Several campgrounds near Goodyear, Arizona offer trail access for equestrians, though none feature dedicated horse corrals according to available data. White Tank Mountain Regional Park accommodates horses on multiple trail systems, with both drive-in and walk-in camping options. The park maintains over 10 trails with varying intensity levels for riders of all skill levels, and the trail system includes a shaded horse hitching post area with automatic horse waterers. Skyline Regional Park in nearby Buckeye also welcomes horses on its 18.5 miles of hiking trails, though its primitive campsites are limited to 7 sites with no hookups.
The mountain biking trails at these parks double as bridle paths, creating multiple options for day rides from camp. Estrella Mountain Regional Park in Goodyear provides additional riding opportunities with boat-in, drive-in, hike-in, and walk-in access, though limited camping facilities. All parks require that horses remain on designated trails, and riders should carry sufficient water as natural water sources are scarce in this desert environment. During summer months, early morning rides are recommended to avoid excessive heat. Trail maps detailing horse-accessible routes are available at park entrances, and many trails feature tie-up areas at scenic overlooks for rest breaks.
"This park is so close to town, but far enough to get some quiet night sky! There are standard campsites and a more primitive camping area."
"This park is so close to town, but far enough that you feel like you are way out. There are standard campsites (water and electric) as well as tent camping area. The sites can fit good sized rigs. "
"Moved to Buckeye in Oct of 2018, when exiting off Watson road off I-10 always seen the signs of the Skyline Regional Park."
"I was a little surprised that the picnic tables did not have shelters as it gets quite hot in Arizona (the day-use pavilions were covered). Restroom: Two-stall, one-sink restroom."
$15 - $45 / night
"Lots of trails for all skill sets. Great for bikes. Horse trails. Water and electric sites with a dump station. My site was backwards for my trailer but was still good."
"We stayed two nights at the Willow walk-in sites (W10). Despite our campsite being close to the bathroom it exceeded our expectations. Campground is well organized with friendly staff."
"Outstanding layout, great hosts, spectacular location. "
"Campsite 6 is the first one on the right, across from the Camp Host site, and as close to the entrance has you’re gonna get."
$10 - $35 / night
"22 is all by itself on the corner of the outside loop. It’s kinda close to 1-8 but it wasn’t bothersome. It gives you something to watch as you soak in the sun."
"Amazing stargazing and close to the Highway. If you decide to tent camp, you’ll hear road noise but in my camper van, barely heard it. Definitely would stay again!"
$32 / night
"Gorgeous views, very spaced out sites, and access to great mountain biking and hiking trails. Even the overflow area where we had to spend a couple of nights has a very nice bathroom and shower."
"Lots of hiking and bike riding trails with a bike course! Playground. Pet friendly. Very clean and friendly hosts. Close to fountain hills if you need anything in town."
"Very pleasant .there is no sewerage hook ups you have to drive to dump ech time .the people were friendly there as well"
$57 / night
"Great location! Nice views of the compound which normally hosts car and horse shows. Electric and water available as hookup. Common dump site available upon entry as well as during your stay."
"This is a great place to camp if you are attending a WestWorld event since you will be right next to all of the facilities."
ScoutGreat location! Nice views of the compound which normally hosts car and horse shows. Electric and water available as hookup. Common dump site available upon entry as well as during your stay. Fabulous shopping restaurants all in close proximity in North Scottsdale. Also convenient to highway system!
TravelerThis park is so close to town, but far enough to get some quiet night sky! There are standard campsites and a more primitive camping area. The Willow Canyon site is big enough for a full length Sprinter, though the office says 16’ is the length limit.
Lots of trails for hiking, biking and horses. Brand new showers, restrooms and a dishwashing area. Dogs allowed too!
I’m on Verizon and only got a single bar in the park. The library is near the entrance if you need to get your WiFi fix!
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.
GuideSkyline Regional Park, Buckeye AZ
www.skylineregionalpark.com and camping page www.skylineregionalpark.com/camping/
This is a brand new park in the city of Buckeye, AZ at the south end of the White Tank Mountains and is located about 20 miles from White Tanks Regional Park in the Maricopa County Parks district (see my review). The park itself is very pretty, all of the amenities are new and fresh, and several of the trails are under active construction.
This is a very popular and BUSY park for mountain bikers - I was surprised to see the trailhead parking lot nearly full (almost 2 dozen cars) on a Thursday late afternoon/evening, and as people came back to the lot to leave nearly all of them were mountain bikers, with a few hikers mixed in.
The good -
It’s neat and clean, nice new restrooms with flush toilets and sinks that also have motion lights to conserve energy - they stay dark at night, so there are fewer bugs swarming around the entrances, although the restrooms are marked with bee warnings.
The campsites are level, evenly spaced away from each other on a long loop, and have big sturdy concrete picnic tables along with a fire ring and standing grill. The parking spaces are easy to back into and help to block the view of some of the campsite from the road.
I stayed in site D, which is at the top of the low hill that composes a loop of 7 sites (A-G) but sites E and F would be my choice next time, as they are terraced into the hill as it comes down from the peak sites of C and D - each of the sites E and F have an erosion wall that makes nice seating (see photo)
Site G is currently under construction, and was not available for reservation as of my stay in the middle of October, but will be the site closest to the restroom and trail head when it’s available. Not a big issue, as each site is only a few dozen yards from each other.
The trail head has a nice map of the available trails, covered ramadas with recycle containers along with trash receptacles, and even a shaded horse hitching post area with an automatic horse waterer. There is no potable water for people to drink in this park.
The sites are cleared of brush/cacti and have a nice wide gravel path to the restroom - I carried a UV light but didn’t see any scorpions anywhere near the road or my camp, which is certainly not the case just up the road in White Tanks Regional part, where the campsites are more desert/less groomed (but have water&electric).
The less than good -
It’s pretty boring. There are 7 sites that are basically identical with the same view of the trailhead parking lot - it’s nice that the restroom is close, but there’s not much privacy for any of the sites. No trees of any significant size, so none of the sites have appreciable shade available.
I’m not sure who these sites were designed for - they are deep enough for RVs to back in, but there is no electric or water, and they recommend driving 5 miles away to a truck stop as the closest RV dump site and pay showers, so that can’t be very convenient for non-tent campers.
The campsites have a nice flat area for a tent, but it’s next to the “driveway” rather than at the back of the site so your tent has NO privacy from the road/trailhead parking lot, and the entire camping loop is located on a very uninteresting section of terrain.
The park is far enough from the freeway (2 miles) that it’s quiet, and tucked into the foothills enough to block the city lights from Phoenix, so stargazing is quite nice. However, it’s under a flight path from Phoenix to San Diego/Los Angeles, so every few minutes a jet blinks through your sky space. It’s also apparently under a flight path for Luke Air Force Base, and I had several noisy jets pass overhead just as I was settling in for the night. I live in the area so those jets are a constant background noise in my life and they were no big deal to me, but might be unsettling for someone who was really looking for a “peace and quiet” camping experience.
There was a fire ban in effect during my stay and they don’t announce them on their website - you have to remember to call and ask before you get there. However, even during a fire ban you can use your fire pit and grill, so it’s really not a big deal unless you were planning to set up camp way out in the desert somewhere.
My least favorite -
The mountain bikers take these trails seriously and are out on the trails with head lamps and bike lights until LATE at night, and their voices carry all over the park so this is NOT a quiet place to camp.
The signage all says that the trails are open from sunup until sundown, and that the park gates close at 10pm. The reality is that the hikers and mountain bikers wear lights and stay out on the trails until far after sundown because even though my campsite reservation said I would need to use a gate code to leave the park after 10pm, that is not the case. The gate leaving the park has an auto-opening feature, so you can drive up to it in the middle of the night and it will be triggered to open and let you out. Day-use park visitors can and do stay until very late, as there is no consequence for being in the park after the trails “close” or even after 10pm, since they don’t risk being locked in. I didn’t see any park employees driving around to enforce the park closing time, and I did become a little concerned (as I was the only camper that night, and alone with my dogs) when someone drove up to use the restroom at the trailhead at 11:30pm (car headlights shining directly into my camp of course) - again, not much privacy.
All in all - I’d come back to this park to hike any day of the week. The trails are wide and new and well maintained, and it’s a new area to explore. As far as camping goes, there are plenty of nice parks not far from here, so I’d probably recommend driving an extra half hour to one of the Maricopa county parks at Estrella Mountain or White Tanks to take advantage of the same or better mountain views with more amenities.
RangerOutstanding layout, great hosts, spectacular location. Good hiking and sites nearby whether you are looking for lakes, wild mustangs in the Salt River, a scenic drive to Tortilla Flats or just enjoying the Arizona weather.
Hiking in the park to accommodate all levels.
Campsites are well maintained. Quiet in the evenings. Could not ask for more.
GuideThis park is so close to town, but far enough that you feel like you are way out. There are standard campsites (water and electric) as well as tent camping area. The sites can fit good sized rigs. There is a ton of trails for hiking, biking, and horses. Brand new showers, restrooms, and a dishwashing area. Dogs are allowed, but please keep them on a leash and pick up after them so we don't lose the privilege!
Here is a link to the Maricopa parks with maps: https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/maps/
LegendA very large park with lots of day sites. Plenty of pavilions for group use. Lots of trails for all skill sets. Great for bikes. Horse trails. Water and electric sites with a dump station. My site was backwards for my trailer but was still good.
GuideFantastic park for seeing the stars and getting away from Phoenix city lights. Lots of well marked trails and access to water and facilities as well as access to a county library and education center at the entrance.
I just camped in this park last night in space 17 - the family camping is about 35 sites in a big loop with a central restroom and marked pathways from each campsite to the facilities. Some sites are pull-in/back-in, and others are pull-through along the road. The lowest and highest numbered sites are closest to the staff "residences" with their RVs. Each site has a fire ring, grill, concrete picnic table and water/electric posts. I think site 18 is my favorite, and sites 17-21 are closest to the family campground trail leg that leads to the Ironwood Trail for hiking access.
I've also joined two ranger-led hikes here (Black Rock Loop for sunrise hikes) as well as a county-sponsored astronomy night with access to multiple large telescopes and an astronomy presentation. Check the park website for their activities calendar as there's a good chance you can take advantage of some organized education during your visit.
LegendLocated 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.
Camping near Goodyear, Arizona offers diverse outdoor experiences in the Sonoran Desert, where elevations range from 1,000 to 4,000 feet across the region. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, while winter nights can drop below 40°F. The area features a mix of county and regional parks with varying levels of amenities for both recreational and equestrian campers.
Mountain biking on competitive trails: McDowell Mountain Regional Park provides extensive mountain biking opportunities with varying difficulty levels. "Miles of mountain biking trails which were spectacular. We've ridden lots of places and this is definitely one of my favorite. Trails are not difficult technically but a great workout and so pretty," notes Mike M., who visited the park.
Explore petroglyphs and desert wildlife: White Tank Mountain Regional Park features ancient rock art along several trails. "The most popular one is the waterfall trail, but you need to drive to the trailhead for this. It is paved for the first half mile (shortly after the petroglyphs) and then it is a rocky, gravel path," explains Lee D., who explored the park with family.
Visit nearby attractions: The area surrounding Goodyear offers unique day trips. "The Dwarf Car Museum is nearby and a must see for free. The camp host is a delightful, helpful woman that assisted us to keep our site when we had to extend our stay waiting for a package," shares Mary H. from West Pinal County Park.
Clean facilities with desert privacy: White Tank Mountain Regional Park maintains well-kept restrooms and campsites. "Very well taken care of. The park has beautiful hiking trails and a great nature center, which offers activities and the regional library. There are a couple of playgrounds in the park as well," writes Ellen W., who appreciates the park's amenities.
Stargazing opportunities: The desert setting provides excellent night sky viewing at many campgrounds. "Fantastic park for seeing the stars and getting away from Phoenix city lights. Lots of well marked trails and access to water and facilities as well as access to a county library and education center at the entrance," shares Chenery K. about White Tank Mountain.
Variety of trail systems: Usery Mountain Regional Park offers excellent hiking and riding options. "We absolutely love this campground. Close to everything, including some awesome Mountain Biking from green to double black diamond trails. Large spaces with water, power and super clean," reports Marty P., highlighting the range of trail difficulties.
Limited equestrian facilities: While horse campgrounds near Goodyear, Arizona are available, designated corrals are scarce. As Lisa K. from Skyline Regional Park points out, the trails are horse-friendly but limited: "There is a shaded horse hitching post area with an automatic horse waterer. There is no potable water for people to drink in this park."
Summer heat considerations: The desert climate requires planning. "This is a lovely regional park to stay in. The sites are well maintained and the visitor center is worth a look. Wonderful hiking trails around the park," notes Christine S., who recommends visiting during cooler months.
Water management: Desert camping requires water conservation and planning. "Bring lots of water. Though there are fresh water stations around, the water seemed to have an odd taste to me, I would recommend bringing water especially if you are sensitive to tastes," advises Crystal C., who experienced the challenges of desert hydration firsthand.
Educational programs: Several parks offer ranger-led activities. "I've also joined two ranger-led hikes here (Black Rock Loop for sunrise hikes) as well as a county-sponsored astronomy night with access to multiple large telescopes and an astronomy presentation," shares Chenery K. about White Tank Mountain.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Desert camping provides unique animal encounters. "Wildlife: birds, coyotes, reptiles, etc. Camp hosts were responsive. They live on-site year round and treat the camp like it is a home," Ryan W. mentions about the natural environment at White Tank Mountain Regional Park.
Kid-friendly trail options: Look for shorter, easier trails for young hikers. "If you want an easy hike with a great view check out the Waterfall Canyon Trail," recommends Crystal C., noting that families should prepare for heat and bring extra water for children.
Hookup availability varies: McDowell Mountain Regional Park provides partial hookups for RVs. "Very nice clean campground and extremely private! No sewer, however electric and water are available and conveniently located. NO shade however and in the summer it is HOT!" warns Larry G., emphasizing both the amenities and challenges.
Dump station locations: Plan for waste management if staying at parks without full hookups. "There is a dump station with potable water. There is also rest rooms with showers. Located in the center of North Scottsdale conveniently near lots of great dining, shopping and entertainment, for a reasonable price," shares Al G. about WestWorld RV Park.
Site spacing considerations: RV sites vary in size and privacy across parks. "The sites are level, well-maintained, and spaced a decent amount of distance apart. Some are pull-through and some back-in. In addition to the aforementioned water and electric hookups, each site also has a picnic table, bbq grill, and fire pit," describes Lee D. about equestrian-friendly camping options near Goodyear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Goodyear, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Goodyear, AZ is White Tank Mountain with a 4.6-star rating from 18 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Goodyear, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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