Best Equestrian Camping near Chiricahua, AZ

Various Oaks and Alligator Junipers abound at this cute little National Forest campground tucked in the Dragoon Mountains, another of Arizona’s beautiful “Islands in the Sky.”  Named for the late Apache leader, Chief Cochise, this campground sits at the base of a few absolutely gorgeous hiking trails and rock climbing areas.

Each site has a good amount of space but oddly a small amount of space for tents and RV’s longer than 24 feet won’t fit in most of the sites.  There is no privacy in between sites, but each site has good tree coverage (almost too much for our solar suitcase on an extension cord). Each site has a huge cement picnic table, fire ring, and grill and there are a couple composting toilets.  There was no drinking water available at the campground (the website says there is water), but there is a creek you can pull water from for filtering, so come prepared.

Important note:  If there is rain in the forecast, be aware that you may get stuck in this campground for a couple of days, as you have to cross numerous washes on the road to/from the campground. We were there for 3 days before it was safe to pull a small camper across the “death wash” that grew to 6 feet high and 20 feet wide during a 24-hour rain event!

So everything in Tombstone is pretty much a theme draw trying to get you to spend a little but I will say that when we found this campground it was a little chuckle because all the different rows are named for different aspects of the western world which is known to be Tombstone. ( Like Lariat or Marshall)

What wasn't old though was the feel of the facility which had modern amenities such as a pool and nice restroom facility. I can only imagine in this area things are highly competitive so keeping to theme but also meeting needs of campers is very important.

Sure it is a little dusty like the west, but you are in Arizona so it can be expected.

They do have rustic accommodations and cabins for those wanting to get the real old west feel and also accommodate both RV and tent campers like myself which was really nice to find out. In fact there was an entire row just dedicated to the good old tent hombres (lol, we will keep in the western theme as well).

Everyone seemed very nice around camp and many were exploring in town at night at one of the many saloons and even asked us if we wanted to come with. They do offer a shuttle service as well for those not wanting to get swept up in the attempting to find a non-pay parking stop.

We paid $25 but had full service at the campground which also included laundry and ice availability without having to get in the car to find a different location. That combined with the pool made it worth every penny!

TIPS:

• Remember everything has a price tag here so find the deals by researching in advance. There is one ticket for $10 that gets you a show, free souvenir and viewing of the diorama.
• Take advantage of the propane at this stop if you are in an RV!

Rustic camping paradise. Endless trails, with amazing sights at every bend. Stumble upon rivers, vistas, sunning reptiles, and imagine what its like to be a native, shaking up settlers and hiding from Colonialists.

I can't wait to go back. I went in March and the weather was perfect. Aim for spring or fall, and get in early to find a spot. There's always something available, but get in early to find the good spots, lots of them spread out! COCHISE IS THE BEST!!! Lots of rock climbing too! So much scrambling, bouldering, and trad and sport routes. You'll love it even if you don't climb.

We went here for a quick overnight and it did not disappoint. The campground itself is pretty small and would be cramped if full, luckily it was no where near full when we were there (late fall). The rocks of the Dragoon Mountains are amazing and wandering among them is certainly worth it. We came back another time and discovered multiple dispersed camping spots on the Forest Service road that veers off just as you cross the Forest boundary as you head in towards the campground - this is where we will camp in the future (no fee). The hiking is amazing - head to up at least to half moon tank to see water and amazing rock formations.

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.

Dog friendly hiking opportunities from this campground on the Cochise Trail. I recommend arriving during daylight hours. We left after work, and it was harder to navigate the primitive roads back to the campground in the dark. You do have to cross the stream several times to get the the site. When we crossed the water was 3-6” deep and a few crossing are over rocks (not pavement). We had no issues in our F250, but any vehicle with a normal amount of clearance should be fine. We saw several small SUVs/crossovers, small trailers, a dirt bike and a Prius.

It’s a popular place and we were lucky to get the last site available that night. There are also dispersed camp sites (also popular) along the W Hunt Rd loop.

The campground has pit toilets (with 2 stalls each). Each site has a picnic table, a nice fire ring and a tall BBQ grill. The sites are close together. No water, so bring your own.

We will definitely return to the Cochise Stronghold area.