For those who want to experience Gilbert, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. Camping has always been a favorite form of travel for many, but Gilbert, AZ glamping is a new and unique way to do it. The Dyrt makes it easy to find glamping for your Gilbert adventure.
The campground has 138 sites: 68 sites with electric (50/30/20 amp service) and water and the remainder non-hookup sites on paved roads for tents or RVs. Every site has a picnic table and a fire pit with an adjustable grill gate. There are no size restrictions on RVs. Well-mannered pets on leashes are welcome, but please pick after your pets. The office at Lost Dutchman is open until 7 p.m. for campsite check-in, but after hours (with campsite reservations) you can grab a map by the ranger station and head straight to your campsite! If you are staying multiple nights, check-in with the camp host, or a ranger to get a vehicle tag.
$25 - $89 / night
Located on central Arizona's largest lake, Windy Hill offers great water recreation opportunities to the public. Because of its close proximity to the Lake, Windy Hill allows fishing, non-motorized and motorized boating, along with hiking trails. There are plenty of developed campsites available at Windy Hill, which allows for an easy, quick escape during any time of the year for families and individuals.
Fishing is popular activity where anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish species, such as Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass; Crappie; Sunfish; Channel and Flathead Catfish. This campground is also situated right on the shore of Roosevelt Lake which is open to boating, kayaking, and other water-related activites. A fully accessible boat ramp and fishing dock are available for easy lake access, and maps and other important site details can be found at the kiosks at the entrance to the campground.
Two National Scenic Byways (AZ Hwy 88 Apache Trail and AZ Hwy 288 Spines to Pines Highway). Roosevelt Dam, Tonto National Monument, the Arizona Trail, endless miles of jeep trails, Towns of Payson and Globe, Superstition, Sierra Ancha, and Four Peaks Wilderness'. Don't forget to stop by the Tonto Basin Environmental Center learn about the history of the area.
$25 - $50 / night
Cave Creek Group Site is located 20 miles north of Cave Creek and Carefree, Arizona. It is a historic campground constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This site is a short drive from the blistering heat of Phoenix offering cooler temps, a clear running creek, and plentiful shade to relax and enjoy nature. With food prep areas, grills and covered picnic tables, you're all set for a weekend with your loved ones you'll never forget!
At this site you'll enjoy camping, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, sightseeing, exploring, bird and wildlife viewing, and there is even a game area for volleyball and horseshoes.
This group campsite is nestled in a narrow valley of juniper and sycamore trees providing abundant shade. Water flowing through seven springs is minimal and only several inches in depth. The area has one large open camping area and a nearby trailhead offering access to over 48 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Bring your camera during springtime to get photos of the desert wildflowers in bloom.
Across the road, Cave Creek trailhead offers over 48 miles of hiking trails - great for overnight backpacking trips. Bronco Trailhead further south, offers parking for 40 vehicles plus trailers and six horse pens. Just seven miles south is Sears-Kay ruin. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this site features the remains of an ancient Native American tribe's hilltop village. For spectacular scenic views take Forest Road 562 to Humboldt Mountain. Or, you can simply stay on site and observe nature and hunt for crawdads in the nearby creek.
$150 / night
Scout
Lost Dutchman is one of the best campsites to wake up in. One of my favorite trails in Arizona.
ScoutThis is one of many outstanding Arizona State Parks. Sites are clean and most level with mix of electric and non electric. Suggest you make reservations well ahead for busy winter months!
RangerArizona State Park campgrounds are generally developed to maximize profit at the cost of minimizing camper experience. Lost Dutchman offers one bath house to service five or six loops of campsites piled one on top of the other. Because there are so many sites, the campground is managed like a military operation with untold Numbers of rules and regulations to understand and follow. If you fail to follow, a Ranger will be by to repremand and straighten you out. Coyoties are bold here and will enter your camp even if barking dogs attempt to deter. I reserved four nights but left after two. Tortilla Flat SP up in the Superstition Mountains NEAR Canyon Lake or BLM/National Forest dispersed camping is tmore to my liking.
Legend
Located at about 203rd Avenue, on the westside of Phoenix, in Waddell Arizona is a tiny little Campground with phenomenal views. There is also a large group campground and a very primitive "camp ground" available, but primitive desert camping requires a LOT of preparation and packing in/out. There are numerous horseback, hiking and biking trails. Family campground has electric and water hookups with a very clean centrally located restroom, that hosts a shower and flushing toilets.
Views are amazing. Maricopa county operates the campground and has made significant improvements with ramada, gathering areas, grills, fire rings, monthly hikes, educational presentations, a huge public library...every bit in caliber with state and federal campgrounds.
LegendThis area is best for its hiking and photo ops, in my humble opinion. As with most desert campgrounds in Arizona, there is not much privacy between the sites but take advantage of the beauty. The waterfall trail is an easy hike and very doable with kids. You can only bring a stroller so far unless it's an off-roading stroller but the hike is worth it (especially if there's water flowing). There's a playground across from the trailhead in case all else fails and someone stays behind with he little ones. Restrooms are thoughtfully placed here. DO watch for rattle snakes on this trail and all for that matter. Also, bring a lot of water and then some. Stop at the Visitor Center and library on your way in. You're not far removed from civilization so anything you need is just a brief drive away.
Scout
For every good thing there was a bad. We stayed at Coyote Loop. You can’t fish from the shore because all the dead trees that go out about 10 feet along the entire shore (awesome if you have a boat; I guess). I expected lots of generators and the sound that it makes, myself included. I didn’t expect three campsites to be taken up by the same group of people and here F-bombs all night till 10 o’clock. Then people turn high power lamps on you and everyone for long periods of time because they can afford expensive toys but not a simple flashlight. It was peaceful at 10:00pm and we could hear the lake wildlife. Maybe not a good place to take children. There seem to be one super secret place to dump your trailer water, grey & black. While you can dump there for free; you cannot find it without a treasure map, a devining rod, and a map of the stars. Don’t bother asking the site Camp Host because his directions were equally as cryptic; if you can find them at all. I and to wait to get home and map it so here it is:
PQJV+2J Tonto Basin, Arizona
ScoutI did not stay here because this is a 55 and older community. Seems strange to have it on an app like this. I am writing this review so others can see that this is a community for retirees. Looks nice from the website
GuideThey closed in 2019
Traveler
Very clean. some sites have an outdoor kitchen. close to the road but we didn’t notice noise. A decent size dog run and a small rec center that I didn’t have a chance to see.
ScoutWe stayed there years ago in our RV as a young family of 4 w our dog and cat! We were told to take our dog to a boarding facility bc he’s a pit bull! And this was back in the day when most sites were 55+ and this was the only one we could get into and we were visiting people in Glendale! It was quite the drive!
LegendThis KOA had some really awesome features and gives you most of the convenience of a hotel with the ability to bring your RV and your personal items with you without the hotel price tag. The KOA features a year round heated pool and jacuzzi. The pool area was fenced and had some chairs, tables, and what appeared to be covered grills. The pool is right outside the office building which also has bathrooms and a small convenience store. If they don't have what you are looking for the is a major grocery store about 2 miles away. This KOA is in town. Don't come here if you're looking for a remote destination. The other side of the exterior fence has houses and businesses.
Each site has a picnic table and some had a stand up bbq pit. The spaces are really close together and separated by a row of rocks. Up front they have 4 little single room cabins that say there can sleep 6 but have no bathrooms. There are some upgraded RV spaces that have outside grill areas with sinks and counter space.
The spaces have very little shade if any! Be very aware of the weather when you visit. It'll be hot during the day and very cold at night depending on the time of year. You will be randomly assigned a space unless you pay the fee to have an assigned space.
The KOA features a small fenced playground with a tetherball, swing set, merry go round, and a table with an umbrella. On the other side of the KOA there is a small fenced dog run. I also saw a stand alone sink near one of the loops. There is an activity center if you're hosting a group event. It had a few standing bbq pits outside. At the entrance was an air pump for filling tires.
ScoutStayed here April 2018. Staff on site are very polite and helpful. Lots of room for large campers with hookups. Would definitely stay again.
ScoutMe and my family stayed at this camp groud while we shopped for a new RV. It was clean and the people were very nice and helpful. It was during the Covi-19 scare so the pool and play group was not open. We got a pull through and had plenty of space. You can even upgrade to a pavilion space which has a grill and sink to use. Since we could not use the pool we had a game day with corn hole, washers, and ladder ball. All in all a nice place to stay
ScoutReally happy with this koa journey. Thoughtfully organized with large pull through spots, picnic tables and loca cactus flare. Good for a roadtrip stop.
GuideI stayed here for two nights while I was in the Phoenix area after having to reroute a trip due to unexpected winter weather at my original destination. I camped in a 22 foot rental motor home.
This was my first KOA experience, and it was such a delight. I arrived after hours, but some of the staff still on site saw me grab my check in materials at the office. He lead me to my sight in his golf cart, helped us get backed in and all settled for the night. Staff called the next morning to finish check in and verify our stay info. The staff this whole stay was so kind, it was amazing.
Our site (I believe most as well) was gravel but naturally pretty level. We had plenty of space between us and adjacent sites. The whole KOA has some nice touches as far as landscaping, sites with grills, etc. Very clean and well kept.
Location is about 45 minutes from Phoenix, which was perfect for us. We spent a little time in old town Scottsdale as well which is about the same distance. I would 100% stay here again if I’m in the area.
ScoutI will start by saying that I really liked the park. Clean, well kept, nice facilities. All the nice things you want, but the staff managing the park are the nicest sweetest identity thieves you will ever meet. Used my bank card to pay for another month & pay electric bill. I was staying monthly. As the employee was running the card she told me system is always slow on Friday, she had several charges all went through, then while running the $650.00 rent charge their computer or employee tried to double charge me. My bank card app. Immediately notified me through text messages of the double charge. But because I keep less than $1,000 in that account the second charge was not allowed to go through. But the first charge did go through along with all the other previous charges. The employee told me the charge never went through. I tried to explain to her the charge did go through I had a receipt for it on my phone. She claimed they've had this problem before , and it took several days for the credit card company to clear it up. She then asked me to pay again! And because I'm not independently wealthy I told her I would only be able to pay rent once that month. I didn't contacted my bank and I disputed the second charge that didn't go through and was told by the bank the first charge did indeed go through. After getting back to the employees of the park they became very rude and accused me of trying to not pay. I work very hard for a living and always pay my bills, but since they were paid and the money was taken out of my account and paid to them according to my bank I was not worried about the problem and figured it would clear itself up in a couple days. The lack of ability to use technology I believe was the problem. I would almost bet money those employees probably have a VCR still flashing 12:00 p.m. with a flip phone sitting on top of it. Fast forward to 3 weeks later they still claim they haven't got their money my bank claims they have been paid I have a receipt for it on my phone only problem is the employees here scream and yell at you and try to talk over you and will not listen to any thing you say. they told me they were overbooked for the holiday weekend coming up and they needed me out. She then said since they were letting me stay there for free they needed me gone. I paid them their money now they're accusing me of stealing. If they had a pre-existing problem with their credit card vendor/point of sale company and had had issues before I would have paid cash had I known. Something definitely suspicious going on in the office of this place. Do I think they are identity thieves I doubt it, definitely not intelligent enough to pull something like that off. Are they so incompetent and hard-headed they would compromise your credit card information due to lack of intelligence, absolutely 100% they fit that profile exactly. Campers beware
RangerThis KOA sits on the outskirts of Apache Junction, which itself isn't Phoenix proper but an eastern suburb. The RV park has all of the basics: power, water, sewer plus a pool and a level, clean site.
ScoutThis place is pretty okay except the price and then the price goes up in December. But staff is friendly the maintenance people are helpful. And the neighbors are friendly.
ScoutThis is a nice little KOA. It’s a small resort with all the amenities. It has a small dog park but it gets the job done. The people in the park are very nice and the staff are extremely kind and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here.
GuideWe enjoyed our two night stay. The staff were helpful and friendly. The place was impeccably maintained. Had a campsite get a bit rowdy with a few choice words and the staff was on it before anyone complained. Top notch place. A bit noisy at night from traffic but almost all campgrounds are.
GuideWe stayed a couple of nights while visiting family and friends in the area. Gave us a chance to refill water and propane, take some long hot showers and generally recharge before heading back out on the road. Great facilities - very clean and friendly staff.
ScoutDon’t miss this beautiful place
ScoutI love the campground. Right at the Superstition mountain!
RangerWe got what I think was literally the best spot in the camp. It was busy when we went but not super full every night. Great system of hiking and biking trails for all levels. Some spots have Water and Power. We boondocked it. About 15 minutes away from a grocery if you needed it.
ScoutLove this place. It's our go to when we want to get away but don't have a lot of time to drive far.
GuideNestled right at the base of the Superstition Mountains - this is a great location that is close to excellent hiking and riding. Also close to a unique drive out to Canyon Lake! For the very fit cyclist you can ride from this location out this lake. It's an amazing and very challenging ride indeed..!
This park is large with serveral loop type campgrounds
Campsite is clean and very easy to reserve ahead of time on the supported website which is very easy to use and see all the items open.
Extra bonus for this Campground, should you need to, you can cancel your reservation up to 1-2 days out.
GuideThis is an amazing place yo camp and hike. The views of thd mountains at sunset is surreal. Immaculately maintained. Water and electrical hookups as well as tent camping dry spots. Very hot in the summer but heavenly in the winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Gilbert, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Gilbert, AZ is Lost Dutchman State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 83 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Gilbert, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 glamping camping locations near Gilbert, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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