreurs;)) 2 points importants: 1- L'indien Howard Smith(qui ne ressemble plusà la photo de son site depuis de nombreuses années) n'accepte les paiements que sur place en cash- Donc si vousêtes contacter avant, ce sont des pirates! Il est au courant, cela lui arrive régulièrement, mais il considère que c'est pas de sa faute, surtout qu'on est européens, et que les pirates sont tous desétrangers... 2- Hogan- C'est une aventure en soit unique. Mais si je ne pensais pas avoir payer d'avance, j'aurais fait demi-tour. Un lit de camps, une petite planche sur des parpaings avec un matelas qui dépasse... Rien de bon pour passer une bonne nuit en soit! J'ai regretté de ne pas dormir dans ma tente au final. Sachant qu'onétait 6 et qu'on l'avait dit, On peut dormirà l'aise sur ces matelas tachéà 3, pas plus... Les toilettes sont des toilettes de camping car. Le camping en lui même est idéalement situés et les camping car sont donc surement content du séjour.
TravelerBeautiful grove of trees. Maintenance people apparently not allowed to clean up bugs in bathrooms. Floodlights at night a bit bright.
TravelerWe came on a Sunday in July and there were only 2 other campers there. Very quiet, the only thing missing was electric outlets that only worked in 1 of the 3 restrooms, but that wasn’t an issue. Great place to camp if you plan to visit canyon de Chelly
GuideWe trully enjoyed our stay. Close to the sights. The campground is a little rough along the edges but the sites are great. There is a great hiking trail that starts at the campground and goes to the canyon. Howard the owner is very friendly and a wealth of information.
TravelerPaved roads and pads, picnic tables, picnic fire pits, flush bathrooms, water and sewer (1 per loop), all in a beautifully trees setting. Birds singing. Conveniently located near the visitor’s centre and at the halfway point where you choose the north or south scenic drive.
GuideNear the entrance to Canyon de Chelly Nat'l. Monument, it was ablaze with fall colors. Nice toilet facilities and spacious sites fairly far apart. No hook-ups so I couldn't give it 5 stars, but even then it was within walking distance to a restaurant at a quaint lodge.
TravelerWell-spaced sites under gorgeous cottonwood trees in bright yellow fall foliage (beware if allergic!). Basic services as listed, except no internet that we could find. Verizon = 3 bars. Ranger told me he's never seen the campground fill up. Great staging location for both North Rim and South Rim exploration. Private homes surround the park, fairly close. Stray dogs come around but were not aggressive. $20 for camper van.
LegendBasic campground run by a local with various sized campsite. There's a pit toilet. Nothing around the area and about 10 miles from town.
TravelerSlightly run down campground with clean bathrooms, flush toilets, no showers, no hookups. Dump station with water fill. The dispersed water fills not working. Close to visitor center but no views from campsite. Good shade trees. No problem getting site around 4:30p on a Thursday in May.
LegendSaw it in the wintertime so it was sort of barren. Functional. Okay spacing but not much barrier between sites.
Across the street from the Thunderbird Lodge which has a gift shop and cafeteria.
The true beauty of this campground is its proximity to Canyon de Chelly….wow, what a place!
TravelerThe campsite is quite spacious and quiet but at the same time super close to the Canyon and very easy to find driving from or to Chinle. We arrived late at night (9:30pm) and there was a lot of free spots. Internet works fast, there're tables and BBQs around. The only problem we had was that Dyrt GPS coordinates were wrong, but easy to Google the right place when in the area.
GuideWe were the only ones here in June. 93 sites bathrooms were clean flush toilets. $20.00 a night. It was quiet good shade with the cottonwood trees
GuideBased on reviews we were apprehensive about staying here....boy were we happy we did. Absolutely quiet. Nice shady pull through site. Campground was about 1/4 full. Strong 4g signal. Easy walk to visitor center. Only drawback were goatshead thorns....our poor dog couldn't spend much time outside without getting them in her paws.
LegendThis is a really nice peaceful campground at the entrance of the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Canyon de Chelly is beautiful and amazing and worth going out of your way for. Be sure to pre arrange with an authorized tour guide, if you want to go down into the canyon. We didn't plan ahead and didn't get to go down, though driving all the way to the end of the canyon (we went along the south side) was beautiful on its own. Just about each pull off has native vendors selling handmade art and goods.
$14/night (cash only!) for a tent site, and $5 for day use. Camp fee includes use of dump station and water fill, but heads up that the water is turned off for the winter. Dump station open year round.
There are flush toilets but no showers. 2 of the restrooms were closed for the winter as well.
Sites come with a picnic table and grill, no fire rings (fires not allowed here). There is no privacy or any kind of barrier between sites. It was not a big deal when we were here as there were only a few other campers, but I could see it feeling crowded during busy season. Some sites have a lot of shade and some are in full sun, so there’s something for everyone.
Heads up - this is Navajo Nation and there is no alcohol or marijuana use allowed, and there are loose dogs hanging out everywhere.
ATT had LTE, and Verizon and TMobile were roaming.
TravelerThere were lots of spaces available, and only at 20% capacity on a weekday. The price increased to $20 as of May 1st. Decent grounds, nothing beyond basic campground needs, but seemed clean.
ScoutPaved mostly level sites.
Hosts were very nice.
TravelerIts the only campground anywhere near Canyon de Chelly. Sites are not reservable. We arrived at about 3:30pm on Fri and it was about half-full. Problem was that half of the sites were blocked off (Covid?). We finally found a site in full sun (lots of shady ones were there but blocked off). 90+ degrees today... OK, we have a generator. We back into the site and get out to get settled and the first thing we see is a huge, active ant hill by the back trailer tire (had to go buy spray so they didn't get in the trailer). All of the "greenery" around the site was cockleburr plants. Of course the burrs ended up in our shoes and socks and therefore in the trailer. It's quite a sketchy area around the campground so we didn't leave anything out. They only take cash payment you put in an envelope in a drop-box. On a good note, it is very close access to Canyon de Chelly.
TravelerPulled in about 8 pm, you park on the edge of the road around a sharp corner. Walk through a fence and there is the campground. I saw trash everywhere including the parking area. The place looked like it had a huge party recently. Needless to say I kept driving.
ScoutWe stayed at this campground at Canyon De Chelly in a 35' Motorhome towing. No hook up but there is a dump station & potable water. Restrooms & showers are available & clean. Barbecue & picnic table at every site. $14 a day. They only accept cash. It was quiet & clean. Great place to stay and explore the Canyon.
ScoutThis campground has around 50 sites, about half of which are large enough for camper drive-in. Facilities include clean bathrooms with running water. The sites are pretty close together for my liking, but this is a nice, cheap campground for an overnight stop.
GuideArrived at 12:30 pm on Sunday, May 16 and there's a closed gate across the entrance.
GuideWe have a 28' 5th wheel and after looking at the potential spots, had to back our way out. There is no way to turn around. If camping here, I would have had to back my way into a spot. Scenic views a short drive or hike away but not an easy place to camp.
GuideI visited Spider Rock and met the proprietor Howard Smith 20 years ago. He is still there maintaining this spacious campground on his own. It is rough around the edges but you will be very close to the rim of the canyon and within a short drive of amazing access points via car and foot. The campground has no amenities and is covered with a layer of fine red dust, but we did just fine in our 17-foot Casita RV. Call before you go to find out about limitations as the Navajo Nation has been hard hit by Covid. Don't miss the hike down into the canyon to see the White House (named after the large cliff dwelling ruin cut into white rock). The canyon is breathtaking: red cliffs surround lush-looking pastures cared for by Navajo inhabitants but off limits unless you access via Lighthouse Trail, which offers limited access to the canyon floor, or arrange a guided tour.
TravelerIndian Route 12 runs north to south and bisects the wheatfields lake and the main campground areas. Overnight camping and fires are discouraged along the lake but people get away with it. There is sporadic night traffic on the roadway throughout the night and it is sometimes loud. The campsites are hit and miss. Some have old dilapidated picnic tables and along with sandstone fire rings or barriers. The roads to the campsite are not graded and over time roads have been created through campsites with no regard.
There are 3 compost type toilet facilities at various parts of the lake. No running water. There are some trash receptacles but most leave their trash in piles next to the receptacles because the chutes to the receptacles are about 12x12 and wont accommodate a large trash bag. There are numerous stray dogs in the area that take advantage of the trash piles.
Fishing: I have only seen small rainbow trout. Stockers from the Navajo Hatchery in Toadlena NM. There is no motorized access to the east side of the lake as it was blocked off years back by metal tube barriers.
Too many rude fishers and kids running around unchecked. Fiddling with your fishing area and fishing gear.
ScoutHad a blast staying here. Went fishing took my 12 footer aluminum boat caught a good amount of fish.
Camping near Chinle, Arizona, offers a unique experience surrounded by stunning landscapes and rich cultural history. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to pitch a tent or a place to park your RV, there are several campgrounds that cater to different needs.
Camping near Chinle, Arizona, offers a mix of adventure and relaxation, with plenty of options for families and RVers alike. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the beautiful surroundings!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Chinle, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Chinle, AZ is Cottonwood Campground with a 3.7-star rating from 21 reviews.
What parks are near Chinle, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Chinle, AZ that allow camping, notably Canyon De Chelly National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park.
