Looking for the best options for tent camping near Ganado? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Ganado campgrounds for you and your tent. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Ganado, Arizona's most popular destinations.
There is no RV, car, or front country camping in the park. There is no boondocking, dispersed or “primitive” camping, or just pulling off into a parking area.
There is only backpacking/hiking into the designated Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area to spend the night in the park, at least a half mile from your vehicle. Please be prepared for this adventure! Remember to LNT.
The backpacking wilderness permit is free. You may obtain it in person from either visitor centers on the day that you want to backpack. Each vehicle must have a permit. The permits are available until 4:30 pm.
There are private campgrounds throughout Navajo and Apache Counties, in and around Holbrook, Sun Valley, St. Johns, Joseph City, and other communities.
Groups
Group camping is limited to 8. Because of the fragile soils and landscape features, minimum impact camping is very important. This includes limiting the number of people within an area.
Traveler
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.
Scout
We came at night and was not easy to navigate. Once we were led in, had a nice, peaceful, quiet stay. Very nice host, Janet, and another guest. This location is primarily for small vehicles, tent, camping, van camping. At this time nothing much larger than 30 feet. All in all a good night and a great view.
RangerI tent camped here in Aug. 2020 after driving through the Navajo Reservation. I arrived before dusk in the fading heat. The staff was friendly and offered me a cheap brisket sandwich and maybe peach cobbler if there was any left. Well there was some left! I considered hauling it all the way back to El Paso but I’m glad I stopped for the night and got some good rest.
GuideThis 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.
Legend
This is a really nice peaceful campground at the entrance of the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Canyon de Chelly is beautiful and amazing and worth going out of your way for. Be sure to pre arrange with an authorized tour guide, if you want to go down into the canyon. We didn't plan ahead and didn't get to go down, though driving all the way to the end of the canyon (we went along the south side) was beautiful on its own. Just about each pull off has native vendors selling handmade art and goods.
$14/night (cash only!) for a tent site, and $5 for day use. Camp fee includes use of dump station and water fill, but heads up that the water is turned off for the winter. Dump station open year round.
There are flush toilets but no showers. 2 of the restrooms were closed for the winter as well.
Sites come with a picnic table and grill, no fire rings (fires not allowed here). There is no privacy or any kind of barrier between sites. It was not a big deal when we were here as there were only a few other campers, but I could see it feeling crowded during busy season. Some sites have a lot of shade and some are in full sun, so there’s something for everyone.
Heads up - this is Navajo Nation and there is no alcohol or marijuana use allowed, and there are loose dogs hanging out everywhere.
ATT had LTE, and Verizon and TMobile were roaming.
GuideGreat place to stop & relax. Laundry room large & comfortable. Bathrooms clean. Friendly staff. Only negative is that tent spots don’t have much shade & one picnic table needs replacing.
GuideWe stayed just one night while driving from Page, Arizona to Albuquerque. Friendly staff and visitors.
We were able to get pizza delivered to our RV site which was a big hit with the kids.
ScoutJanet was so wonderful and welcoming. She is in the process of getting this property set up and could certainly use some help. It is a beautiful spot just a short drive from the highway. We had a 30amp hook up on a level site. We could get our Verizon signal. There is a second site with electric but it is not level or actually a site. I think this would be a great place for anyone boondocking, tenting or RV 30 amp. Give it a try if you are in the area.
GuideWe were so grateful to stumble upon USA RV Park on our recent trip through New Mexico. We were dealing with snow all the way from Colorado to Gallup, and decided about an hour out of Gallup to stop for the night. We called USA RV Park, and while no one answered, they returned our call within the half hour. They graciously accommodated our 2 trailers last minute with full hookups! The campsite itself is large, clean, well marked, and very nice restrooms! The store was well stocked with what we needed (including a tent repair kit for our pop up!). The owner, John, was very kind, helpful, and a delight to chat with. We filled our propane tank up on site and were on our way the next day! Highly recommend! :)
Scout
Juste pour vous partager ma mésaventure(Mieux vautêtre averti pouréviter les mêmes erreurs;)) 2 points importants: 1- L'indien Howard Smith(qui ne ressemble plusà la photo de son site depuis de nombreuses années) n'accepte les paiements que sur place en cash- Donc si vousêtes contacter avant, ce sont des pirates! Il est au courant, cela lui arrive régulièrement, mais il considère que c'est pas de sa faute, surtout qu'on est européens, et que les pirates sont tous desétrangers... 2- Hogan- C'est une aventure en soit unique. Mais si je ne pensais pas avoir payer d'avance, j'aurais fait demi-tour. Un lit de camps, une petite planche sur des parpaings avec un matelas qui dépasse... Rien de bon pour passer une bonne nuit en soit! J'ai regretté de ne pas dormir dans ma tente au final. Sachant qu'onétait 6 et qu'on l'avait dit, On peut dormirà l'aise sur ces matelas tachéà 3, pas plus... Les toilettes sont des toilettes de camping car. Le camping en lui même est idéalement situés et les camping car sont donc surement content du séjour.
Legend
In my second trip to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert we wanted to explore the opportunity to try a little dispersed camping. We checked out the park and inquired about permits, which are free and were ready to take on the adventure head on.
What we were not expecting was the WIND!! Lots and lots of wind!! In this area there are not large ares of coverage from the elements. Very minimal in fact so it made it a bit harder than we had thought it would be in selecting an area we felt comfortable even attempting to make a home for the night.
On other trips to the same location we have had wind but never like this! Since there are no barriers to block it camping cannot be comfortably done in these conditions.
We opted to throw in the towel and try again next time.
What we did gather from this however was that the park staff is very friendly and helpful in regards to setting up your adventure and issuing permits. The park itself has sites to numerous to list that are of interest for doing this style of camping. And the biggest one of all, without camping you CANNOT get sunrise or sunset pictures because of opening and closing times of the facility.
My tips:
GuideI visited Spider Rock and met the proprietor Howard Smith 20 years ago. He is still there maintaining this spacious campground on his own. It is rough around the edges but you will be very close to the rim of the canyon and within a short drive of amazing access points via car and foot. The campground has no amenities and is covered with a layer of fine red dust, but we did just fine in our 17-foot Casita RV. Call before you go to find out about limitations as the Navajo Nation has been hard hit by Covid. Don't miss the hike down into the canyon to see the White House (named after the large cliff dwelling ruin cut into white rock). The canyon is breathtaking: red cliffs surround lush-looking pastures cared for by Navajo inhabitants but off limits unless you access via Lighthouse Trail, which offers limited access to the canyon floor, or arrange a guided tour.
GuideWe 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. Scenic views a short drive or hike away but not an easy place to camp.
GuideWe trully enjoyed our stay. 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. Howard the owner is very friendly and a wealth of information.
TravelerBeautiful grove of trees. Maintenance people apparently not allowed to clean up bugs in bathrooms. Floodlights at night a bit bright.
LegendBasic campground run by a local with various sized campsite. There's a pit toilet. Nothing around the area and about 10 miles from town.
GuideSo open and wide in this state park, the sky is beautiful and the rocks are orange. I remember going here when I was younger and to revisit is just amazing. I would defiantly recommend this state park to anyone.
Legend... As far as campgrounds go, I would not choose this spot. It is close to a scenic national monument and is located right at the entrance and is easy to get in and out of. That is where the positives end. It is sparse and fairly packed. It doesn't have a ton of vegetation as it is in the desert so expert dirty and hot. The monument itself is worth experiencing but I wouldn't plan for it to be a destination, just a pit stop. I won't stay here again.
GuideStayed here two night so we could hike and horse back ride in canyon de Chelly. This campground could be better the grasse in the site needed to be mowed. It’s a nice location close to the opening of the canyon and horseback rides are across the street. Be careful what you leave out theft here is a problem, we had our bumper hitch stolen while we were in town shopping.
GuideArrived at 12:30 pm on Sunday, May 16 and there's a closed gate across the entrance.
ScoutThis campground has around 50 sites, about half of which are large enough for camper drive-in. Facilities include clean bathrooms with running water. The sites are pretty close together for my liking, but this is a nice, cheap campground for an overnight stop.
ScoutWe stayed at this campground at Canyon De Chelly in a 35' Motorhome towing. No hook up but there is a dump station & potable water. Restrooms & showers are available & clean. Barbecue & picnic table at every site. $14 a day. They only accept cash. It was quiet & clean. Great place to stay and explore the Canyon.
TravelerIts the only campground anywhere near Canyon de Chelly. Sites are not reservable. We arrived at about 3:30pm on Fri and it was about half-full. Problem was that half of the sites were blocked off (Covid?). We finally found a site in full sun (lots of shady ones were there but blocked off). 90+ degrees today... OK, we have a generator. We back into the site and get out to get settled and the first thing we see is a huge, active ant hill by the back trailer tire (had to go buy spray so they didn't get in the trailer). All of the "greenery" around the site was cockleburr plants. Of course the burrs ended up in our shoes and socks and therefore in the trailer. It's quite a sketchy area around the campground so we didn't leave anything out. They only take cash payment you put in an envelope in a drop-box. On a good note, it is very close access to Canyon de Chelly.
ScoutPaved mostly level sites.
Hosts were very nice.
GuideBased on reviews we were apprehensive about staying here....boy were we happy we did. Absolutely quiet. Nice shady pull through site. Campground was about 1/4 full. Strong 4g signal. 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.
GuideWe were the only ones here in June. 93 sites bathrooms were clean flush toilets. $20.00 a night. It was quiet good shade with the cottonwood trees
TravelerThe campsite is quite spacious and quiet but at the same time super close to the Canyon and very easy to find driving from or to Chinle. We arrived late at night (9:30pm) and there was a lot of free spots. Internet works fast, there're tables and BBQs around. The only problem we had was that Dyrt GPS coordinates were wrong, but easy to Google the right place when in the area.
Tent camping near Ganado, Arizona offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning landscapes and rich history of the region. With a variety of campgrounds catering to tent campers, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ganado, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ganado, AZ is Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area — Petrified Forest National Park with a 4.7-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ganado, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Ganado, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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