Best Equestrian Camping near Cottonwood, AZ

Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground offers equestrian facilities with direct access to the Verde River and multiple trail systems. The park features horse stalls, corrals, and designated equestrian camping areas that accommodate riders with their horses. Water and electric hookups are available at most sites, with ample space for horse trailers. The campground maintains clean facilities including water access points for horses throughout the grounds. Riders appreciate the well-maintained highlines and individual corrals at each equestrian site. The park's location provides convenient access to Cottonwood while remaining far enough removed to create a peaceful horse camping experience.

Trail access from Dead Horse Ranch connects directly to an extensive network of riding paths through riparian areas and desert terrain. Riders can explore multiple trail options ranging from easy riverside routes to more challenging paths into the surrounding hills. The Verde River provides natural water access for horses at designated points. Groom Creek Horse Camp, located near Prescott about 30 minutes away, offers an alternative with pull-through sites specifically designed for large horse trailers. Each site includes high lines or corrals for horses, with water available throughout the campground. The trails surrounding these equestrian campgrounds are well-shaded and suitable for various skill levels, though some sections feature hilly terrain that may challenge inexperienced horses.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Cottonwood, Arizona (22)

    1. Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    62 Reviews
    Cottonwood, AZ
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (928) 634-5283

    $25 - $70 / night

    "Dead Horse Ranch is a beautiful Arizona state park."

    "The forest was closed in Northern Arizona so I decided to camp out at Dead Horse Ranch SP.  I was pretty pleased overall with my trip. "

    2. Rancho Sedona RV Park

    40 Reviews
    Sedona, AZ
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 282-7255

    $42 - $84 / night

    "Nice RV Park close to Cottonwood and Jerome and only 30 minutes away from Sedona. Quiet area and well kept that also has Park Model cabins available."

    "Compared to another campground close by that is a little less but we had double the space and trees and a creek behind us. They’re very busy and we were only able to get two nights."

    3. Verde River RV Resort & Cottages

    12 Reviews
    Camp Verde, AZ
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 202-3409

    "There is an awesome pool and clubhouse, pickle ball courts, playgrounds and trails to explore."

    "Which is OK in the Arizona winter, but not when it is still hot. We were here when it as really slow, not sure what it will like when the campground is full."

    4. Verde Valley Fairgrounds

    1 Review
    Cottonwood, AZ
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (928) 634-3290

    $20 - $30 / night

    "There is a water fill station in a dump station nearby. Electric is only 50 amp or 110. You will need an adapter if you have a 30 amp rig. Electric sites are $30 and dry camping is 20."

    5. South Mingus Mountain Basecamp on Forest Road 413

    2 Reviews
    Jerome, AZ
    10 miles

    "Lots of hiking trails."

    6. Fort Tuthill Luke AFB Recreation Area

    21 Reviews
    Flagstaff, AZ
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (623) 856-3401

    $10 - $25 / night

    "All amenities are shared so we had access to a large playground, basketball and volleyball courts, the store, and the bathhouse."

    "Nice campground if you are staying close to conveniences of Flagstaff or to watch a concert at Pepsi amphitheater. We got a group site, 5 vehicles and 6 or 7 tents. We had plenty of space!"

    7. Williams-Circle Pines KOA

    29 Reviews
    Williams, AZ
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 635-2626

    "This KOA is very clean and has ton's of amenities on site, very nice showers and bathrooms, some of the amenities are mini golf, pan for gems, trails, go karts, peddle cars, playground, laundry room, store"

    "Lots of forest roads to play on near by as well if you have off-road toys."

    8. Canyon Vista Campground

    18 Reviews
    Flagstaff, AZ
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 526-0866

    $30 - $22 / night

    "It's remarkably close to the city, Flagstaff, but tucked away in the forest, it feels remote. We went in June 2019, and it wasn't crowded at all. The hosts were absolutely wonderful."

    "Good forest service camp close to Flagstaff. Sites are spread out and there were a variety of camper types there. Can hike or rock climb nearby. Price is now $26."

    9. Fairgrounds RV Park

    1 Review
    Prescott Valley, AZ
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 227-3310

    10. Yavapai Campground

    9 Reviews
    Prescott, AZ
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (877) 444-6777

    $18 - $36 / night

    "Driving distance or short walk to lake. No Verizon cell service."

    "Quiet with nearby hiking and biking even a little lake."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Cottonwood, AZ

3 Photos of 22 Cottonwood Campgrounds


Equestrian Camping Reviews near Cottonwood, AZ

218 Reviews of 22 Cottonwood Campgrounds


  • Thomas S.
    May. 12, 2020

    Verde River RV Resort & Cottages

    Close to I-17 but very nice

    The boss lady and I are full time and have stayed here multiple times. The staff and park are always amazing. The sites are level and most have a nice layer of rock on them.  There is an awesome pool and clubhouse, pickle ball courts, playgrounds and trails to explore. You are only 10 minutes from Cottonwood 30 minutes from Sedona 30 minutes to Prescott and an hour and a half to Phoenix. Passport America gets you 6 days at about $20 a night. Verizon and AT&T work awesome here. The laundry works on an app on your phone so no quarters to carry. Only downside is I-17 is way to close constant road noise when you're outside.

  • M
    Jul. 5, 2016

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Homebase for great National Monuments

    Dead Horse Ranch is a beautiful Arizona state park. It is also a great home base because it is down the street from Tuzigoot National Monument and close to Sedona and Monetzuma Castle National Monument. It is just outside the charming city of Cottonwood.

  • L
    Jul. 16, 2021

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Hot in July, but quiet and enjoyable

    The forest was closed in Northern Arizona so I decided to camp out at Dead Horse Ranch SP.  I was pretty pleased overall with my trip.  My campsite was comfortable and private enough, considering how close the sites are at this campground.  I had some shade trees to help keep my travel trailer cool but definitely needed to run the AC all night in order to stay comfortable.  The RV sites here have fresh water and power, but no sewer.  There is a dump station at the park entrance that is easily accessible when both entering and exiting the park. I enjoyed fishing, hiking, and bike riding while I was here but had to limit my outdoor activities to the morning hours due to the heat.  

    One afternoon I went into old town Cottonwood, which is only a couple of miles from the park.  It's a great place to visit if you're into antiques or wine tasting.

  • Jeffrey P.
    Nov. 25, 2021

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Very nice campground

    We stayed here for our first trip with a TT in December 2020. Water and electric hookups. They have a dump station. They have a lake to fish in and equestrian center to go on horse back rides.

  • Melissa S.
    Jan. 5, 2021

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Family favorite

    We are always pleased with our stay here. The park has so many different activities from hiking, horse trail, lakes and access to the verde river. We stayed in spot 97 this time and had some privacy with the bushes and trees from our neighbors. The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. There is a fun bike track for the kids or even adults up by the tent loop. Cottonwood is just a few miles and lots to do in town.

  • Tara S.
    Feb. 22, 2023

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Great Amenities, Little Privacy

    We pulled into our spot at Dead Horse Ranch as the temps crept below freezing. This was our first night ever in a campervan, and we were feeling very fortunate for scoring the last site with electricity. 

    .

    It snowed in the night (February) and we woke to discover that the bathhouse was heated with free hot showers. This, combined with dishwashing stations (again with hot water) and friendly campground hosts, made for a lovely stay at Dead Horse Ranch.

    The only downside was the lack of privacy between sites - fine for van or RV camping, but not ideal for tenters. 

    There are a couple of nice trails in the park, one leading into Old Town Cottonwood - try Old Town Cafe for their flaky croissants! Dead Horse Ranch is about 30 minutes from Sedona and fantastic hiking, which we took advantage of all three nights we were there. 

    Bottom line, this was not a wilderness experience, but Dead Horse Ranch provides nice sites and great amenities, and you can't beat the convenience of the location. 

    We preferred the Red Tailed Hawk loop to all the others, and really liked sites 57 - 64 for the views and access to trails.

  • Gonzo A.
    Jan. 3, 2025

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Great Park with Many Attractions Nearby

    Spent a few days here last Spring and loved it.  The sites were decent.  I was lucky to have one with a view but overall the site was decent.  There are quite a few campgrounds and a couple were up the mountain slightly.  Def suggest checking those campgrounds out - not much shade in those areas.  The Quail campground had ample shade.  Nearby towns - Cottonwood, Jerome - have lots of shopping, dining options.  Sedona is also not a far drive and beautiful.  Definitely recommend staying in this area if not at Dead Horse.

  • Vic R.
    Apr. 27, 2021

    Rancho Sedona RV Park

    Close to Old Town Cottonwood and Jerome

    Nice RV Park close to Cottonwood and Jerome and only 30 minutes away from Sedona. Quiet area and well kept that also has Park Model cabins available. Scenic River views and walks as well as views from the ECO lookouts on top of the hill above the RV park.

  • Reuben
    Nov. 2, 2020

    Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

    Lovely and quiet campground.

    We spent 3 nights here, using our camp spot as a"command center" for exploring the area around Cottonwood(including Sedona, Jerome, Montezuma's Castle, Tuzigoot, etc. etc.) We kept busy and were really not"home" during many daylight hours, but it was a great base to return to each evening. Dead Horse Ranch State Park has A LOT of camping spots, and can accomodate pretty much any vehicle. We were in a pull through site(31) that we really liked. The only surprise was that our nicely blacktopped spot was not very level...we had to put two blocks under the front passenger tire and one under the rear passenger tire. Hardly the end of the world though. One night we were there was Monday night, and folks were outside enjoying grilling and watching the game. But nothing ever got anything close to rowdy. It was a very quiet campground, and even though every site was full, and honestly, the space between sites is only about average, we never felt squeezed in or encroached upon. Every site has a picnic table and a grill. The electric and water hookups were fine(water pressure not the best I've ever had, but more than okay). Because it's such a busy place for camping, the two dump stations on the way out of the park DO sometimes have a wait. And one of them doesn't have access to water, which is tough when you prefer to also backflush your black tank.

    The park itself is lovely, but unless you like fishing, probably won't hold you there too long. It's more as a quiet, inexpensive pretty place to stay rather than a destination in and of itself. We walked around a couple of lagoons and enjoyed some bird activity...but I would say don't think of this place as the be-all, end-all of your trip. But you're 30ish minutes to Sedona, 20ish minutes to Jerome, etc. We would certainly stay here again.


Guide to Cottonwood

Horse camping in Arizona offers a unique blend of stunning landscapes and well-equipped facilities for equestrians. Whether you're looking for a place to ride or just relax with your horse, there are plenty of options available.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Tips for equestrian camping near Cottonwood, Arizona

Equestrian campers like these nearby activities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Cottonwood, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Cottonwood, AZ is Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 62 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Cottonwood, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 22 equestrian camping locations near Cottonwood, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.