Looking to go glamping near Cortaro and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Glamping near Cortaro, AZ is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. These scenic and easy to access Arizona glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
Tucson/Lazydays KOA Resort is your desert oasis, featuring beautiful fruit trees abundant throughout the park, with plenty of good times to be had. The campground offers Pull-thru RV Sites with full 30/50-amp hookups, grassy luxury sites and NEW RV Sites with a Patio and a fireplace! No RV? No problem. Stay in one of the NEW two-bedroom Deluxe Cabins with queen beds. Whether you want to relax by one of the two pools, soak in the hot tubs, play a round on our nine hole putting green, or join in the fun activities, this KOA has something for everyone to enjoy. The completed installation of the two PowerParasols® solar shade structures now allows guest to camp, gather and even barbeque under a patented structure that produces clean solar energy. The structures shade more than two acres of the campground, giving visitors room to park RVs on 30 covered RV sites. Check out our NEW resort style activity park! Providing ample shade and sport courts to bring recreation, relaxation, family and friends together. Lazydays, a full-service RV dealership with a service department, is located next door. Other campground amenities include a bar& grill, meeting rooms, fitness center, three off-leash dog parks and complimentary Wi-Fi. Camping in Arizona is a breeze at the Tucson/Lazydays KOA. Pool: Open all year. Max pull thru: 73 feet.
This area of Mt Lemmon camping is located at the head of a shallow, forested canyon a short distance off the Catalina Highway. Spencer Canyon faces the city of Tucson and the Santa Cruz Valley, both of which are visible as a distant panorama through openings in the forest canopy. Spencer Canyon Campground has 66 sites. Each site has a concrete table, firepit, B-B-Q and bear box for food storage. A beautiful night view of Tucson can be seen from several sites. Spencer is rugged, rustic in layout and close to the hamlet of Summerhaven. Each camping area has clean, stocked vault toilets. Campground hosts live on site. Firewood may be purchased from the hosts. The Catalina Highway is paved, but it can be snow covered in winter when chains and/or 4-wheel drive may be required.
$22 - $36 / night
This small, sheltered campground is tucked away just off the Catalina Highway, along the rocky streambed that forms the floor of upper Bear Canyon. Campsites are nestled under a canopy of ponderosa pines, junipers and oaks. Some sites are located right along Bear Creek among large rocks. The Creek generally only flows during rainy periods or during the Spring snowmelt, but be vigilant of flash floods.
$10 / night
RV Resort 55+ community Cactus Country RV Resort is conveniently located north of exit 275, I-10, just east of Tucson, Arizona. Cactus Country accommodates nearly all forms of recreational lodging. Surrounded by untouched cactus fields, our park enjoys the peaceful ambiance of a desert oasis, while never leaving you far from the shopping and dining of Tucson. Whether you stay for a night or make your home here, we look forward to welcoming you to Cactus Country.
Legend
When spending time on the road many times you will find campsite after campsite that is welcoming but not quite like home away from home. But when you drive through Tucson, there is a mecca filled with winter bird campers and long term campers which create a home away from home.
With only tent sites available on the facility, we were fortunate to find a site, however when we arrived we were so excited by the facilities we extended our stay by a day.
Office staff immediately greeted us and let us know about the facilities, which happened to feature a mini golf course, an indoor events facility, 2 swimming pools and hot tubs, an indoor recreation area and multiple on camp fire chinineas. In addition there was a fishing pond and dog park area.
Each of the 4 campsites were considered to be regular campsites instead of upgrade sites but when we arrived it was the most delux sites we had encountered along the way.
Pad sites were large and the first to actually accommodate our large tent and the ground was u like any we had seen before at a site. The soft mulch was similar to that of a modern day playground and made for a much more comfortable sleep over the two days we were there.
In addition to the standard picnic table of most facilities, this campground offered a kitchen facility at each campsite including a large copper sink and food storage as well as electricity and overhead lighting in the pergola designed to allow shade from the harsh Arizona sun.
It was the closest thing to glamping we had encountered by far!
Then as an added bonus, fresh fruit trees abounded ready for the picking. The front desk informed us of the allowance to pick what you want as everything was in season! An amazing treat on the road!
We spent many hours at the pool facility, enjoyed amazing neighbors, used the wifi and even did a load of laundry while in Tucson. The facility really was like a home away from home on the road.
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If the scale went higher we would rank it more Bunnies. There were no real areas we could see for improvement. Staff was very accommodating, long term and short term residents of the facility were amazing and this was a desert oasis like no other!
Traveler
I spent my late-September camping weekend at Spencer Canyon Campground in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona. Overall it was an ok experience, but I’m kind of nitpicky. The campsites are a little too close together for my taste. There was some noise at night, but for the most part folks were well-behaved during my 2-day stay. There is a nice view of the Tucson city lights at night, although I tend to want to avoid such things while camping because it takes me out of the experience. The staff was friendly and helpful. The site that I had was pretty small, but I came too late to get choice of the bigger ones.
For those who don’t mind a somewhat tightly packed campground and a view of sparkly city lights at night, Spencer Canyon is a nice place to stay.
GuideSpencer Canyon Campground is a nice campground approx. 20 miles from Tucson up the General Hitchcock Highway(often called the Catalina Highway or Mt. Lemmon Highway). It is located approximately 3 miles past the Palisades Visitor Center and the entrance is marked well by a big brown sign as you approach. Phill and Denise, the friendly campsite managers will give you advice and suggestions about campsites that suite your needs. The photos attached to this review are from campsite#6, which is close to the Phill& Denise’s camper location and the highway- yes, we did hear road noise. Most campers chose locations deeper in the campground, but we were there on a busy weekend so most of those“deeper” campsites were occupied. All sites have a large bear box, concrete picnic table, charcoal grill and an iron fire pit. The picnic area of the site is level but the whole campsite is NOT so pick your location carefully if you want to pitch your tent on a flat, level plot. We did find some firewood left over from prior campers but recommend bringing your own, dry wood if you have room in your rig. In my observation, there is a rather nice, vessel toilet house strategically located to serve 6- 7 campsites. There is also a water faucet to be shared by 6- 7 campsites. Campsite#6 has its own faucet so others might also. There are 60+ campsites throughout Spencer Canyon and I would suggest that those“deeper” in the campground are more desirable. It should be noted that most of the campsites are close together, that is, about 50-75 feet apart, hence, my“... if you don’t mind company” comment. It should also be noted that Phill& Denise are really nice and helpful, the campsites are well maintained and clean, it is only 22 miles from Tucson and less than 6 miles from the mountaintop hamlet of Summerhaven, and is situated at approximately 7,900 fee of elevation. Thus, Spencer Canyon Campground is a great getaway from the Arizona heat and close enough to Tucson for a 1- 2 night weekend.
Legend
This is our new home for the next two years! Visited a few RV Parks in Tucson after accepting a job at the VA here and I must say we feel in love when we stayed here! The staff is friendly, the facilities are clean, and the long term residents are welcoming.
GuideIf you are looking for a traditional campground, this is not it. It's really a long -term RV park with plenty of park model campers. It does have nice bathhouses and exceptional laundry and pool, but you won't be roasting marshmallows on your 8 by 10 concrete slab next to your asphalt driveway. If you need a place to park your camper while exploring Tuscon, then it should work out.
ScoutThere is a good mix of long term residents and travelers here. Good, clean safe place to stay with our son and two dogs. My son LOVED the swimming pool. Not a fancy resort, but a very kind, homey environment. I would stay here again.
GuideRV park located in Tucson, AZ. Has sewage and electrical hook-ups.
Legend
This campground boasts several group sites, complete with plenty of parking, large gazebos with multiple grills for your group gatherings, and tent pads scattered throughout. The tent pads are not close together, giving you the privacy you need to retreat to your tent but still close to the amenities of the group site. Some sites are handicap accessible. A great place to beat the heat with family or scouts group. Hit up the town of Summerhaven for cookies and pizza at the cookie cabin.
ScoutThis site is actually about an hour further up toward Mt Lemmon. Search “Whitetail campground” to find it. All the roads in this area are gated off
GuideBig RV parking lot. Amenities you'd expect at a KOA park. Clean. Surrounding area kinda blah. Can hear highway noise. Onsite restaurant not great. BBQ tasted like it came from Sysco. Beans and potato salad were decent. Bar at restaurant. Staff friendly. Big rig friendly.
ScoutThis was a great place to call home for a week. Great amenities and the people were very friendly. We will definitely stay here next time we come to Tucson!
ScoutWe just stopped over for one night to use laundry and shower facilities while we were traveling north . Nice clean campground good for riding bicycles and walking, and a 60 mile loop trail around Tucson if you feel that way inclined. 
GuideThis place is incredible. Huge gated property with many different site options. Each site offers a metal table with 4 chairs. Some have playgrounds, private doggy runs, a fireplace, a sky deck, a covered patio, and many other awesome options. There are 2 main community areas. The larger one by the front check in offers a BBQ restaurant, a pool with spa, gym, laundry, putt putt, pickleball court, basketball court, corn hole, playground, indoor rec room with games and pool and other outdoor games. There is also multiple events throughout each day, some for kids, some for family, and some for adults. The second area has a playground, 24 hour laundry, clean bathrooms, a dog wash, and a pool with a spa that is still a very decent size. There are also multiple dog parks and bathrooms throughout the park. Phone service for Verizon and ATT are not good, but they do offer wifi. Very quick check in and quiet neighborhood. Huge property so not all of the spots were filled during our time in May, so we had empty spaces surrounding us. The spaces are not tight at all and very easy to park in. They have curbside trash pickup 24/7, so all you have to do is leave your trash on the curb and you’re good to go! Overall wonderful stay and highly recommend!
GuideGreat spots, all with a seating area. Fruit trees at our spot. As it is winter now in most states, people tend to stay throughout the winter. Come in the summer and they'll have covered spots.
We'll definitely will be back next winter.
GuideThis park is really clean and all of the employees are super friendly, and helpful. They have activities for kids, bicycle rentals, several small putting greens, and a BBQ restaurant, that will deliver to your campsite. The pads are fairly level and covered in pea gravel. Very easy to setup. We really enjoyed our stay.
GuideThis KOA is massive. It’s a little on the expensive side, but there weren’t any other campsites in the area that fit what we were looking for. I typically like to be in more primitive sites, but this was an experience.
Check-in was a breeze. Staff were super friendly and helpful. Our site had patio furniture and a fireplace, and we had some firewood delivered to our site. They have a restaurant on site that can deliver BBQ to your camp. It was amazing. Food and drinks were great, and it was nice to take a break from cooking for a day.
The whole KOA is filled with citrus trees. Sites are a little close together, but we had enough space for ourselves. Our neighbors were really friendly too. There were a handful of kiddos around, a couple walked through our site which we were okay with but if you’ree looking to avoid kids this might not be your spot.
Location is super close to the east side of Seguaro NP and probably 45 minutes from the west side. Lots of grocery stores nearby if you need to load up on provisions. Tucson sunsets are also just gorgeous.
Would maybe stay again if I was in the area and didn’t mind shelling out the dough.
ScoutGreat place for the kids
LegendWe have never been to a KOA before and 4th of July weekend was kind of a wild time for our first experience.
There were lots of amenities but because KOA’s are really really really full of families and young children—it was hard to find a time/ space to utilize them. At one point I counted 25 kids in the pool—not including adults.
The WiFi never ever worked but we had good Verizon and ATT service. Laundry was always full but we squeezed a load in. Bathrooms weren’t great- in the ladies room, the doors didn’t lock and they were always in gross state (not from lack of cleaning via management—just from overuse).
Our site was nice with a lime and olive tree on each side and a table and chairs. It was level and had enough space from our neighbors. We had a full hookup and everything worked well. Next door was a tent site and another RV on the other side.
The pools were nice including a jacuzzi and waterfall element, but just totally overrun. KOA texted us pretty constantly throughout the weekend with events we could participate in—for a fee. I’m not sure if this is standard or just due to the holiday. If you’re with a family, this is an obvious benefit for kids.
Seemed ADA accessible!Staff was nice and picked up trash from your site. There is also a restaurant and service center connected to the campsite. Restaurant not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Service center won’t work on a rig older than 10 years.
Honestly, it was a very different vibe from our normal campsite and boondocking experiences. I’m rating as a 3, because I don’t think that the campsite capacity matched the need (the whole park was only about half full and totally overrun at every turn.) If you’re a young or old single couple, I’d rethink, this is definitely a family spot geared towards kids.
ScoutThey have so much going on here. They restrooms are due to be updated which will add to the many amenities.
I stayed at a total of 3 site types. Both of the Buddy sites and one along the back brick wall with a concrete slab. Each had their own personality and flare and all provided a great experience.
TravelerSecond time here in one year. Great location and amenities. Sometimes you just need some downtime in a city.
GuideWe were worried about crowds here but the sold out campground wasn’t busy. The pool was wonderful for our kids and they had it all to themselves in the morning. Clean sites, they collect your trash, full hookups, nature pond, wifi, store, great showers, laundry… anything you needed.
ScoutThis was the first outing with our new camp trailer and we had a great time. The park is immaculate and the staff is very friendly. It is a very enjoyable and peaceful campground.
LegendLazydays KOA is well kept, clean and easy to find. We purchased our motorhome from a private seller nearby and we used this campground as our first night setup location. It's close to 3 Amazon lockers and the airport, it was very easy to get everything setup for our 1800 mile journey home. Their laundry facility is clean and has mulitple machines and a change machine.
ScoutMy favorite place to set up camp in Tucson, love the atmosphere.
ScoutGreat place
TravelerWe stayed here in early summer and were so comfortable in both an RV site and cabin. Wonderful. Staff great and the solar structures above most RV sites were great at keeping us cooler and happier! Best cabins we’ve seen in KOA Places. Nicest pool in a Koa. Super hot tubs and picklevall court. Wow. We’ll be back!
ScoutUnfortunately ended up stopping at this KAO do to having a family member ending up in the hospital. But the staff was kind and helpful. The gym on the grounds was nice and most of the times empty. The laundry room was very nice and machines work amazing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Cortaro, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Cortaro, AZ is Tucson - Lazydays KOA with a 4.6-star rating from 48 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Cortaro, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 glamping camping locations near Cortaro, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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