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This 63,200-acre wilderness lies in southwestern Maricopa County, 12 miles east of Gila Bend and 20 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. It contains a 10-mile section of the Maricopa Mountains, a low-elevation (1,000 to 2,813 feet) Sonoran Desert range, and extensive surrounding desert plains. The North Maricopa Mountains are a jumble of long ridges and isolated peaks, separated by bajadas and washes. Vegetation includes saguaro, cholla, ocotillo and other Sonoran Desert plant species. Desert bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, coyotes, bobcat, fox, deer, Gambel's quail and raptors inhabit the wilderness.
The wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, including hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, camping, wildlife observation and photography. The Margie's Cove and Brittlebush Trails take you through the heart of the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness.
NO CAMPING First 2 miles and 300 feet on either side of the road/trail VEHICLES MUST STAY ON DESIGNATED ROADS - but past those designated no camping zones, camping is allowed unless otherwise posted.
This space is very large so it may be best to divide it by the access points. The point I'll be using is Access #3- Forest Road (FR) 10, south entrance: This access point is reached from Apache Junction. From Mesa: Travel 15 miles east on the Superstition Freeway (US 60) to the Idaho Street exit. Follow Idaho Street north 4½ miles to McKellips. Turn right on McKellips and travel ½ mile to the Wolverine Pass Road and turn left. Follow it for 7/8 mile and turn right on Tonto Road. Travel north on Tonto Road for ¼ mile to Cactus and turn left. Follow Cactus to McDowell Road and follow it to FR 10 gate.
This 63,200-acre wilderness lies in southwestern Maricopa County, 12 miles east of Gila Bend and 20 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. It contains a 10-mile section of the Maricopa Mountains, a low-elevation (1,000 to 2,813 feet) Sonoran Desert range, and extensive surrounding desert plains. The North Maricopa Mountains are a jumble of long ridges and isolated peaks, separated by bajadas and washes. Vegetation includes saguaro, cholla, ocotillo and other Sonoran Desert plant species. Desert bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, coyotes, bobcat, fox, deer, Gambel's quail and raptors inhabit the wilderness. The wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, including hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, camping, wildlife observation and photography. The Margie's Cove and Brittlebush Trails take you through the heart of the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness.
Annual permit needed to recreate an AZ State Trust Lands.
Traveler
This place is right off the highway. Plenty of level places to park. We drive a van but I think most sizes of RV would have no trouble here. Lots of room to turn around. Pretty view of the mountains. There's highway noise but we were all alone.
Traveler
Permit required for the gate code. Camping available 2 miles in. Need a 4x4. It's definitely worth the hastle as these spots are beautiful and clean. A lot of OHV so it kicks up dust.
Traveler
Area is marked and needs permit as well. As a foreigner I can't buy the permit online since only US address can be entered and will be reverted for the credit card payment so no way to stay there legally.
Maybe going in person or call them can get me a permit but yeah not this way.
Anyway the spot is nice and levelled if it would be usable 🙂
Traveler
No problems except for the people on drugs. Be careful and lock up before you leave to go anywhere.
Traveler
Camped for one night on my way from NM to LA. Arrived at night and it was easy to find. Awoke to a beautiful sunrise at the foot of the mountains. Great rock hunting too! This will be my regular camping spot form now on when traveling the same route.
ScoutCould not Enter. Closed
Traveler
State land trust, good spot for a few nights. Gunshots in the distance, but no incidents/casualties lol. Pulled my 31ft TT back into a spot for a week. Close 10 min drive to stores like WinCo and Safeway and gas stations. Quite weekdays, loud weekends due to motor vehicles breaking the rules. (Not a ohv area but treated as such)
ScoutGreat place to Boondock up to 2 weeks.
Scout
Haven't had the chance to camp at the sites in here. Going to start tonight
Traveler
Beautiful view, a little close to the interstate but quiet enough to sleep. I will stop here again
Guide
Lots of spaces, easy to find off the interstate.
GuideEasy to find an spot and lots of space for privacy. Got a rainbow
TravelerWe pulled in late at about 10pm. Wild burros and coyotes set the soundtrack and the cactus shadows looked against the bright night clouds. Absolutely worth the drive! We car camped and the weather was perfect and we slept great. We will definitely be back soon so we can actually pick a site and enjoy it!
ScoutThere are quiet areas and also areas where people run ATVs and dirt bikes
TravelerThis was just an overnight stop. You can get right up next to the mountain if you want. Very rocky though. I made it with a 35' skoolie. Just go slow. It was fairly busy.
LegendOnly stayed for the night but could have stayed longer if we didn’t have someplace to be. Lower clearance rigs and vehicles need to stay closer to the main road. We have a 4x4 class C towing a Jeep so we went through some steep banked washes. The further you get away from the main road the less people. Will stay here again.
ScoutOHV trails. Available with easy to purchase $6 permit that provides the lock code. Camping permitted only after the first Two miles. 4x4 required to get past the first 2 miles.
ScoutSaddle Mountain is fun to hike but strenuous. The area is quiet and easy to get to. RV and pet friendly.
GuideJanuary Rv 23 fr Cell. Att. 3 bars
This is a great spot that is easy to get to. You can see lots of lights from a refinery or factory of some sort but it didn’t really distract. The 10 fwy is only a few miles away and you can see it but if you are facing the mountains it feels more remote. Take the road further in. Most rv’s or big rigs can get pretty close to the mountain before the road becomes too tough. There are several roads that cut into the camping area from the main highway so you do t have to take the one that the directions here send you to. We were able to stream tv with good cell reception on att. I went on my dirt bike for the r into the mountains Very cool spot.
TravelerWe stayed just one night in our 17 foot R-Pod hauled by our Ford Tundra. Our site wasn't 3 black water tanks roughly 3 miles out.
Gorgeous views. Nice land to hike around. We bushwhacked 2 mile loop Southeast to a big wash.
Definitely will come here again when we have more time.
GuideJanuary visit
Rv 23ft
Easy to find.
Good cell service
Overall it’s a decent spot with a few issues. Several of the spots were trash dumps. We were able to find other spots that were clean though. Spots are just off the road so you’re not real far away from the other campers but we really didn’t hear a thing from anyone. That said , there is a military base close by and jets fly over a few times a day and are real loud. We didn’t mind this but some people may. We also had a couple of helicopters dj a low pass one evening.
The mountains around the area are very pretty.
This spot is not real remote so you are close to the freeway and will hear some trucks occasionally.
There are signs warning of illegal immigrants and that but we didn’t see or hear of any issues.
Update to this review. We didn’t go as far down the road due to some standing water etc. however , go further down the road to find the better spots that are more remote. Most rvs and big rigs can make it really far down this road There is a few private property signs. Go past those TK the next set of camp sites.
TravelerLove this Saddle Mtn Campsite! The pin location is accurate but it looks there are multiple different access routes. We really enjoyed it here because you can pull up within 50-100 yards from Saddle mountain and camp right below it. So cool.
We tent camped for about 5 days here, the crowd was minimal, felt very safe. Plenty of trails to walk, can explore the mountain and there are petroglyphs here. We only found a couple, but didn’t look too hard.
Overall loved this place, easy access, safe, fun and some cool views!
ScoutMy experience here was good meet a couple if nice people and mainly everyone keeps to themselves. Conviently close to the new gas station here so made it nice it has been a little cold this time of year so remember to bundle up at night!
TravelerThat's right, this is AZ, State Trust land, AKA: FREE camping and parking land—72,000 acres of open dispersed, rough, rugged, off-the-grid life. I've parked here in my converted Skoolie of 36 feet for two years. I DO purchase the $ 15-a-year permit and I DO display it. But in 2 years, I've not seen even one "official" vehicle and have never been asked to see my permit or how long I have parked. It is messy, I like to clean it up at times, please help and please remember, this is your land so do not trash it to the point that we will be kicked off. I've watched this happen all over northern AZ and it does not need to happen here. Pack it in and pack it out. Leave no trace. There are garbage cans 1 mile from this land. A new gas station/convenience store has been erected a mile from Maddock Road. Although Maddock Road is no longer an access point to the lands, there are plenty of other access points. The new gas station has diesel, water dispensing, propane dispensing, and all the conveniences anyone would need. It is a paradise in Winter, believe that. In summer, it is hotter than the dickens. I bounce from Flag to this location yearly, it works well for us nomads.
Traveler
There is a long access road. Not too rough for our sedan but watch out that you enter the campground at the correct entrance. It's not great but the others are worse. Burros are loud and wander around at night. Don't bother them, they can be lethal, otherwise, they are pretty peaceful.
ScoutMain gate to access area is closed. May be other points of entry but was pitch dark & could find.
GuideIt was a great area to boondock camp, roads are rough but worth the trip. Cellphone service is spotty. Lots of ATV on the weekends. Be prepared to get stuck in the mud if it rains. There's a great lil gem you can hike to called Mudd Spings, it's super small natural spring.
Camping near Goodyear, Arizona, offers a mix of stunning desert landscapes and outdoor adventures. Whether you're looking for a peaceful getaway or an action-packed trip, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.
Camping near Goodyear, Arizona, offers a variety of experiences, from serene landscapes to thrilling adventures. Whether you're in a tent or an RV, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Goodyear, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Goodyear, AZ is BLM Sonoran Desert National Monument - Vekol Road Dispersed Camping Area with a 4.8-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Goodyear, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 dispersed camping locations near Goodyear, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
