Best Equestrian Camping near Lake Havasu City, AZ

Hualapai Mountain Park offers tent, RV, and cabin camping in a mountain setting approximately 70 miles from Lake Havasu City, though it lacks specific horse corrals or dedicated equestrian facilities. The park features multiple camping areas with sites spread throughout pine forest at elevations up to 8,000 feet, providing a cooler retreat from desert temperatures. Wildlife frequently visits campsites, with deer and elk commonly observed by campers during morning hours. Camping options include both developed sites with water and electric hookups and more primitive tent sites accessible via dirt roads, though these roads can be steep in places.

Trails throughout Hualapai Mountain Park provide opportunities for hiking rather than designated horse riding paths. The park contains an extensive trail system including the Aspen Peak trail with panoramic views across Arizona. Camping fees start at $17-20 per night for dry camping, with full hookup RV sites and cabins available at higher rates. The campground can become crowded on weekends and during special events, particularly off-road gatherings that utilize the surrounding terrain. Visitors seeking horse-friendly camping may need to explore other options, as neither Patton's Pad dispersed area nor Riverside Adventure Trails RV Resort explicitly accommodate horses according to their listed amenities.

Best Equestrian Sites Near Lake Havasu City, Arizona (3)

    1. Hualapai Mountain Park

    23 Reviews
    Kingman, AZ
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 681-5700

    $15 / night

    "I had been camping in August by the Colorado River in Arizona, a mistake that time of year. About midnight I was too hot to sleep, and the mosquitos were eating me alive."

    "So surprising how much the temperature dropped up the mountain looking over the Arizona desert still."

    2. Patton's Pad

    5 Reviews
    Earp, CA
    42 miles

    "There’s some light noise from the highway but otherwise a decent spot."

    "Beautiful location for sky viewing and photography."

    3. Riverside Adventure Trails RV Resort

    1 Review
    Bullhead City, AZ
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 763-8800
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Equestrian Camping Reviews near Lake Havasu City, AZ

29 Reviews of 3 Lake Havasu City Campgrounds


  • C
    Apr. 3, 2017

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    Shangri-La above the desert

    I had been camping in August by the Colorado River in Arizona, a mistake that time of year. About midnight I was too hot to sleep, and the mosquitos were eating me alive. I decided to move, and an hour later I rolled into Kingman, Ariz. to get gas. I saw a sign for Hualapai Mountain Park, and, knowing nothing about it, I took a chance. Within a couple of miles, the temperature had dropped and the air was fresh. I rolled into the park about midnight, somehow found a camping spot amid the towering Ponderosas and slipped into a deep sleep in the cool air. In the morning a friendly ranger reminded me to pay, nodding in understanding at the story of my escape from the desert. The campground itself was beautiful. The big Ponderosas kept the site cool well into the day--it is almost at 8,000 feet! Better yet was the short hiking trail I took the next day to a promontory on Aspen Peak with a stunning view east across Arizona. A memorable stay.

  • Chris B.
    Sep. 1, 2019

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    Escape from the Desert Heat

    Just a few miles off I-40 just east of Kingman. So surprising how much the temperature dropped up the mountain looking over the Arizona desert still. The rangers at the campground was very informational and helpful on finding the perfect place for either tent camping or bringing your RV with hook-ups. The grounds have plenty of trails to hike and the scenery is wonderful and the freshness of the air words can't describe. Definitely coming back in the future.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2018

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    ideal For RVs or Tent Campers With Great Wildlife

    A stay here is like a stay right in the mountains where you can see everything around you and truly appreciate the atmosphere. Up at this camp anyone can come and enjoy stretching out and enjoying a day or weekend away at a reasonable rate with good company all around you. There wasn't a single camper that I met here that wasn't pleasant, maybe it is that mountain air.

    When I visited there were not any events going on here so it was a typical day in the middle of the week, there were still plenty of other campers here but it did not feel overwhelmingly full by any means. I opted for a site without water because there were plenty of spigots around so I didn't figure it was a must have at that moment. My site was pretty basic with a picnic table out of stone and a grill but it was nestled in the mountains and seemed like my own little piece of happiness. Only $17 for my site seemed more than reasonable and I felt like I had plenty of room to really spread out.

    This campground has a little piece of history being a part of the jobs created during the Great Depression. At that time they put people to work etching out paths through the mountains, some of those are still in use today and as you hike along the many trails here you are hiking along the path with such an appreciation for the beauty that you tend to forget that this once was a place which reminded people of hope in the midst of tragedy through minimal wages.

    While there I checked out the Aspen Peak trail which was awesome and I recommend it as a must see!!

    TIPS:

    • Sites are first come first serve so get there early on busy weekends.

    • Check their site for special events, they often host off road events here because of the terrain in which case sites fill quickly.

  • Steve R.
    Jun. 7, 2015

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    First time to the "Hualapais"

    This is a great place to get away from the heat in Bullhead City. There are lots of dry tent camping sites scattered throughout the park, or you could rent a cabin or even a teepee. There are rv sites with full hook ups if that's your preference. We went tent camping in the pine basin section there's no water so we brought enough for the trip. In our area I only saw port a potties scattered throughout the area. There are a lot of deer wandering around and they're not shy, a doe walked right up to me the first morning while I was making coffee. I have been told there are Elk wandering around too but I didn't see any. We enjoyed it there and will be going back. The fees are reasonable $17.00 a night for camping, you can buy firewood and ice at the check in station.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2020

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    Area Amazing, Pioneer RV Park Not So Much

    Gorgeous area set in mountains covered with mature pine trees and huge granite boulders just 10-minutes off I-40. The Pioneer RV Campground consists of about 10 sites terraced into a hilly area accessed via a steep, one-way but well maintained road. The sites were way too close together for privacy. It is a good think we liked our neighbors, because we essentially camped with them for 3 nights. All that said, it was worth it to have immediate access to the Potato Patch Loop trailhead and the area in general. A nearby bathroom was a porta-potty, but there were reasonably clean pit toilets at the trailhead. We were happy to have full hook-ups in our 17-foot Casita RV. We arrived on Sunday and a nearby group area was noisy (music, talking) until about 9PM. We were happy to have access to the town 20-mins away, where we were able to get parts for an rv plumbing repair.

  • Alex M.
    Jun. 11, 2022

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    High desert retreat

    I enjoyed my stay here. The terrain is steep, with mountain pines and boulders. This was a welcome change from the surrounding country, as was the lower temperature that comes with higher elevation. It was about 10 °F cooler here than in Kingman when I visited in June. Tent camping is first come first served. I had no problem finding a good spot on a Friday night.

    There are two areas to the campground. The front section has paved roads and is mostly cabins with some tent sites mixed in. There are real bathrooms here, though they were in need of a cleaning when I visited. The back section has dirt roads and all tent sites, with a few porta potties. The roads are steep in places, but nicely graded. My front wheel drive passenger car traversed them without difficulty.

    It is very quiet and dark here at night. Flashlights are a must, as are water vessels: there are no water spigots in the back section. I also saw what I am 80% sure was a mountain lion crossing the road at night when I was walking to one of the porta potties.

    The only real downside I noticed here was the flies. They don't bite, but they buzz around you constantly and can get pretty annoying.

  • Mary S.
    Jun. 17, 2018

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    Decent county park near Kingman with good hiking, cabins and ge group sites

    This is a Mohave County park near Kingman AZ. We had a rough start, but it ended up being a reasonable place to stay. And the hiking was excellent.

    A couple days before we arrived, someone called to tell us our site was not going to be ready. The caller wanted to move us across the road to their RV park. We explained we had a teardrop trailer, and they moved our reservation. When we arrived, we realized the RV park was a big parking lot (albeit with a nice view) but there were no bathrooms. It is, however, a full hookup park. If you don't mind camping within a few feet of your neighbors and have a bathroom with your unit, this is a good option. That doesn't work for a teardrop with a living compartment with a futon that folds down into a bed plus a kitchen on the back. A trip back to the office led us to a site across from group camping with a nearby bathroom. (There were two other group sites deeper in the park. All group areas looked nice and were appropriate for large groups.)

    Showers were up above where we camped, but we quickly found out these were locked units that were only for people in some of the cabins that didn't have showers. Oh well, there was a wellness center in Kingman with a gym/shower. That's a good option for occasional showers because we planned to stay multiple nights. Cabins looked nice from the outside, but we didn't see the inside.

    There were a couple camping areas that had nice sites but the road to get to one area was steep and deeply pitted. We would not have wanted to take our trailer too far into those areas. Tent campers, campervans and truck campers would be okay. I don't think they intend for people to tow anything to those spots, but they were very rough (even for a car).

    But....we found an excellent hiking loop and were able to do a 7 to 8 mile hike in varied mountain terrain. There is a good map online that shows all the hiking options. On our way to the trailhead, we passed the area where we had made our reservation. I'm not sure why they waited to call us until a couple days before our stay because this area was not even close to ready for camping. Not sure if it is new or just being redone.

    Wildlife in the area - deer and elk. I was running on the road in one direction while an elk was headed for the campground in the other direction.

  • Jeff K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 22, 2020

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    Nice But Crowded

    Going 3-star only because it's pretty crowded. Tent platform sites, picnic table sites, various sized cabins. Not many tent sites, although it appears they are adding more. Ranger was very friendly and accommodating to let tent campers use picnic table sites without platforms. Sites are very close to each other. Good water spouts. Lots of hiking trails right out od camp.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2022

    Hualapai Mountain Park

    Nice park for hanging out and maybe some hikes

    Got there after dark, the ranger happened to be zipping past the entrance when I arrived and gave me some good info on where to go.

    Set up, read my book, and night night. Lovely sounds of birds and general forest noise.

    Next day I took some hikes (my definition of hike is a very low bar) they have a bunch of trails to explore, too.

    It's a developed and primary campground less than 10 miles from a city, so you definitely know that you aren't in the wilderness, but it's still a beautiful space!


Guide to Lake Havasu City

Hualapai Mountain Park sits at elevations ranging from 6,000 to 8,000 feet, providing a stark contrast to the desert conditions of Lake Havasu City. The park encompasses multiple camping areas with varied terrain and vegetation patterns across the mountain landscape. Access roads to some primitive sites can be challenging, particularly after rain or snow events when surfaces become slippery.

What to do

Hiking panoramic trails: The Aspen Peak trail offers significant elevation gain with views across Arizona. "A stay here is like a stay right in the mountains where you can see everything around you and truly appreciate the atmosphere," notes Crystal C. about Hualapai Mountain Park.

Night sky viewing: Clear mountain air creates excellent stargazing conditions away from city lights. "I came night hiking here and the stars will amaze you. I got to see reptiles like tarantulas and scorpions," writes Kevin T. about his experience at Hualapai Mountain.

Wildlife observation: Early morning provides optimal wildlife viewing opportunities. "There are a lot of deer wandering around and they're not shy, a doe walked right up to me the first morning while I was making coffee," reports Steve R. from his camping trip at Hualapai.

What campers like

Temperature relief: The mountain elevation provides significantly cooler temperatures compared to surrounding desert areas. "This place is a must come. Trust me. I've been outdoors for years and this place is the place to come," states Kevin T. about Patton's Pad, noting the comfort of higher elevations.

Historical elements: The area contains remnants of Depression-era construction projects. "Gen. George Patton trained troops here for the African Campaign back in the 40's. It's a large flat concrete pad that was once part of an air base. No amenities, just a place to park. Interesting history if you research it," explains M W. about Patton's Pad.

Diverse accommodation options: Beyond standard camping, the park offers unique lodging alternatives. "Rent a 1930's stone cabin for $90. RV spots available also," explains Jenny H. about the options at Hualapai Mountain Park.

What you should know

Terrain challenges: Some camping areas require careful navigation. "The road to get to one area was steep and deeply pitted. We would not have wanted to take our trailer too far into those areas. Tent campers, campervans and truck campers would be okay," advises Mary S. about Riverside Adventure Trails RV Resort.

Limited equestrian facilities: Horse campgrounds near Lake Havasu City, Arizona are limited, with most established areas lacking dedicated horse corrals or equestrian trails. Hualapai Mountain Park does not offer horse-specific amenities.

Site selection timing: Popular areas fill quickly during peak periods. "Sites are first come first serve so get there early on busy weekends. Check their site for special events, they often host off road events here because of the terrain in which case sites fill quickly," recommends Crystal C.

Tips for camping with families

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Children can observe deer and elk in natural settings. "I have been there many times over the years and have never been disappointed. I have never been so close to wild life before the elk and deer roam the area, especially in the morning hours," reports Chris G. about his experiences at Hualapai Mountain Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Lake Havasu City, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Lake Havasu City, AZ is Hualapai Mountain Park with a 4.3-star rating from 23 reviews.

What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Lake Havasu City, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Lake Havasu City, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.