Best Dispersed Camping near Kearny, AZ

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Kearny, Arizona

135 Reviews of 34 Kearny Campgrounds

• 

  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

• 

  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.

• 

  Rocco

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 31, 2020

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Adults only?

  My only advice here is that it’s not fun for dogs. (And maybe not fun for kids either?) It’s incredibly prickly everywhere. Imagine that, prickly in the cactus forest? You’ll want to avoid wearing sandals too. (I found myself with a piece of a cactus stuck to my foot and then when trying to remove it I got my hand stuck to the cactus that was stuck to my foot. Tools were required. Pain, lots of pain.) Seriously, NO SANDALS. But! PROS: the saguaro cactus are huge and impressive. We really enjoyed driving through this area at sunset and seeing all the iconic cactus. But then our overnight of camping on this random BLM land was just hours of dodging prickles. It’s quite an interesting place, but fair warning, is prickly. Act accordingly.

• 

  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.

• 

  Beth G.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 23, 2020

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Feels secluded, but close to I-10 and Tucson

  We were surprised on the number of people who ventured out to this BLM spot off Park Link Road in the Cactus Forest over a rainy weekend in Tucson.

  The first dozen dispersed spots were full with camper vans, small trailers and trucks. We continued to drive down the gravel dirt road to a more secluded spot. We didn’t see anyone in our one-night stay beside a mountain biker in the morning.

  Even though It was raining in the area for about 24 hours before we travelled to the campsite, we didn’t have any issues navigating the 1.5 miles down to the site we chose. The truck has some mud in it and the 4x4 wasn’t needed (but made it easier). I would recommend a high clearance vehicle to reach the further back spots. Also, the road was narrow, our F250 brushed a few bushes on the way.

  Most dispersed sites had a fire ring (check locally fire conditions first). I’d suggest bringing in fire wood unless you just want to burn the few fallen twig and limbs. It’s a cactus forest- so the terrain is mostly saguaros, chollas, Palo verde trees and shrubs.

  Our site had a beautiful view of the sunset and a view of Picacho Peak in the distance. We visited in February and the weather was nice (on the chilly side) for our roof top tent. I wouldn’t come here in the summer unless we had a rig with air conditioning. Impressive view of the stars at night. Some traffic noise from I-10.

  No water, toilets, or trash. So be prepared to take out what you bring in. We had 2 bars of LTE slcell service with T-Mobile.

  It’s BLM land close to Tucson, so locals use the area for gun target practice. We heard gun shots until the sunset and starting again the morning. It was basically non-stop. If you want a place to shoot, this would be a good spot to camp.

  🌵 Saguaro Facts: Saguaros can live to be 150-200 years old and grow as tall at 40 feet. A 10 year old saguaro Is about 1.5 inches tall (please watch where you drive, park and step). At 80 years old, it’s around 6 feet tall and starts to bloom. The best time to see saguaro blooms is mid-May through mid-June. At age 95-100, it’s around 15 feet tall and starts to grow it’s first arm. 🌵

• E

  Emma A.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 26, 2024

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Great stay

  This was like being able to backcountry camp in Saguaro NP. We got in after dark & overshot the turn in, but looped back around. Our site was great - quiet & peaceful. We enjoyed waking up to the literal forest of cactus.

• 

  JESUS IS KING C.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 2, 2021

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  The place where everyone is not...

  It has what's seems like endless road of dispersed camp sites with endless cacti of any/ every kind... It is no cost and forthe ones who have animals it has a fence yard in the first and second spots for public use...BY FAR ME AND MINES favorite place thus far... Four thumbs up

• 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.

• 

  Sierra N.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 6, 2023

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Saguaro Cactus Wonderland

  If you want saguaros this is the perfect place for you. Awesome dispersed camping. Watch out for jumping chollas and keep your furry friends close. But breathtaking view all around you!

• 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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• A

  Ali B.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 6, 2022

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Beautiful stay

  Beautiful stay. Great views. It is dispersed camping for miles! We were able to find a spot really quick. The coyotes came out at night and people were shooting all day/night by the mountain range but it didn’t bother us! Definitely coming back! :)

• 

  Monte W.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 8, 2023

  Cactus Forest Dispersed Site

  Quiet and peaceful

  Really nice dispersed camp sites along a dirt road. The directions are accurate and bring you to two dirt roads off of Cattle Tank Road. I went East and there were about a dozen sites, mostly sites for tents and small RV’s. After about a mile the road gets a little rougher and narrow. I didn’t notice any existing sites after a mile or so down the dirt road. The sites were well spread out and very clean. I brought wood for a fire and was able to find some wood around the area to burn as well. Very dark sky with lots of stars. I explored the other dirt road West from Cattle Tank Road and the sites were larger and more suitable for larger RV’s.

• 

  Jozi A.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 26, 2023

  Mount Bigelow Dispersed

  Awesome views on Mount Bigelow Rd!

  Great spots along this road for dispersed camping. Saw some wild life like deer and turkey. Only downside is that the road is narrow so if your pulling anything wide just be cautious. Other than that I highly recommend camping here when your at Mt. Lemmon.

• 

  Greg L.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 2, 2022

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Dense cactus..bad for dogs!

  This dispersed camping area is actually on the Cattle Tanks road south of Park Links road. The side two- track sandy roads are very narrow and bordered by dense chain fruit cholla plants. This area is not a good choice for dogs and their owners. Also shooting is in the background like everyday. Access for TTs down narrow side roads would be risky.

• 

  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 😀

• 

  Sierra N.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 5, 2023

  Cactus Forest Dispersed Site

  True Cactus Living

  Wonderful dispersed camping with beautiful desert cactus, including the Saguaros. Nice and peaceful with desert wildlife, birds and coyotes singing. If you want to be away from the crowds go further down the road. Watch out for jumping cholla cactus and you’ll be just fine. There is a shooting area down the road, a highway in the distance, and some helicopters/planes noise wise. Well worth the hour drive out of town.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  Shawn A.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 1, 2021

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Peaceful & Quiet evening.

  Okay BLM site. Campsites are scattered along the dirt road. I have no idea how far the little narrow dirt road goes, but as long as you can find a place to park, I think your good. Quite dense with cactus and many of the sites are kind of pull throughs. Biosphere II is about 28 miles to the east, so it was a good spot to camp at for free and then drive to my tour in the AM.

• 

  Angela G.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 24, 2021

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Secluded BLM Camping

  We stayed here in January 2021 during our visit to Saguaro National Park due to previous good reviews. Classic BLM-style camping, meaning no amenities, dispersed, and pack out all waste.

  This campground’s name is quite apt; it is indeed a cactus forest, and a beautiful one at that. However, watch where you step AND where you drive!!!! Some places are hairier than others, but we were very careful for our own safety and for the livelihood of the Saguaros, as young ones are quite tiny and need to be protected. We were traveling with our cat, and we usually let him walk around campsites with us, but decided it was not worth the risk at this campground. I would avise against dogs roaming here as well.

  This is a great campground if you are just looking to get away for the weekend or want a quaint, quiet campground amongst incredible Saguaros. However, I personally prefer the BLM Pipeline campground to this one, as it’s more spread out, has less opportunity for cactus stepping, and has a much better proximity to Saguaro NP (especially the East park/Tucson Mountain Park).

• 

  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.
• 

  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!