Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Fort Defiance, AZ

Spider Rock Campground near Canyon de Chelly National Monument welcomes pets at its established campground with cabin and glamping options. Several pet-friendly campgrounds surround Fort Defiance, offering diverse accommodation types for travelers with animals. USA RV Park in Gallup maintains clean facilities with full hookups, spacious pull-through sites, and a heated pool where pets are permitted on leash. The camp store carries pet supplies and basic necessities. Visitors use The Dyrt to find real feedback on camping near Fort Defiance, Arizona. Six Mile Canyon provides free dispersed camping options where pets can explore undeveloped terrain without the constraints of established campgrounds. Cottonwood Campground at Canyon de Chelly National Monument also accommodates pets with picnic tables and sanitary dump facilities.

Hiking trails near these campgrounds offer varying levels of pet access, though leash requirements apply in most areas. Many campers appreciate USA RV Park's convenient location just off Interstate 40, providing quick access to veterinary services in Gallup when needed. The area experiences extreme temperature fluctuations, requiring extra water provisions for pets during summer months when ground surfaces can become dangerously hot. Turkey Springs dispersed camping area allows pets with proper waste management expected. Wildlife encounters are possible throughout the region, so secure pet containment is essential, particularly at dawn and dusk when coyotes are active. Red Rock Park Campground provides additional pet-friendly options with fire rings and hookups for those preferring more developed facilities.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Fort Defiance, Arizona (12)

    1. USA RV Park

    60 Reviews
    Mentmore, NM
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 863-5021

    $25 - $35 / night

    "A dog park, showers, rest rooms and laundry available"

    "Big dog park for the puppers to do their business. No frills, but we didn’t need any."

    2. Red Rock Park & Campground

    17 Reviews
    Rehoboth, NM
    30 miles
    Website

    "Red Rock Park is in Gallup, NM right on the Arizona state line in between Albuquerque and Flagstaff."

    "There are several hiking and horseback riding trails around this campground. One of the best is to castle rock a really good hike."

    3. Six Mile Canyon - Dispersed Camping

    31 Reviews
    Jamestown, NM
    39 miles
    Website

    "Some highway noise if you stay near the entrance but once you head back, it gets quiet. No services or amenities so pack in and pack out. There’s a gas station about 7 minutes away."

    "Quick drive to this surprisingly secluded place to spend the night on our way through."

    4. Cottonwood Campground

    25 Reviews
    Chinle, AZ
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 674-8261

    $14 - $20 / night

    "Easy walk to visitor center. Only drawback were goatshead thorns....our poor dog couldn't spend much time outside without getting them in her paws."

    "Great staging location for both North Rim and South Rim exploration. Private homes surround the park, fairly close. Stray dogs come around but were not aggressive. $20 for camper van."

    5. Quaking Aspen Campground

    15 Reviews
    Fort Wingate, NM
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (505) 287-8833

    $5 / night

    "Having four dogs who love to bark when they hear/see someone, we really appreciate campsites with lots of space. Dogs didn’t bark once!"

    "Stopped here on our way from Arizona to South Carolina. And we’re hefty campers. This was the best campsite we’ve ever been at. The cleanest campsite we’ve ever been at."

    6. Spider Rock Campground

    6 Reviews
    Canyon De Chelly National Monument, AZ
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 781-2014

    $11 - $31 / night

    "Close to the sights. The campground is a little rough along the edges but the sites are great. There is a great hiking trail that starts at the campground and goes to the canyon."

    "Nothing around the area and about 10 miles from town."

    7. Asaayi (Bowl Canyon) Lake

    Be the first to review!
    Fort Defiance, AZ
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 810-8501

    $10 / night

    8. Turkey Springs

    7 Reviews
    Fort Wingate, NM
    39 miles

    "Easy to get to with no four-wheel drive needed. Many pull-off spots and several pull throughs with lots of shady pines and wonderful breezes and wildlife."

    "I decided to stay at the nearby Quaking Aspen Campground (0.5 mile away) due to this dispersed camping area kinda being a mudpit after the rain 😂 Would be awesome during a dry time!"

    10. Six Mile Canyon Road Dispersed Site

    4 Reviews
    Jamestown, NM
    40 miles
    Website

    "We did have to drive a couple miles to get away from other campers. Was perfectly fine after a day of cross country driving. Camped in a Jeep."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Fort Defiance, AZ

170 Reviews of 12 Fort Defiance Campgrounds


  • Taylor D.
    Oct. 26, 2020

    USA RV Park

    Dirt Sites with Some Amenities

    Not much here to write home about, but this park does offer a small, enclosed dog park, pool, a small grocery in their office building, and a “cookout” concession stand like you would find at a theme park or stadium. Their stage was being used to display a patriotic homage to the US military. No pets allowed in the amenities area. Room for improvement would be adding trees and cactus appropriate to this climate to beautify the park, because it’s pretty barren. Staff did not wear masks indoors during the rising Covid pandemic.

  • jThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 27, 2025

    USA RV Park

    A great park

    Full hookups with military and good sam discounts. We've stayed here before and we will again. A dog park, showers, rest rooms and laundry available

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 10, 2025

    USA RV Park

    Great for overnight layover

    Friendly staff, well stocked store, clean sites. Perfect for an overnight stay along the route. Big dog park for the puppers to do their business. No frills, but we didn’t need any.

  • Jody J.
    Jul. 20, 2021

    USA RV Park

    Nice Campground for a couple nights

    We were in Site 113 in the back of the park.  Pull through gravel site.  Sites are very close.  No privacy. We had a nice chat with our friendly neighbors though. Fenced Dog Park but it was dirt. No grass. Nice, clean pool!  Laundry facility was nice.  AT&T, T-Mobile Cell Service great. Drove to the Historic El Rancho Hotel & 49er Lounge for entertainment one night.  BBQ dinner at the park on Tuesday evening was pretty decent. Would recommend this park!

  • Glen C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2024

    USA RV Park

    Clean, organized, and reasonably priced

    Needed an overnight stay along Interstate 40 in New Mexico.  Check-in was quick and easy, the sites are arranged so that RV doors are not facing the neighbor's sewage pipe, which is something I always appreciate.  Most of the sites are pull-through.  The park is well laid out and covered with an attractive reddish-brown gravel.  The facilities were clean, the staff was pleasant.  The park felt safe though the neighborhood around it is economically distressed.  The park is family friendly; there is a dog-park, a nice pool, and attractive common area near the office with tables and statuary with a cute bear theme.  The only negatives are not under the control of the park: trains pass by frequently day and night, and in the evening the mosquitos are voracious.  My wife and I agree that we would return here.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 21, 2022

    USA RV Park

    Awesome

    I called at about 8pm desperate to get in somewhere to tent camp. Clark answered the phone and was so kind. The office/store stays open until 9 pm. The grounds are clean and complete with a dog park area. Every tent site had electricity and water. The bathrooms and showers were really clean and I can assume the laundry facilities were the same.

    The tent sites are covered with small gravel so no dirt or sharp plants in the way. The sites are really large and spacious!

    The area is well lit and there were police patrolling the camp off and on during the night.

    I kick myself for not taking pictures. You should definitely stay here.

  • S
    May. 17, 2021

    USA RV Park

    Great Spot in Gallup

    This is a really nice RV park on the West side of Gallup with easy access to I-40. It was a perfect overnight stop but would be good for longer stays as well. Access through the park is great, sites are gravel, level, and good size. We had a pull through site which was about 80 feet long and nice and wide. They also have back in sites and tent sites. We had a full hookup site and the connections were in great shape and located just where they needed to be. There are some trees between some sites but most of the area is pretty open. Some of the trees are large enough to block a satellite dish. They offer cable TV but we did not try that. They have free wifi which was decent. The restrooms, showers, and laundry rooms were clean and good size as well. There is a small dog park in the back and there is also a dump station. Check in was easy and the staff were friendly and helpful. They also have a large gift shop and a small area with groceries. They offer a barbeque on some nights which is cooked right there behind the office. Cell service from AT&T and Verizon was great. We paid $37 for one night with Escapees discount. There is clear pride of ownership here.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2025

    USA RV Park

    Overnight near interstate

    I booked this park months out- needed a place to stay on our way home from AZ. We left the Grand Canyon in the morning and stopped in Gallup to sleep before heading to Petroglyph NM the next morning. The staff member at the entry was very efficient, friendly, and informative. Our site was toward the back of the property- so we didn’t hear any road noise. The park was probably around 3/4 full on the Monday night we stayed- but it was pretty quiet. There was a pet area with a cinder block “fence” and several people walked dogs around in the park. I wanted to take a peek at the pool- so I picked up my 6 lb dog to walk into that area to see it and a lady quickly intercepted me and said dogs couldn’t be in that area. The pool looked decent from what I could see. The cell signal seemed strong from the indicators on our devices but I guess due to the number of users in the area, we had slow service. We tried the park’s WiFi but it was too slow to do much. Our site was mostly level so we used our small curved levelers on one side. The sites are VERY close together and many of the picnic tables seem to need new boards for seats.

  • Cheryl D.
    Jul. 12, 2021

    USA RV Park

    Excellent Campground with Unexpected Amenities

    When driving through Gallup, one doesn't expect to find such a great place to land on Route 66. On the surface it may appear to be a great over-nighter location - which it is! Level pull-through sites with a picnic table.  But it's so much more than that. First the business seems to be comprised of  family-owned and operated. They have excellent amenities including a lovely pool and playground area. Their shop is absolutely GREAT. The laundry area, showers, dish-washing area and other services are excellent.  Sites include electric, water and a picnic table. A dump station is positioned right by the exit. We had an unexpected delay for four days due to a medical situation, and they recommended a doctor who helped immensely, and they worked with us day to day to keep us in our spot as needed. Highly recommend this RV Park! Great folks!


Guide to Fort Defiance

Dispersed camping options near Fort Defiance extend from the pine-covered mountains of Turkey Springs to the canyonlands around Six Mile Canyon. The area sits at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 8,000 feet, creating significant temperature variations between seasons. Winter road closures affect access to several camping areas from December through March, requiring advance planning.

What to do

Hiking to Church Rock: Red Rock Park Campground provides access to Church Rock Trail, a 3-mile round trip route with significant elevation changes. "More a stopover Park, Red Rock is nestled amongst beautiful sandstone cliffs that are mesmerizing. There are full hook ups available, and bathroom/showers as well. Take a hike to Bell Rock, or gaze night skies," notes Curtis B.

Fishing at higher elevations: The remote Wheatfields Lake Campground offers trout fishing opportunities in a mountain setting. "Had a blast staying here. Went fishing took my 12 footer aluminum boat caught a good amount of fish," reports Dani Y. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout from the Navajo Hatchery in Toadlena.

Scenic canyon exploration: Enjoy self-guided tours along canyon rims with designated overlooks. "We used this campground as a starting point for a research trip sampling Precambrian rocks of the Zuni Mountains. I was surprised to drive into a beautiful forest just a few minutes off I40," writes Tyler G. about Quaking Aspen Campground.

What campers like

Cooler temperatures: The high elevation camping provides relief during summer months when lower elevations become uncomfortable. "We were here in August and it was pleasantly cool. Also plenty of firewood," reports Zoey T. about Quaking Aspen Campground.

Spacious sites at dispersed locations: Turkey Springs offers numerous pull-offs with adequate space for various camping setups. "Easy to get to with no four-wheel drive needed. Many pull-off spots and several pull throughs with lots of shady pines and wonderful breezes and wildlife. Secluded spots available," explains Steve M.

Convenient overnight options: Many campers use the area as a stopping point while traveling along I-40. "We stopped here for the night and caught a nice sunset. The gate to dispersed camping is closed but we parked outside of the gate with no issues for the evening," shares Chelsey M. about Six Mile Canyon.

What you should know

Winter road closures: Several camping areas implement seasonal restrictions. "The gate at the end of the road is closed Dec. 15 to March 31. Parked outside the gate for the night. Looks like a nice area if I could get there. Don't drive the road after a rain," advises Dan J. about Six Mile Canyon Dispersed Camping.

Limited water access: Most dispersed camping areas lack drinking water. "Densely wooded PRIMITIVE campground with trails and fishing but NO WATER. We only stayed there while driving from ABQ to the coast, which was perfect for us," writes Irene L.

Road conditions vary seasonally: Unpaved access roads can become challenging after precipitation. "The road is grated and well maintained," notes Michele D. about Six Mile Canyon, but conditions change rapidly with weather.

Tips for camping with families

Pet safety considerations: For pet friendly camping near Fort Defiance, Arizona, prepare for temperature extremes. "There are thorny Goat heads all over our dog had a tough time," warns Ken K. about Cottonwood Campground.

Campground layout awareness: Some campgrounds offer limited privacy between sites. "The sites are VERY close together and many of the picnic tables seem to need new boards for seats," observes Susan R. about USA RV Park.

Kid-friendly amenities: Select campgrounds with features that appeal to children. "We were able to get pizza delivered to our RV site which was a big hit with the kids," shares Nicole B.

Tips from RVers

RV site leveling requirements: Many dispersed sites require adjustment for comfortable parking. "Our site was mostly level so we used our small curved levelers on one side," says Susan R. about USA RV Park.

Size limitations at some locations: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger vehicles. "We have a 28' 5th wheel and after looking at the potential spots, had to back our way out. There is no way to turn around. If camping here, I would have had to back my way into a spot," warns Bob & Ramona F. about Spider Rock Campground.

Dump station availability: When planning pet friendly camping trips near Fort Defiance, verify sanitation facilities. "Full hookups with military and good sam discounts. We've stayed here before and we will again. A dog park, showers, rest rooms and laundry available," reports Jeanne A.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Fort Defiance, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Fort Defiance, AZ is USA RV Park with a 4.5-star rating from 60 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Fort Defiance, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 12 dog-friendly camping locations near Fort Defiance, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.