Best Dispersed Camping near Gold Canyon, AZ

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Gold Canyon, Arizona

151 Reviews of 49 Gold Canyon Campgrounds

• 

  Brittany J.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 24, 2020

  Bermuda Flat Recreation Site

  Shoreline camping great but..

  The directions will bring you right to the recreation area parking lot, where there are a few marked camping spots on the shore and some portable toilets. You must have a Tonto pass to camp at these spots. Free, dispersed camping is located across the highway down the dirt road Bar 3.

• R

  Ronnie G.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 13, 2020

  Superstition Mountain AZ state trust dispersed

  Mineral Road Dispersed

  Good location for camping not far from Gold Canyon AZ. Numerous different campsites of different sizes. A few large sites that can fit multiple RVs. We parked a 36ft Toyhauler and a 39ft Toyhauler in the first campsite from the entrance. A lot of RV/off road vehilce traffic during the day but very quiet at night. Good trails for OHV/Atv riding. Will visit again!

• 

  Francis D.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 31, 2023

  Hackamore Road Dispersed

  Great with a light off-roading

  This is a nice quiet spot with excellent cell service. It's on BLM land, so you are out of the reach of the Arizona Land Permits.

  The road is a bit tricky. I got here pretty smooth on my RWD Xterra, so while 4WD isn't necessary, I wouldn't come out here without high clearance and decent suspension. Maybe tie down any loose items as well.

  For extra clarification DO NOT go into Bulldog Canyon OHV (You need a permit in this part)! There is a right turn onto this trail right before the gate. Keep going until you see fire pits made of stone.

• C

  Cypress

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 2, 2024

  Schoolhouse Point Dispersed

  Free Lakeside camping

  Pretty, dispersed camping near schoolhouse Point in Roosevelt lake. On the road down to the state campground there are two dispersed camping areas on the left easily visible on the left side, (the gps point may not be accurate, I made it after I left) if you pass both there's an easy turn around at the boat ramp even for big rigs. Some dips coming off the paved road but very easy access overall, might be tight for really big rigs. Probably 20+ sites at each of the two pull offs, most have fire rings and decent shade. Couple minutes drive to the boat ramp at schoolhouse Point which has bathrooms, dumpsters, and both drive in and walk-in lake access. Currently (as of 3/24) no potable water even at the paid campground at the end of the road, you can either pump from the lake if you have a filter or Tonto national monument about 10min up the road has a water spigot before the pay gate. 14 day limit per usual for national forests but a really lovely spot to call home for a while! Lots of great hiking nearby as well as swimming and boating on the lake

• 

  Shari G.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 25, 2021

  Peralta Road Dispersed Camping

  Quiet, Gorgeous, Tons of Hiking!

  Drive through the town of Gold Canyon AZ, and you quickly leave behind the sprawl of suburban Phoenix, but embrace the sprawling landscape of the Sonoran Desert which is brimming with life in the spring. The unpaved road leads to multiple pull-offs and side roads where you can find the perfect spot to tuck away and camp for as long as you like.  Embrace the sun and bring your solar panels and plenty of cold drinks -- you'll be rewarded with amazing sunrises and sunsets and all the peace and quiet you can stand.  You may get lucky and find some partial shade under a Palo Verde, too.

  Though adjacent to Tonto National Forest and the Superstition Mountains Wilderness Area, the camping along Peralta Rd. is on Arizona State Lands. Use of this land, for any reason or purpose, requires a special individual permit. These annual permits are available online, https://asld.secure.force.com/recreationalpermit/ and cost $20 (plus $1 online processing fee). The permit is good for 1 year (deal of the century!) and allows access to any other Arizona State Lands where a permit is required. 

  While there are no services available at any of the camping spots, water, gas, or groceries are a short drive back into town. The hiking, and biking opportunities are amazing right around camp via the numerous and unlabeled OHV trails, or a short drive to the Peralta Canyon trailhead. This Forest Service parking area requires either a Tonto Pass, or Interagency Pass, or$10 day pass (available through a self-pay kiosk) serves as the start of many trails that will lead you into the gorgeous Superstition Mountains. Both the road, parking areas and trails are super busy on the weekends, so plan accordingly. During the popular hiking months, Forest Service Volunteers will regulate the parking area, so don't think that you'll get away without buying a pass. The ticket is more expensive.

• 

  Ariel & John W.

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 12, 2020

  Tonto National Forest Dispersed Camping at Lake Roosevelt

  Great boondocking on Roosevelt Lake

  One of our all-time favorite boondocking spots. There are many forests roads off 188 on the southern shore of Lake Roosevelt where dispersed camping is allowed. Some have spectacular views of the lake but are high up and difficult to get to. We found the most easily accesible dispersed camping off Forest Rd 83 between the national monument and little town of Roosevelt. There are large level sites here right off the forest road. As you go further up the forest road, sites get smaller but more private.

  This is all working open range with lots of stock. We woke up many mornings to cattle rooting through our stuff and one morning to a real roundup with cowboys on horses. Amazing. There are lots if Saguaro and jumping Cholla cactus around as well as rattlers and scorpions so be alert.

  We stayed nearly three weeks here and will go back. Lots to do around and across the lake.

  No amenities but there is a dumpster at the head of FS83. Otherwise nearest towns are Punkin Center to the west and Roosevelt to the east, Globe being the nearest large town about 40 min away.

  Note there is also dispersed camping off 88 along the Salt River, also worth taking s look. No cell service along 88, no amenities and roads get much more steep and difficult.

• 

  Eric W.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 11, 2020

  Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Dispersed

  Ridiculous

  The area itself is reasonably nice desert camping. Lots and lots of spots in both the AZ State Trust land (permit required) and the BLM land.

  Pros -Lots of fire rings made from rocks in almost every spot. -Room to spread out. -Free.

  Cons -The road coming in is the worst washboarding i have ever seen. Like the worst. Almost un-drivable...and I’ve been down a lot of rutted roads that require high clearance. I didn’t need clearance, i needs a road that isn’t ridiculous. -There is a quarry or something at the end of the road, which you wouldn’t think would matter, but starting at 4:00am...giant, and i mean GIANT rock hauler semi trucks started barreling down the washboarded road every 5-10 minutes until we packed up and left a day early at 10:00am because we couldn’t take the noise anymore. These trucks go down the road at 45mph and just absolutely SHAKE the ground and roar with noises. It was the most absurd thing that had ever happened to me while camping. Do not go here for peaceful camping.

• 

  Jacob C. L.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 22, 2022

  Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Great Free Open Space with Awesome Views

  Great free open space with awesome views! There are a lot of cattle that roam around the area so beware of that. But if you wanna seclude yourself for a couple days and explore Gold Canyon this is a great spot.

• J

  Jim W.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 17, 2018

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Blue point access to bulldog canyon

  I have camped at every dispersed camping place within 150 miles of Phoenix. 99 percent are over run by noisy, disrespectful ATV AND DIRT BIKE riders. If they see people camping they like to rev their engines really loud and create big dust flumes to show how nasty they really are. Last year I never saw a dirt bike or ATV in blue point, but this year there's been a lot. Come on guys and gals you have control of every single other spot this was just one place the family could go and have some peace and quiet. NOT THIS YEAR!!! the ATV'S AND dirt bikes have been tearing down the roads making sure they really rev their engines and creat dust when they go by campers. Just be jerks. But besides that, compared to any other place, this is the quietest. Don't park near the gate, the sound from the road can get really loud. 6 am every morning a helicopter comes overhead it's extremely loud, just so you know. Make sure you go to the Tonto national Forest Mesa ranger station and get a permit for bulldog canyon on Ingram street in Mesa. You need the gate combination codes to open the gate and be in there. The rangers do come through and check your permit and ID's to make sure you are the one on the permit. Ive only seen coyotes and wild horses in there.the horses actually came up to my window, it was awesome.you can have fires, but there's no water or toilets. Try to stay away on Friday and Saturday nights. Allot of kids go there to drink and party. One more thing, if you open the gate, close and lock it! I have seen people call the rangers and tell and the rangers came down and took the person's permit away.enjoy!

• j

  jerron

  Scout

  

  Dec. 18, 2022

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - South Entrance - CLOSED

  Dispersed camping close to town

  This is a dispersed camping are close to town.

• s

  scooter

  Scout

  

  Mar. 13, 2022

  A-Cross Road Dispersed Camping

  Dispersed camping spots

  Large flat spot for dispersed camping. Several other spots close by. Not much traffic on the road.

• G

  George K.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 11, 2022

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Large area for dispersed camping

  Easy to moderate trails throughout the area. Lots of dispersed camping and miles of trails. Heavy UTV use has made some of the trails even more challenging. Lots of fun.

• e

  edwin H.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 22, 2024

  Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Dispersed camping not allowed currently

  September 21, 2024: We’ve dispersed camped here many times in last three years, took a trip out there today and every dispersed access point is plowed up with very deep trenches not allowing vehicles or rigs to access. Sad affair with squatters taking advantage and leaving trash, there was not a soul in sight. Maybe they’ll reopen it later when it cools down.

• 

  Michael R.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 21, 2025

  Sycamore Creek Recreation Area

  Interesting place

  Nice location with dispersed camping options. When we were setting up a man came up & warned us that it was a popular spot for Nudists. He was not wrong. Be prepared to run into some interesting people.

• 

  Jim A.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 13, 2024

  Saguaro Cove

  Remote Camping

  Takes a little 4 wheeling to get there or you can access it from the water.  Basic dispersed camping but gets a little warm during the summer months.  Views are nice and its a nice pack it in, pack it out spot.

• 

  Jose G.

  Traveler

  

  May. 12, 2018

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Bulldog Canyon

  Probably one of the closest places to camp on the east valley of the Phoenix area. This place is most used by OHVs so it can get noisy on the weekends. I’ve also seen spots that people use for shooting. This area is just for dispersed camping, no services, cell phone coverage is good with Verizon.

• 

  Christine S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 24, 2020

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - South Entrance - CLOSED

  Limited number of dispersed sites

  We stayed here in the spring so the weather was great for no a.c. Boondock sites are on the small side and limited. Don't bring a big rig in here. There is a parking lot with a gate code that you need to get from the BLM but you can do that online. Park in the lot and walk in to scope out site availability. That way you aren't stuck trying to turn around. We have a 19' trailer so that wasn't a problem for us but could be for toy haulers, etc. A lot of ATV traffic here so be prepared to hear engine noise but the scenery is beautiful 😀

• 

  Shari G.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 25, 2021

  Cherry Creek Rd (NF203) Dispersed Camping Near Roosevelt Lake - Tonto National Forest

  Great for Equestrian Campers, Hikers, and OHVers

  This area is out there, man, way out there -- but if you want to get further out there, you can. The National Forest to the northeast of Roosevelt Lake is vast and sparsely populated. It is a perfect area to get away, well away, from others. 

  Cherry Creek Rd. quickly leaves pavement behind and simply becomes more potholed and steep the further you get in.  With 4WD, and a high clearance vehicle, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. With lots of parking areas and zero services, campsite selection it's dealer's choice. 

  We got as far as we wanted, about 5 miles in from the paved road and made camp at a wide area right across from a small horse corral. This area is perfect for exploring by horse. Hiking, biking, and OHV is also are popular. 

  The closest water is Cherry Creek, another 3-5 miles further in, so come prepared. A small camping area sits right on the creek which can rise quickly and the ford can become impassible. When we were there, the campground was full, so our dispersed area was just fine with us. 

  The closest services are on the southwest bank of Roosevelt Lake, one gas station and marina store. Within 4o minutes to the north and south lie the towns of Payson and Globe respectively which have all the services you could need.

• 

  Nolan S.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 10, 2019

  Mesquite Wash Dispersed

  Mesquite Wash/Sycamore Creek

  Mesquite Wash is located approximately 20 miles northeast of Fountain Hills, Arizona. Follow the Bee Line Highway, SR 87, a few miles past the Four Peaks turn off. Watch for the Mesquite Wash sign. The main area is on the west side of the highway and is used primarily by off road vehicles. The east side of the highway is quieter and has several pull offs available for dispersed camping.

  There are no facilities; no restrooms, hookups, or trash. Pack it in, pack it out. The best time to go is in the winter months but with the weather being pretty fair it’s not too bad. You can have a fire but it depends on fire danger for the day. Pretty much if it’s hot and or dry, you won’t be able to have a fire.

  It is free and first come first serve, although there are plenty of spots to go around!

  All that being said, this is one of the most beautiful spots in the Sonoran desert! There are so many amazing views! Great for hiking or off roading.

  Side note: Please clean up after yourself! Forest Service has put so many restrictions on this area because people leave their trash out there.

• 

  Robo A.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 13, 2018

  Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Dispersed

  Dispersed Boondock Desert Camping

  Turn off Hwy 74 between Apache Junction and Florence, Turn East on Cottonwood Canyon Rd. and there is dispersed camping with ZERO amenities starting in about 2 thru 5 miles on both sides of the road.

  This is a very popular off road spot for Motocross motorcycles, Jeeps, ATV's, and Side by Sides so be prepared for some dust and some noise from vehicles. There are lots of trails to ride.

  This is Arizona State Trust Land so a permit is required but can be purchased and downloaded from their website at a cost of $21.00 and it is valid for 1 year for the family pass.

  The location was clean and well cared for buy the people that camp there, and there are rock rings for fires but you will need to bring your own wood to burn as there is little in the desert and nowhere close to purchase any.

  We stayed with a group in November and the weather and the sunrise and the sunsets were absolutely amazing to behold. We will definitely be back both for the wide open spaces and the great places to ride.

• c

  chellynn

  Guide

  

  Oct. 22, 2023

  Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Nice camping spot but….

  This would be the perfect camping spot if it weren’t for all of the inconsiderate people on dirt bikes, ATV’s and utility vehicles. They whiz by all hours of the day and night and will not hesitate to sit right next to your camper and shout as loud as they can to each other. A few nights ago, they were going up and down the road, shouting WOOHOO from 1:30am to 3:30am. I’m all for people having fun but people out here can’t seem to do it while being courteous and respectful of those around them. We’ve also had someone park right in our campsite and then left to walk their dog. If you want to get away from people, this isn’t the place to do it. Beautiful views though.

• 

  Whitney W.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 16, 2019

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Love this place!

  Easy to get a permit from the ranger station. Just email your name, address, phone number and driver's license number to sm.fs.mesa_ohs@usda.gov and you'll get your permit within 2 days for free. I love that it's not far out of town but an easy place to forget you live in town. I've seen all types of vehicles out there. Better to have a 4 wheel drive with decent clearance for some of the trails. Most camp spots aren't too deep in so it's easiest to access.

• 

  Chantal S.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 20, 2021

  Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Dispersed

  Box Canyon dispersed camping

  We were actually a bit south of this (but the app won't let me add a new camping area). This is on AZ State Trust land d and a permit is required. https://land.az.gov/

  There are wide open spaces for solo or group camping and it is close to town. This is a great winter camping spot!

• 

  Will and Lucinda B.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 27, 2023

  Peralta Road Dispersed Camping

  Depends on your needs...

  We scoped this area out via Google satellite views and The Dyrt and other review sites, looking for a place to boondock for three weeks.  There's good and there's bad here:

  The Good:

  • The pull-offs from the main road are fairly easy to get to. 
  • It's Arizona...but there's GREEN stuff everywhere.
  • Great view of the mountains here.
  • Saguaro cacti everywhere.
  • I fed some carrots to a horse this morning.
  • The main road is pretty good, at least as far as we came in.  (Had the wife scout out a spot on her motorcycle and sidecar.)
  • Cell service is pretty darn good.  Was getting about 40mps down with Verizon, but AT&T was definitely better at 35 down, but almost 35 up, too.  Verizon's up speed was maxing out about 18 mbps.  I didn't even get the Starlink out!
  • You do have to go through a residential area to get to here, but it's two lanes each side and very smooth.  Just slow down to 35 and 25 during the school zone times.
  • The main road (Peralta Road) ends in a trailhead where apparently you can hike.  (I won't be finding out...)

  The Bad

  • As my subject says, "it depends".  I'm here, boondocking, to get a bunch of audio recording and editing done.
  • Was hoping the weekday would be different, but there is a CONSTANT stream of cars, trucks, jeeps, side-by-sides, some loud, some not.  If basic noise doesn't bother you, you'll be fine.  If you're going to be on the phone a lot for meetings and such, you might notice it or need to use your device's MUTE button.
  • MOST of the drivers are going WAY too fast. (Watch your kids and pets.)    We're on a double blind curve (hard to see where we are pulling out in the truck to go to town from both ways).  You really better pay attention.
  • There are ruts in the pull-offs.  We were lucky that the spot we got into had minimal ruts, but towards both the end and front of our rig, they're pretty deep in some spots.  Walking our dog, she was completely IN a valley-rut several times.  There's a sign posted that seems to indicate they'll be fixing it, but it's state land.  Who knows.  The ruts, at least right now, are indeed dry, but clearly they were muddy.  If you're coming here, you'd best have four wheel drive.  After we got the rig into position, I had to level out some spots with a shovel so the jacks and our blocks would be level when the rig's weight was on them.
  • Even though it hasn't been hot and it's been pretty wet, the information when you buy your year-long permit (family is $20, wow!), it says that pretty much any and all campfires are prohibited.  Even though the link they provide to a map system doesn't show any fire bans here.
  • The spots, at least on this right side of the road, aren't very wide.  Right out our front door is the adjoining property's fence line.
• m

  matt F.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 28, 2025

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Beautiful, price just went up to $80 a year for a pass. but have to camp 2 miles down a ohv

  Our first night we campednat the 2nd or 3rd campsite which wasn't too difficult to get to. Big rocks and ruts but no biggie. The next morning we woke up to a forest ranger saying we had to camp 2 miles from the road. We took our 30 foot camper the 2 miles and boy was it insane off roading for a travel trailer! Dont recommend it as my tire exploded a week later probably from the abuse. The 2 miles rule seems like it is a new rule and they say it's to stop erosion but it seems to stop campers. Because there's only 2 camp spots past 2 miles deep but tons of other awesome campsites on the way. They also just changed the price from $6 for 6 monthes to $80 for the year

• 

  Greg H.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 24, 2024

  Peralta Road Dispersed Camping

  No dispersed camping or trail riding.

  This really ticks me off. One of the more beautiful spots to spend a day has been closed to campers and trail riders.  We were shocked to see all access except to the park and trailhead are closed. I agree a few camping spots were over used but that shouldn't have closed the whole area.  This is shameful and a government power grab!

• 

  Erin H.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 9, 2022

  Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Stunning Views

  33.3605685, -111.3959974

  Peralta Rd., Gold Canyon, AZ

  No services

  VERIZON  via Visible  4 bars 4g

  ATT via Straight Talk 3 bars 4g

  OTA Channels decent depending on location

  Radio stations doable from our location

  March/April 2022

  PROs: 

  Absolutely  stunning views out every window, Any size rig can find a spot, Private spots if you're  willing to scout around, Water & Propane available at Circle K up the road (3 dumpsters in back), Lots of good hiking, side by side tours, horseback riding tours etc if that's your thing.

  CONs: 

  Noisy days & Weekends, Dusty (not many observe the 10mph limit), Open Range livestock, Rattlesnakes, Some trash, Some overstaying limits, Local laundries are expensive ( wash 3.50-15.00, dryer .50 10min).

  SPECIAL NOTE: 

  Get your AZ State Land Trust Pass & display it clearly. They do come through. 

  We have loved our stay here & will be back. We opted for an easy in/out group area 3.1m in from the Peralta/ I60 entrance as we were back n forth to town a lot to visit friends, but found at least 5 others we could have opted for. There are pull out spots just as you enter the gravel road area if you just need an overnight. Otherwise scout it out. There are lots of offshoots that are more private if you're staying longer..

  Road can be bumpy, go slow. Don't recommend coming in blind after dark if you're going past the pullouts. Pay attention to the washes if rain is expected. Some of the spots in the back can get cut off.

  Our site wasn't  very busy with campers, even tough it could hold several, but we did have a lot of OHV tours, dirt bikes, and horseback tours enter the trails through here. Horse trailers park in this location for the day on the weekends.

  Had cows come through several days. Had no interest in us or the rig, but I could see them doing damage if you're parked near their favorite bushes. ...and some of these guys were HUGE. Saw a Coyote and heard them in the distance at night. Horseback tour found a Rattlesnake about 70' from us. Tour leader said they had found 17 so far that week. Said it was pretty unusual activity for this time of year. Glad I didn't know that earlier in the week as I tromped around taking pictures of Spring flowers!

  Quiets down at night except on weekends. Traffic dies down about an hour after sundown when the sunset hikers to the Wave Cave head home. Really had no problem with the little bit of traffic there was. 

  Will definitely be back. That view is worth a little traffic & dust ... Sunrises & Sunsets are stunning here.