Best Dispersed Camping near Coronado National Forest
Multiple dispersed camping options surround Coronado National Forest in southeastern Arizona, concentrated in areas like the Dragoon Mountains and Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. The Dragoon Mountains offer secluded primitive sites along Forest Road 687, accessed via a challenging 10-mile washboard road from Tombstone. A camper noted, "It would be hard not to find a site with a beautiful view of the Dragoon Mountain ridge." Sites are generally spaced well apart, providing privacy despite the area's popularity with rock climbers.
Las Cienegas National Conservation Area provides several dispersed camping zones including Road Canyon, Empire Ranch, and Cieneguita. These grassland sites sit at higher elevations, offering cooler temperatures than nearby Tucson. The Empire Ranch area features wide-open terrain with distant mountain views. "It reminds me of African plains. It's a higher elevation grassland that makes you feel like you're anywhere but in Arizona," wrote one visitor. Most areas require a Public Lands Trust permit ($20/year), and rangers actively patrol to check documentation. Most roads are manageable with caution, though high-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing the more remote sites.
