Tucson KOA Resort
Love Tucson KOA Lazydays!
Plenty of space, the best dog parks ever!
Gilbert Ray Campground maintains pet-friendly policies for campers with dogs, offering tent and RV sites where pets are welcome on leash throughout the facility. South Forty RV Ranch allows pets with a clean, secure environment that includes full hookups and a mix of back-in and pull-through sites. Most pet-friendly campgrounds near Cortaro maintain standard leash requirements, with pets needing to be under control at all times. Tucson - Lazydays KOA extends pet accommodation to their cabin options, making it suitable for travelers without RVs who still want to bring their dogs. Prince of Tucson RV Park features a swimming pool along with pet-friendly policies, though reviews indicate it functions more as a long-term RV park with park model campers rather than a traditional campground environment. The park includes concrete pads and asphalt driveways but lacks natural camping ambiance.
Free dispersed camping options with pet-friendly policies include Snyder Hill BLM Camping Area and Ironwood Forest BLM National Monument, where dogs are allowed but owners should pack out waste as these areas lack facilities. These primitive camping locations require preparation as they offer no drinking water, hookups, or toilets. When camping with pets in the Tucson area during warmer months, early morning or evening walks are recommended to protect paws from hot ground surfaces. The South Forty RV Ranch has a good mix of long-term residents and travelers, creating a friendly community environment that welcomes responsible pet owners. Many campgrounds report high occupancy during winter months when snowbirds arrive, making advance reservations essential for those traveling with pets.
$10 - $75 / night
"The scenery here is perfect for Arizona. Great views of Tucson Mountain and surrounded by all kinds of hiking trails in the Tucson Mountain Park. The sites are gravel and mostly flat."
"Fantastic place to stay in the Arizona countryside. Cacti everywhere! So cool!"
"Plenty of space, the best dog parks ever!"
"Large and shaded dog park area for the fur babies."
"The BLM land had several entrances. We went in towards the end of the road, but found the parking was more level at the third or forth turn off."
"This BLM property, right off the Ajo highway near Tucson, is extremely convenient for a short or extended stay. Anyone can stay up to 14 nights, free of charge. "
"However, watch where you step AND where you drive!!!!"
"It is quite sandy and has some mogul sections where the water flows have washed some of the trail away but overall an easy drive."
"Its location within the city limits makes it the perfect place for lodging while exploring Tucson, Green Valley, Tombstone and Tubac. "
"There is a closed gate at the entrance, you’re allowed to open it, just close it behind you. Not a ton of spaces to set up camp but very peaceful and quiet."
"There’s several spots and it’s literally next to Saguaro NP! It was a little muddy, but there were paths around the mud. Very private and nice."
"There’s a large flat gravel lot for RVs and a lot of tucked away spots between bushes for cars/vans/tents. Beautiful mountain views."
"If you want the environment you expect Arizona to be, this is the place. Plenty of spots to choose from, open to all types of camping. I chose to tent here, but the majority of people were in RVs."
"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."
$22 - $36 / night
"Spencer 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)."
"There is a lot of open area for my boys to run around and build a fort while I read a book next to the stream. Also it doesn’t seem to fill up as fast as the top sites."
$25 - $45 / night
"They allow pets and so I’ll be back with the pup."
"Only a few miles drive to Saguaro NP West, Tucson Mt Park, and the Museum. We highly recommend this unique desert oasis & hope to return on our next SW roadtrip."










Plenty of space, the best dog parks ever!
Very nice RV park. Clean and safe. Solar shades provide Clean power to park. Large and shaded dog park area for the fur babies.
for a koa this place was surprisingly clean, I have two dogs, but this koa had a dog park that i was able to take them to in order to get all of their energy out before the long car trip. I would probably stay here again
We just went camping here our first time last weekend and we had a great time! A very kid friendly campground, they had lots of things to keep you busy! 2 pools, a playground, game room, pickle ball courts, mini golf, RC car track, go-cart rentals, golf cart rentals, dog parks, activity’s for kids, you won’t be bored! Bathrooms/ showers were pretty clean and had a nice little store if you forgot stuff. 3 nice big propane fire pits by the entrance were perfect for roasting marshmallows. The BBQ Rush had great food if you don’t feel like cooking one night. Only $36 a night for a back in site with full hookups is a great deal! We had a blast and will definitely be back!
Most of Rincon Country West RV Resort is really for folks who are living them permanently or seasonally in their park model homes. Only in the far back corner is there really parking for JUST RVs.(Although even that"back corner" is probably home to well over 100 spaces.) So it feels like driving through a miniature suburban subdivision. It's location is in the heart of Tucson, so there's NO feeling of"getting away from it all" by staying here. In fact, your hear planes, helicopters& traffic. It's a city. But for us, spending 5 days exploring the area, it was a fairly central jumping off point for our explorations.
We had a"deluxe" pull-through site, which got us a nice patch of grass, a charcoal grill, a picnic table, good water pressure, clean electricity and a site with two different dump spots. There was cable TV available and wifi, but we just used my Verizon hotspot for streaming some Netflix and that worked great. We were close to our neighbors, but not TOO close. The more "normal" spaces near us would have put you in much closer proximity to your neighbors. For us, it was worth the extra$5 or so per day. (Having said that, the place really is pretty pricey.$70 per day is near the top of what we've paid.)
The place has many amenities, none of which we availed ourselves of. We were really only there in the evenings and for sleeping. But pools, sports courts of all kinds, several nice dog parks, rec center, auditorium, etc. etc. I would think someone longterm would find lots to do. The security here is pretty stringent, which is nice. We'd certainly stay here again.
Convenient location just off I-10. Had some great sunsets. Park facilities are clean but a little run down. It’s more of a mobile home park and RV park combined. Some permanent stationary mobile homes and some RV spots with lots of yard stuff that makes it look somewhat junky. Pull through sites are very close together but level enough with gravel and a patio pad with table and fire pit. Dog park is all dirt but large with fresh water. Laundry is $1.75 for a large load both washing and drying. Propane fill available. Workout room was minimal but kept cool. Cactus garden was nice.
We followed the website instructions to the campground(CG) by taking I-10 Exit 164B versus our RV GPS and Waze, which wanted us to get off sooner. After driving that route while staying here, we discovered that route would have been good as well. Check-in was easy and informative. We then drove ourselves to FHU pull-through site 1505 with a patio and fire feature. We maneuvered to get our 10’ sewer hose to fit between our two dump valves as the utilities are centered on the pad. This KOA is a true resort with major amenities, such as a pool, putt-putt golf course, pickleball, restaurant, and planned activities. At check-in we received a Tengo Internet WiFi code, so we tried it out. We were able to do sporadic email and texting. We used our Starlink the rest of the time as we were able to get a good shot of the north sky. We got 5 bars on Verizon. Water pressure in our site was good at about 50 psi. As we are dog people, we enjoyed walking our pups to the fenced dog areas and letting them run. In the front of the CG by the gate there’s a huge 1 to 2-acre fenced dog park. In the northwest corner of the CG, there’s another, but much smaller, fenced dog area, and then another even smaller fenced dog area around the corner from our site. They have a variety of sites with various amenities. As we have family in the area, we would stay here again. The next time we would get one of the sites with a fenced dog area, such as 1476-1479, which has a fire feature and a fenced Paw Pen around the patio. There are covered sites under the solar panels, but we would avoid those areas as pigeons are roosting above. Four RV techs were staying at the CG with signs in front of their campsites while we were there. The week in January we were here, we were able to get some work done on short notice. The CG website has good pics of their wide variety of sites and an expandable site map that identifies amenities. We are not normally high-dollar“resort” campers, but this CG was impressive.
This 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!
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!
Dispersed camping opportunities near Cortaro, Arizona provide access to desert landscapes at elevations ranging from 2,400 to 3,000 feet. The climate typically features daytime temperatures of 65-75°F in winter and 95-110°F during summer months, with significant temperature drops after sunset. Monsoon season from July through September brings afternoon thunderstorms and flash flood risks in low-lying camping areas.
Stargazing at dark sky sites: Spencer Canyon Campground offers excellent night sky viewing at 7,900 feet elevation. "The views are spectacular even if you are just coming for the day. You go from desert to full forest in the matter of 45min it is nothing I've ever seen before," notes reviewer Suzanne P. at Spencer Canyon Campground.
Desert hiking among saguaros: Trails near BLM camping areas provide opportunities to see native desert vegetation up close. "We loved the west-side scenic loop drive at sunset, hiking in the east district, and attending as many ranger programs as we could to get a better understanding of these desert giants," writes SwitchbackKids at Gilbert Ray Campground.
Bird watching in desert washes: Morning hours offer the best viewing times for desert birds in the washes and canyons. "The highlight is that you're among all of the beautiful saguaros next to a gorgeous mountain... Beautiful sunsets," reports Taylor at Ironwood Forest BLM National Monument.
Well-maintained facilities: Clean restrooms and organized camping areas receive consistent praise. "The bathrooms are clean, camp ground manager is very friendly and personable," reports rokett F. about Gilbert Ray Campground.
Proximity to services: Many camping options provide quick access to towns while maintaining a natural setting. "A large campground close to Saguaro National Park, Great views of the cacti and clean facilities," mentions Kate S. at Gilbert Ray.
Spacious campsites: Cactus Forest Dispersed offers ample room between sites. "Loved this campsite! The cactuses and shrubs provided enough privacy between each site for it to feel like it was just us out there, and shielded us from the road as well," writes Suzie K., highlighting the natural separation between camping areas.
Weather preparedness: Desert temperature swings require appropriate gear. "Weather was great in February... there were plenty of spaces left available for our tent," notes SwitchbackKids at Gilbert Ray Campground.
Road conditions: Many dispersed camping areas have rough access roads. "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 Susan C. at Ironwood Forest BLM National Monument Pump Station Dispersed.
Water availability: Most dispersed areas have no potable water sources. "Numerous dispersed sites along a two track dirt road on both sides of the main gravel road. Free dispersed, 14D limit. No water, trash, toilets or designated spots," explains Greg L. regarding Ironwood BLM camping options.
Wildlife awareness: Teach children about desert wildlife safety protocols. "Watch out for rattle snakes! Saw one right next to my fire pit," warns Eric K. from Snyder Hill BLM.
Swimming options: Tucson - Lazydays KOA offers recreational facilities for kids. "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," shares Lisa H.
Educational opportunities: Schedule visits to ranger programs at nearby national parks. "Beautiful loop to have kids run around. Can be a lot of traffic, in and around. Not ideal for little ones but still a beautiful place," mentions Ashley C. at Gilbert Ray Campground.
Site selection: Find level spots with adequate turnaround space. "Some spots vary in size so make sure your rig can fit. Also some more difficult to back up into," advises peter S. at Gilbert Ray Campground.
Dog-friendly campgrounds near Cortaro: South Forty RV Ranch welcomes pets and provides a community atmosphere. "I stayed at South Forty RV Ranch for a month and enjoyed it immensely. Its location within the city limits makes it the perfect place for lodging while exploring Tucson, Green Valley, Tombstone and Tubac," reports Shelley.
Hookup availability: Understand each site's electrical options before arrival. "We had a reservation April 25th-April27th 2025 here at this campground... We got back, packed up our campsite, trailer and left a night early," shares Hilary S. about a safety concern at Gilbert Ray, emphasizing the importance of researching site reviews before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Cortaro, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Cortaro, AZ is Gilbert Ray Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 82 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Cortaro, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 110 dog-friendly camping locations near Cortaro, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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