Campsites near Cortaro, Arizona range from 3,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, providing distinct temperature variations even within short driving distances. Nighttime temperatures in higher elevation campgrounds can be 20-30°F cooler than valley locations, making mountain sites particularly valuable during summer months. Vehicle requirements vary significantly between paved campground access roads and rough dispersed camping routes requiring high clearance.
What to do
Hiking accessible trails: Catalina State Park Campground offers multiple trails directly from camp, ranging from easy to challenging. "There are some trails in the park. We saw (and heard) coyote, prairie dogs, and a rattlesnake eating a prairie dog along a trail right behind our campground loop," notes one visitor.
Stargazing under dark skies: Cactus Forest Dispersed camping area provides exceptional night sky viewing with minimal light pollution. A camper reported, "Absolutely beautiful landscape to walk around with Saguaros and Chollas everywhere... beautiful desert scenery with view of mount lemmon."
Mountain exploration: Spencer Canyon Campground sits at 7,900 feet elevation and offers forest hiking unlike the desert below. "The drive alone is inspiring! With so many views, trails, and photo ops, you couldn't ask for more. But if you do anyway, be sure to travel to the top of the mountain for some fudge in the gift shop," shares a frequent visitor.
What campers like
Campsite privacy: Many campers value the separation between sites at Gilbert Ray Campground. "Has electrical hook ups and a dump station down the road. When night time came, the stars were amazing. No light pollution there with unobstructed views of the night skies," commented one reviewer.
Desert wildlife viewing: Catalina State Park Campground provides frequent wildlife encounters. As one camper noted, "The campsite was totally packed, lots of kids but a good environment. There are camp supervisors that keep the camp in line. But my favorite part was all the trails!"
Temperature advantages: Spencer Canyon Campground provides significantly cooler temperatures. "Beautiful campground nested in the trees on Mount Lemmon. Great escape from Phoenix. The breeze was amazing and the trees gave a lot of shade," reports one camper who appreciated the climate difference.
What you should know
Site differences matter: Campground sections vary greatly in privacy and amenities. At Gilbert Ray Campground, "Some spots vary in size so make sure your rig can fit. Also some more difficult to back up into. Great staff and clean bathrooms."
Weather impacts access: Monsoon season (July-September) can make roads to dispersed sites impassable. At Ironwood Forest BLM, "Watch for rain in the forecast…the desert floor turns to mush and you might find yourself stuck until it dries out."
Limited services: Most dispersed camping areas have no amenities. At Snyder Hill BLM, a camper explained, "No water, electricity, or dump. For $15 you can dump and fill at right on San Joaquin at Justin's RV park or there are free options in town (20 minute drive)."
Target shooting nearby: Several dispersed camping areas report gunfire noise. At Ironwood Forest, "One negative issue is the constant target shooting from adjacent State lands," which can be disruptive during daylight hours.
Tips for camping with families
Safety considerations: Tucson - Lazydays KOA offers secure camping with amenities. "Your kids will never complain of boredom here. There is an unlimited amount of activities to keep them occupied. Laundry room and showers were clean. RV sites were spacious in my opinion," reports a family visitor.
Wildlife education: Multiple campgrounds offer wildlife viewing opportunities. At Spencer Canyon, "The bathroom reading on bees is superb," showing that even basic facilities include educational components.
Heat protection: Shade is critically important when camping with children in lower elevations. "We were in site B48 - this site was at the edge of the loop so it was nice and fairly private - but there was very little shade. I probably wouldn't pick that site again in the warmer months," warns a Catalina State Park camper.
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: South Forty RV Ranch offers different site types. "I had a back-in site that had so much width to the side that I could set up my 'patio' with awning, chairs and a picnic table beside my RV, park my car along side that and still have room to fit another vehicle in, if necessary. Some of the longer pull-through sites were narrower, but used for big rigs of 35' to 45'+."
Level sites: At dispersed camping areas, finding level ground can be challenging. "The sites were huge, very big-rig friendly, and private. Additional signage for numbered sites would have been helpful, but it's not hard to find your spot using the power of deduction," explains a visitor to Catalina State Park.
Access road considerations: Check routes carefully before traveling to free BLM sites. "The washboard road getting to the coordinates is worse than the road within the dispersed camping area! There are a few good rolling bumps and small ditches but going slow will help," advises an RVer who visited Ironwood Dispersed.
