Looking for an adventure where you can explore Elgin and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Elgin. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Arizona tent camping excursion.
The story of Saguaro National Park dates back much farther than its establishment in 1994. Prior to this, the area was designated a national monument in 1933 as a way to preserve the unique Sonoran Desert landscapes of the Tucson and Rincon mountain districts. This saved the area from the ranchers and miners who settled in the area in the 1880s. These followed the Spanish explorers who established a military fort in Tucson in the 1770s, nearly a century after founding a mission in the ares in the 1690s. Petroglyphs and potshards indicate that the Hohokam peoples inhabited the area for more than a millennium prior to the Spanish. Travel back even farther, and there’s a complex geologic history of exactly how the landscape came into being—and why it’s worth preserving.
Camping in Saguaro is like entering a time machine. With no campgrounds in the park accessible by vehicle, the only way to camp is to hike in to any of the six designated campgrounds. The trails to get to the campgrounds typically start from developed roads and trailheads, but venture deep into the Sonoran backcountry, where only the rocks, plants, and animals tell the story of a landscape that’s changed little—with the exception of who’s occupied it—for the past several thousand years. One of the more popular campsites for those looking to bag 8,482-foot Rincon Peak, is the Happy Valley Saddle, which lies in a grove of scrubby pine and juniper forest, about halfway along the hike to the peak.
This small campsite is located on the east end of the Rincon Mountain District. The campsite is accessible via a 3.9-mile trail that climbs 2,000 feet from the Miller Creek Trailhead. The road to this trailhead is not maintained, so may not be passable by passenger vehicles, or following inclement weather. The site offers three spaces for pitching tents. The water supply at nearby Miller Creek is seasonal at best, so visitors should plan accordingly. There are no facilities here, so hikers should exercise Leave No Trace and pack-it-in-pack-it-out practices. Camping in the Saguaro Wilderness backcountry requires a park-issued wilderness permit, which can be acquired in person at the park visitor center, or by submitting an application in advance.
$8 / night
Mountain range within the Nogales Ranger District which lies just west of Interstate 19 and extends southward to the International border.
You may camp outside of developed areas across most of the Coronado National Forest at no charge. We recommend that you stop in to one of our five ranger stations to pick up a free travel management map so that you are aware where vehicles are and are not permitted.
Potable water, restrooms, and other amenities are not available at dispersed sites. If you choose to camp outside developed areas, be sure to bring adequate water or be prepared to purify any water source before drinking. No permits are required to camp in wilderness areas.
The Coronado National Forest has a 14-day stay limit on all camping. Areas designated as “Day Use Only” are limited to posted hours, no overnight use.
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
In 1884, Levi Manning emigrated from Mississippi to Tucson, Arizona, and after some years established L.H. Manning and Company. He later expanded his business interests with ranching and acquired a 160-acre homestead in the Rincon Mountains. There, at an elevation of 8,000 feet, amid pine forest near a perennial spring, he selected a site for what would become his family’s summer home. Manning hired local workers to build an 11-mile wagon road to the site, which was used to transport the tools and materials used to construct his remote, five-room retreat. However, Manning would only enjoy his mountain getaway for a couple summers before his homestead was absorbed into the newly-formed Coronado National Forest in 1907. For the next half-century, the Manning Cabin was used mostly by Forest Service fire and trail crews. During this time, it went through various states of disrepair and reconstruction. From the late 1950s until the late 1970s, the cabin was largely abandoned until it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. One again restored and back in operation, the Manning Cabin serves as a base for area research and backcountry rangers. The cabin is not open to the public, but visitors can hike to the cabin and pitch their tents in the nearby Manning Camp. This small campground has six tent sites that can accommodate up to six people each. Camping here requires obtaining a Saguaro National Park backcountry permit, which can be acquired at a park visitor center, or by mailing in a request form in advance. There are several hiking trails that can be used to get to Manning Camp. All are long, and all are difficult. The trail from Happy Valley is 9.8 miles (one-way), and gains a total of 4,700 feet of elevation. This trail starts at the Miller Creek trailhead, near the eastern border of the park, and requires driving an unmaintained forest road; 4WD and/or a high-clearance vehicle are recommended. From the Loma Alta trailhead, in the southwest corner of the Rincon Mountain Unit, the route is 13.5 miles (one-way), and gains more than 5,700 feet of elevation. The trails to Manning Camp climb through a mix of desert scrub, oak woodlands and conifer forests. This area is home to black bears and mountain lions; store all food in the camp’s bear-proof lockers. Hikers should follow LNT guidelines, and treat all backcountry water sources.
Part of Sierra Vista Ranger District
Reservation and permit required
Traveler
Very Awesome Resort, very clean site Enjoy my tent site. Friendly staff da Bar n Grill was great. Very clean bathrooms and showers!!!
Guide
Nice, clean campground, along the Mt. Lemmon Highway. Better for tent camping as there are beautiful, individual walk-in sites that are fairly private.
Tons of rec opportunities right from camp: hiking, mountain biking, etc.
Scout
Super cheap. The sites and restrooms needs some tlc. We were the only ones in the tent camping area which was a plus. This campground is good if you r doing tours in the day or just need a trip to get out.
Legend
We pulled in after dark and were gone by morning! We wanted somewhere to see the stars! It looked like a super clean park with paved roads, plenty of RV hookups and bath/shower house. We did tent camp. I wish we could have stayed longer to see the caverns, but this was just a pit stop on our road trip!
RangerTent camping, Cabins, RV Camping, ton's of hiking from various levels of difficulty. Kartchner Cavern's is the main attraction here. Call ahead for availability and tickets. But don't miss all the other amazing hiking trails and nature center. Also check out the other astronomy programs they have from time to time. Tuscon is a "Dark Skies" community that offers amazing views of the night sky.
Traveler
This USDA Forest Service campground is a very nice one. Nicely laid out sites, well maintained bathrooms. It’s easy to walk to the lake from the lowest tent sites. We stayed here in fall, and imagine it’s heavily used in summer. There’s a great trail around the lake. $20 as of November 2020.
Legend
This sky island campground in Mt Lemmon is perfect for a quick weekend getaway from Tucson. The weather here is 10-15 degrees cooler than the city. This campground is small, with tent sites tucked away between pine trees. A vaulted bathroom is at the center of the parking lot.
Traveler
This place is perfect for dry camping a short distance from historic Main Street Tombstone. There were no amenities, so be prepared! You cannot beat the price! For car/tent camping there are some private spaces with a little shade and evidence of past campfires. Be sure to stay to the left of the sign to go into the lower camping area. Pay your 10 bucks at the drop box.
LegendCamping at Kartchner Caverns was wonderful! It seemed like the sites were geared towards RV campers, but tent camping would work out ok as well. The camping area was somewhat open, but the sites aren't too close together that you feel uncomfortable. The obvious draw is the caverns which could occupy a couple day of a persons camping trip. Because of this attraction, it does get rather busy but camping is still not disturbed too much.
Guide
Nice little place to shower, and relax. Lots of wildlife. Though I would say tent sites are a bit pricey, compared to all the free camping in the area. Extremely affordable for RVs compared to area though. Bisbee is a wonderful town and I’d def recommend checking it out while you’re around. An air bnb in the area would be spectacular!
Scout
Patagonia Lake Campground is well maintained. Very busy in the Winter months so you must make reservations well in advance. The visitor center is great if you have children, they have all kinds of activities for kids, and a junior ranger program. The RV spots are full hookups no sewer but there is dump station there on the premises. They have tent camping right by the lake as well. Cabins will be completed in October 2018. Staff very friendly and the grounds are well maintained. One of our favorites.
GuideSmall campground with 28 level sites. All hookups avail. Tent sites offered dry or with electricity. $17.00 - $20.00. However, those sites are next to club house. We elected to take a full hookup site, although We only needed electricity. $27.00 + tax with Good Sam discount. 1 shower for all and 1 ea toilets for M& W. Nice club House with pool tables, TV’s, etc. Great wi-fi and cell coverage (AT&T). Great accommodating host, clean facilities, great views.
LegendFun place to spend a couple nights :) The camping area seems designed with RV campers in mind, but tent camping is possible as well. I would say the sites a a bit close together for my taste, but still manageable. Site #16 treated us well! The amenities were very nice and clean! A nice feature is the lake and boat rental within the park. Bird watching is very popular here we learned as we talked to others at the park. (There are also a few boat in camping site, which seems like it would be a fun adventure! We did not explore this on our visit.)
Legend
This is an ok rv park. It’s not fancy. But it has what we need. We have reservations for a month. Had planned to stay at RV park down the road, but they didn’t have a working shower, and we didn’t think we could go a month without, This park has 72 pull through sites, water, 30/50 amp electric, and sewer. Monthly sites charge extra for electricity. There are 2 bathrooms/showers which are passable. There is a big dog run, and a small one for small dogs. They have laundry and an exercise room. Internet is spotty. There are a few tent sites. There is an RV service and sales facilities adjacent to the park
Scout
Made my reservation a couple days ago for a tent camping spot, but I have my Yukon set up as a sleeper currently. They informed me as I was checking in (it’s not listen on the site anywhere) that they don’t allow people sleeping in their cars. When I brought up that it wasn’t posted anywhere on the site and when I stayed in a KOA the night before and slept in my car, they worker informed me she wasn’t the manager so she couldn’t do anything about it. She was polite and was concerned about where I would be staying and offered to upgrade me to a cabin that I would have to pay for.
Updated :
After emailing the owner, my deposit was refunded in a extremely timely manner
Ranger
What this campground lacks in amenities, it makes up for in its’ superb environment. Long grass, Mountain mahogany, pinion, oak,sycamore and juniper trees create a habitat for over 100 bird varieties and species. Deer roam around inside the campground perimeter and hiking trails lead directly out to miles of Mountain trails including to the top of 9427’ Mt. Wrightson.
There are only seven back in or curb side sites, and five walk in tent sites. All have water, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a building with pít toilets.
This is not a place for big rigs or glampers.
There is a lodgings nearby where an array of feeders attracts dozens of birds for Public viewing and where there is also a gift shop.
LegendGeneral: Large KOA campground laid out in typical RV style with no privacy/separation between sites. There is every imaginable kind of site here from tent sites (with water and electric) to back-in sites with water and electric to FHU sites, some with covered sites to sites with private pet areas or play structures. There are also cabins sprinkled throughout.
Site Quality: Most sites are gravel; some have grass. All are level. Amenities vary per site. Ours had a round table with four chairs (in lieu of a picnic table)
Bath/Shower: In okay condition but then I saw a sign that they were scheduled to be remodeled a few months after our stay.
Activities: There are so many offerings including two pools, a hot tub, a fitness center, corn hole, putting green, basketball, and bike/surrey rentals. Also a daily “schedule of fun” with daily classes including Zumba and yoga, arts and crafts, bingo, etc.
Other amenities: On-site restaurant (delivery to your camper available), laundry, little lending library, pet wash.
This campground is located in a less desirable part of Tucson with very few (if any) grocery stores, restaurants, etc. nearby. There is nothing scenic about the area and the campground is located on a busy street so you will hear road noise (and an occasional train). While we appreciated all the amenities, we prefer campgrounds with more privacy and scenery. This was a last-minute reservation when our plans changed and worked for an overnight stay.
LegendWhen 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!
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.
TravelerWe arrived on a Wednesday afternoon in late February and were pleasantly surprised to find this first come, first serve campground nearly empty. We drove toward the back of the campground to explore open sites and selected walk up site 23. Perched away from the road and surrounding campsites with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountainside. Equipped with a large bear locker, table, fire ring, lantern post and flat open space to pitch our tent.
Conveniently located a short walk to the restroom, which was very clean.
On our first night we walked down to the empty group site to pick up part of the Arizona Trail for a quick hike before dinner.
This campground is a great base location to explore. One morning we did the Sky Island Scenic Byway to the top of Mt. Lemmon and visited the cute little general store to grab souvenir stickers for the kids. In the afternoon we drove the 30 minutes to Saguaro National Park East which was the highlight of this trip.
Legend
So everything in Tombstone is pretty much a theme draw trying to get you to spend a little but I will say that when we found this campground it was a little chuckle because all the different rows are named for different aspects of the western world which is known to be Tombstone. ( Like Lariat or Marshall)
What wasn't old though was the feel of the facility which had modern amenities such as a pool and nice restroom facility. I can only imagine in this area things are highly competitive so keeping to theme but also meeting needs of campers is very important.
Sure it is a little dusty like the west, but you are in Arizona so it can be expected.
They do have rustic accommodations and cabins for those wanting to get the real old west feel and also accommodate both RV and tent campers like myself which was really nice to find out. In fact there was an entire row just dedicated to the good old tent hombres (lol, we will keep in the western theme as well).
Everyone seemed very nice around camp and many were exploring in town at night at one of the many saloons and even asked us if we wanted to come with. They do offer a shuttle service as well for those not wanting to get swept up in the attempting to find a non-pay parking stop.
We paid $25 but had full service at the campground which also included laundry and ice availability without having to get in the car to find a different location. That combined with the pool made it worth every penny!
TIPS:
Legend
Various Oaks and Alligator Junipers abound at this cute little National Forest campground tucked in the Dragoon Mountains, another of Arizona’s beautiful “Islands in the Sky.” Named for the late Apache leader, Chief Cochise, this campground sits at the base of a few absolutely gorgeous hiking trails and rock climbing areas.
Each site has a good amount of space but oddly a small amount of space for tents and RV’s longer than 24 feet won’t fit in most of the sites. There is no privacy in between sites, but each site has good tree coverage (almost too much for our solar suitcase on an extension cord). Each site has a huge cement picnic table, fire ring, and grill and there are a couple composting toilets. There was no drinking water available at the campground (the website says there is water), but there is a creek you can pull water from for filtering, so come prepared.
Important note: If there is rain in the forecast, be aware that you may get stuck in this campground for a couple of days, as you have to cross numerous washes on the road to/from the campground. We were there for 3 days before it was safe to pull a small camper across the “death wash” that grew to 6 feet high and 20 feet wide during a 24-hour rain event!
LegendThe sites are first come, first served but we didn’t have any issues finding a spot during the winter. Our site had plenty of space for 2 vehicles, 1x 3-person tent and 3x 1-person tents. The sites are well shaded with trees and each site has a fire pit and bear box.
Lots of hiking trails available. Since it’s a wilderness area, they are all pet friendly. It is the perfect getaway from Tucson.
The Ranger and camp host we meet were super friendly!
Traveler
Stopped here along a 400 mile bikepacking route through southern az. We were immediately welcomed and given a tour by Astral, who quickly became our friend. Astral even recommended an amazing wild camp spot for our following evening, near the border. That evening, Mary made us a delicious dinner that nurtured our bodies, minds and souls. There was plenty of room for tents, as well as tent pads to help keep you warm throughout the night. The bathrooms, showers and laundry were an extra perk after a couple days worth of riding. This will be a regular stop for me anytime I visit Patagonia, which will be often ❤️
ScoutVery clean and nice grounds. The Pool was nice, nice facilities. We stayed here in a rooftop tent, it felt safe and nice here
GuideMost sites have a lake view. Seems like Arizona takes good care of her parks. Lots to do in the area.
RangerLoved this camp site. You have to go into the cave gift shop to pay. They do close gates at 4. Was only 10$ for a tent spot.
Tent camping near Elgin, Arizona offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of well-reviewed spots that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elgin, AZ is Harshaw Ave - Coronado National Forest with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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