Best Tent Camping near Cochise, AZ

Nice, clean campground, along the Mt. Lemmon Highway. Better for tent camping as there are beautiful, individual walk-in sites that are fairly private.

Tons of rec opportunities right from camp: hiking, mountain biking, etc.

We love Roper Lake. Great sites with full hook ups, no sewer. Group camping and tent camping available. Hot springs hot tub. Great hiking. Very busy in the winter months and during holidays. Early reservations required.

Everyone was super kind and sweet, restrooms/laundry center were very clean and well maintained. Tent camping spots are in front of the park, where the truck wash across the street can be heard prevalently. Cats everywhere are cute and sweet but I’m pretty sure they use the tent spots as their litter box.

We pulled in after dark and were gone by morning! We wanted somewhere to see the stars! It looked like a super clean park with paved roads, plenty of RV hookups and bath/shower house. We did tent camp. I wish we could have stayed longer to see the caverns, but this was just a pit stop on our road trip!

Tent camping, Cabins, RV Camping, ton's of hiking from various levels of difficulty. Kartchner Cavern's is the main attraction here. Call ahead for availability and tickets. But don't miss all the other amazing hiking trails and nature center. Also check out the other astronomy programs they have from time to time. Tuscon is a "Dark Skies" community that offers amazing views of the night sky.

Nice little place to shower, and relax. Lots of wildlife. Though I would say tent sites are a bit pricey, compared to all the free camping in the area. Extremely affordable for RVs compared to area though. Bisbee is a wonderful town and I’d def recommend checking it out while you’re around. An air bnb in the area would be spectacular!

Camping at Kartchner Caverns was wonderful! It seemed like the sites were geared towards RV campers, but tent camping would work out ok as well. The camping area was somewhat open, but the sites aren't too close together that you feel uncomfortable. The obvious draw is the caverns which could occupy a couple day of a persons camping trip. Because of this attraction, it does get rather busy but camping is still not disturbed too much.

Small campground with 28 level sites. All hookups avail. Tent sites offered dry or with electricity. $17.00 - $20.00. However, those sites are next to club house. We elected to take a full hookup site, although We only needed electricity. $27.00 + tax with Good Sam discount. 1 shower for all and 1 ea toilets for M& W. Nice club House with pool tables, TV’s, etc. Great wi-fi and cell coverage (AT&T). Great accommodating host, clean facilities, great views.

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.

Beautiful and unexpected. The drive getting there is pretty disappointing however when you arrive the land scale completely changes. We have camped here twice. The first time tent camping in site 3 which was good but not a ton of privacy. The second time in our 23’ travel trailer In Site 11. Super cool very private spot (next to amphitheater but with COVID nothing was scheduled) may not be as private when people are attending amphitheater. but this site is NOT intended for trailers, the site is intended for tents however we had the reservation for so long they allowed us to attempt to stay and park the trailer. We did but other ground was very uneven. GREAT campground, quiet, cool hikes. They have blue birds that look like the angry birds and they are a nuisance dropping twigs in your food and coffee and tormenting your dog if you bring it. STILL AWESOME.

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.

The Cave Creek Canyon on the western edge of the Chiricahua Mountains is a spectacular area that will completely take you by surprise. This cute campground tucked into the trees will charm your socks off!

Each site has the standard picnic table, bear locker, fire ring and lots of shade. The bathroom is a vault toilet, kept clean by the volunteer camp host, staying at Sandy Flat. This campground is rather small with just a couple small RV sites and lots of shade. Perfect for tent camping though. Great for warmer months, not so great for solar charging due to the shade, so we moved up the road to Sunny Flat campground. There are two small cabins available for rent near the forest visitor’s center, check with the Coronado National Forest, Douglas District office.

The area is a birder’s paradise and at certain times of year can get very busy. Great opportunities for hiking, biking and wildlife viewing throughout the entire mountain range. All the campgrounds are first-come, first-served.

There's not much in the area for food and gas, so come prepared. There is one small grill/basic grocery store down the mountain, but if you are looking for real groceries, shop before you come.

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.

If approved by congress, Chiricahua National Monument will become Arizona's fourth National Park.  While the current monument  is a compact area geographically,  it definitely has the uniqueness of a national park and warrants the added protections.  It will however make a very special place more popular, so you might want to visit sooner than later. 

If you camp in a tent, van, micro-camper, or small travel trailer you will find Bonita Canyon Campground to be a memorable and wonderful place.  Don't try to bring any big rigs as they simply won't fit.  Reservations are a must. 

The campground is small, beautiful, shaded and right in the middle of some incredible scenery providing easy access to the fantastic hiking and wildlife viewing that is all around you.  Hosts were professional and friendly, bathhouse small but super clean, and the site boundaries were mostly marked with fences which is somewhat unique.  This is an old CCC built campground.  From the campground you can easily walk to the foundations of the original camp located nearby.  

Pay attention to fire regulations and status.  If permitted, campfires are limited to the raised grills (no rings) but you can bring your own solo type camp stove. You will need to bring your own wood and ice.  Pay attention to your fuel levels in your vehicle as this is a remote place.  

This is premier birdwatching country.  If you can, I would highly recommend taking  one of the guided walks provided by the rangers and park biologists.  We learned a bunch and I am not even "a birder" and enjoyed it.  The nearby visitor center will have the details. 

The Arizona Coatimundi's are a very unique mammal and frequently visit the campground.  Deer, turkeys, quail, and other wildlife are in abundance and easy to see from the hikes.  The views of the night sky are unparalleled. 

A short drive away provides access to some incredible trails for hiking or simply viewing the surrounding Wilderness areas.  The rock features found in this area make it unique. 

This continues to be one of our favorite places in Arizona to camp and hike.

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.

Review of RV Boondocking at Cochise Lake Willcox, AZ

Cochise Lake is a fantastic boondocking spot with plenty of space, making it perfect for big rigs. It is easy to access, peaceful, and offers a great place to settle in for a night or more.

The real highlight, though, is the incredible experience with the sandhill cranes. You’re just feet away from hundreds of not thousands of these majestic birds. Watching them take flight at daybreak is absolutely breathtaking. Many return around 1 p.m., and sunset brings another spectacular show.

If you love birdwatching, wide-open spaces, and the beauty of nature, this spot is definitely worth a visit!

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!

Many hiking trails up the road from the campsites. Fort rucker is nearby to see a little bit of Cochise Counties history. Roads could get difficult from rain and snow so only use vehicles with decent ground clearance.