Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Dolan Springs, AZ is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Dolan Springs, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Find the best campgrounds near Dolan Springs, AZ. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
"Tent camping/car camping only, no RV sites at all. The road is steep, winding, dirt with loose gravel 11 miles off the paved road."
"Tried to camp here on May 20, 2019 and couldn’t access the site because it requires a legitimate 4x4 with big tires. It is no joke."
"I just throw some blankets over it and instantly have shade. I tried to take it and fold it up and realized why the people before me abandoned it lol."
"It’s very isolated and secluded and it surrounded by trees. If you can make it you can camp and have A whole lake to yourself. Huge fish everywhere and cliffs to jump from."
"Did a day trip here, looking for other areas to be able to set up my mobile office. Awesome views, and half to full cell service/wifi all the way to the water!"
"The road is primitive and i had issues with fishtailing in the sand so take it slow. The campsite i found was simple and spacious. You could see the lake and it was gorgeous."
"Clean vaulted toilets and well maintained site. Each site has a table and fire ring as well as parking for one, sometimes two vehicles."
"Stay was in September and the weather was beautiful. Trees cover almost everything, there is a little creek, and plenty of opportunities to go exploring on hikes. Loved it!"
$80 / night
$99 - $299 / night
TravelerGreat experience. I arrived late at night and was still able to check in with a pay stub. Even though it’s mid/late November the weather was great! Just take a cool weather sleeping bag and you’ll be good.
This campground is reservable 15 days in advance, but if you missed that deadline, there is first come-first serve camping as well. There were many spots open when I came. When you get here, scout for a spot, remember your site number and license plate info, and then go back to pay at the pay stub center (at the entrance of the campground).
Its $20 a night to camp here. BRING CASH! :)
No showers, just bathrooms.
LegendWe landed in Vegas and headed straight out of the city to this campground. I booked it online, not ever having seen it in person, but I'd stay again in an instant.
We had site 23 - very shaded and "green" - site 24 (not ours) was very open to the desert.
There is a no generator section meant for tents, but we didn't stay there as it seemed fully booked so I picked an RV/tent site at the far end. And it was lovely. The site was in the middle of a turn around, so we were in the "donut center" so to speak and it was quiet, shaded and beautiful. Lot of palms and oleander that gave a lot of privacy. A short walk to the bathroom (hundred yards maybe?) but they were clean and the toilets were the flush kind, not pit kind. Drinking water was available too. There were fire pits at each site and a picnic table. Our site - and I assume most - were dirt/sand mix that made for easy tent set up. But don't count on getting your stakes into the ground. There were a lot of small rocks around the site - obviously used by many campers to "stake out" the tent with. We did so as well.
The campground as a whole was a short drive off the main road, but very easy to get to.
Absolutely I'd stay here again.
GuideDid a day trip here, looking for other areas to be able to set up my mobile office. Awesome views, and half to full cell service/wifi all the way to the water! Water was clear and could see decent sized fish in the shallows. Another start in the boon-docking sash! Only caveat is the trash! Come one fellow campers, whatever happened to picking up and leaving no trace?
LegendAfter 4 glorious days kayak camping along the Black Canyon, we moved our basecamp to Boulder Beach and spent a couple of days getting reorganized to hit the road further north. Since the wind was too strong to get out on the lake, we opted to bike along the path that runs next to the campground. This gorgeous path is well-utilized by area cycling groups, and they are some of the most courteous and safe cyclists we’ve ever come across.
Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and all the sites are paved and level. Don't normally love paved campgrounds, but the wind is so strong at times that it would be a total dust storm without them. All sites have a nice view of Lake Mead, but there is no water access to the lake from the campground. The bathrooms have running water and are kept clean and well stocked, but there are no showers. Water spigots are scattered throughout the campground and there is a sewage dump for RV’s. Most of the sites are designed for large RV’s, but there were some tent campers there as well.
Closest town is Boulder City, about 16 miles away, and has everything you need. There is strong cell service in the campground, and free wifi.
ScoutAlthough you can make it to the campground in 2wd, I wouldn’t take a car. SUV/truck preferred. Tent camping/car camping only, no RV sites at all. The road is steep, winding, dirt with loose gravel 11 miles off the paved road. Camp sites have a great view because of the elevation. picnic tables and fire rings in each site as well as many trash receptacles and clean toilets. no other amenities. Rough off-roading in the areas surrounding the campground leading to old mining areas. Awesome views, we went in June when it was probably 110 degrees at the base of the mountain, mid 90s up at the camp site.
GuideLet me start off by saying I made it to this spot in my Kia Niro with its front wheel drive. Not the worst dirt road I've encountered but very steep in some parts and I would not recommend going to this site in the snow unless you have 4 wheel drive, snow chains and experience. I didn't go in the snow but I could imagine. One slip and you're in serious trouble. That out of the way, this place is GREAT!
On the drive up you go through a sleepy little town half way up the mountain, the views along the drive are stunning. Bring plenty of supplies and know its about a 40 min drive each way to get more.
Lots of wildlife in the area, was a little concerned about bears in the area as it looked like they had some scratching posts right around our campsite (pictures posted) but didn't end up seeing a one.
May be pretty tight for a larger RV as sites are pretty small. Vaulted toilets were very well maintained. I will go back!
-Chuck
P.S. Don't forget, always leave the area better than you found it!
LEAVE NO TRACE!
TravelerThis is by far the best national Park campground we have stayed at. They have planted lots of trees in the campground for shade in the middle of the desert. So from the highway you come in at, it looks like a little oasis in the middle of the desert. We arrived on Wednesday and had about 3/4 of the campground to choose from. There were fire rings, picnic tables, and a trash dumpster, plus clean restrooms. There is a dump station and also fresh water to fill your freshwater tank. No hook ups, so bring everything you need. Highly recommended!
LegendRanger Review: Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios at Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV
CAMPGROUND REVIEW
Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground is located 14 miles east of Searchlight, NV, on the shores of Lake Mohave. The decent into Cottonwood Cove is quite dramatic (about 2900 ft), for which the roadside cactus can attest, as the types of cacti change even with the slightest elevation change.
The "lower" in Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground's name characterizes it's lower elevation compared to the "upper" campground, which naturally has higher elevation.
Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground is included in Lake Mead National Recreation Area campgrounds, and keeping with their custom, all sites are first come first serve. The Cottonwood Cove area has low elevation, at about 650 feet above sea level, which means it gets very hot during the late spring, summer, and early fall months.
Only a few of the 45 sites have shady cottonwood trees, and there are only uncovered picnic tables, so come prepared with a shade canopy for much needed relief! There are beautiful views of Lake Mohave, three very clean restroom buildings (no showers), water on taps, and fire rings at every site. There is an RV dump station located near the entrance to the Upper Campground (although the Upper Campground is closed).
The Lower Campground is situated behind a hill, which obstructs cell service. Walking only a short distance to the marina area, you'll find a strong 4G signal. The park service provides fee-based internet at the campground, but we didn't try it.
Cottonwood Cove has a full service boat marina, gas, motel, RV resort (with full hook-ups), watercraft rentals/supplies, sandy beach, and shaded picnic tables with BBQs.
Here's a drive-along tour of Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground: https://youtu.be/s6AQ6KqtxPg
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at this campground. It was a peaceful place, with jackrabbits, a couple of hungry ducks, many songbirds, and the stars at night were bright & beautiful. 4 stars (not 5 stars due to lack of provided shade).
PRODUCT REVIEW
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. While camping at Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, we tested Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios (model T51).
https://midlandusa.com/product/x-talker-t51vp/
Camping in an isolated area behind a large hill was the perfect place to review these radios. However, with the hill as an obstruction our range was limited. [Note: We also tried these radios at home, and our maximum range was 3 small neighborhood blocks. Perhaps to achieve the maximum range of "28 miles," you'd need to be on the open ocean on a calm day or out on a very flat prairie.]
Here's a video demonstration of the Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios:
https://youtu.be/ocCEzY-MgUc
As you can see in our review video, we compared the Midland radios with a very inexpensive set. Midland's quality is far superior.
The Midland's instruction booklet is easy to follow, buttons are easy to operate, radio is comfortable to hold, and the belt clip is very tight (exercise care unlatching to prevent breaking). And… the NOAA Weather Radio scan was our biggest surprise, as you'll see in this video:
https://youtu.be/nZvTipRcln8
The radios can be charged while positioned on the charging stand or via a charging cord plugged directly into the radio and to an electrical source (such as a portable power bank).
Overall, we are very impressed with the clear reception and convenience of the Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios. We are looking forward to using these radios during our future no-cell service camping, fishing, and hiking adventures. 5 stars
LegendOf the campgrounds I checked out in this area I found this one to be one of the nicer ones. Unlike some which had a lot of random garbage this one was well maintained and looked like those who stayed respected the area more.
Sites here were smaller than most but since I stay in a tent of course I had plenty space for my car and tent alike without struggle. I do not see this working well for longer rigs though that need a pull through that is much longer.
I had plenty of space between me and my neighbor and with some low level brush it stopped any of the brash winds from effecting me at night. I had a picnic table and fire ring, standard to most camping sites and that made for a perfect set up for me as I don't really need all that extra most of the time.
The weather was nice other than the wind when I was there so I didn't have any reason to need to plug anything in to keep cool but I do know I wouldn't even attempt to stay here after late May it just gets way to hot. Not to mention they do have a lot of snakes in this area when the heat gets to that point, so no thanks!
The night was quiet, I had read that there were a lot of coyotes but I heard none in the area instead only the sounds of someones RV making a humming noise a few sites over.
The bathrooms were well kept and there was water scattered throughout the campground which made it easy to access. My only complaint in regard to either of these was that the bathrooms did maybe need a bit of restock, but since I am always prepared that wasn't an issue. I would suggest also always being prepared!
TIPS:
Tent camping near Dolan Springs, Arizona offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning natural landscapes of the region. With a variety of campgrounds available, you can find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Dolan Springs, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Dolan Springs, AZ is Windy Point Campground with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Dolan Springs, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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