Best Tent Camping near Leupp, AZ

Dispersed tent camping options surround Leupp, Arizona, with several primitive tent campgrounds in the nearby Coconino National Forest. Sunset Crater Volcano and the surrounding dispersed camping areas offer tent sites with cinder cone views approximately 30 miles west of Leupp. Edge of the World (East Pocket) and Dispersed Camping Coconino provide free tent camping opportunities with varying degrees of accessibility.

Most dispersed tent sites around Leupp lack basic amenities. Campers should bring all necessary water supplies, as drinking water is unavailable at most primitive tent campgrounds. Fire rings may be present at established sites, but campers should check current fire restrictions before planning trips. Forest Road 9125F tent sites feature soft gravel surfaces where vehicles can easily sink "like sand if you're not careful," according to camper feedback. Access roads to many tent camping areas require careful navigation, with some roads presenting challenges for low-clearance vehicles. Toilet facilities are rare, with Lockett Meadow Campground being one of the few tent campgrounds offering vault toilets.

Tent campers frequently enjoy the solitude and natural setting these primitive areas provide. The dispersed camping zones near Sunset Crater feature open areas with abundant wildflowers in season and views of ancient volcanic features. Coconino Forest sites offer cooling shade from tall ponderosa pines, providing relief during summer months when temperatures in Phoenix and lower elevations soar. Campers seeking primitive tent sites with more privacy should explore the forest roads farther from main highways. Sites at higher elevations provide significantly cooler temperatures, with one visitor noting their campsite was "about 25° cooler than Phoenix and was gorgeous!" Areas close to Flagstaff tend to be more popular, especially on weekends, while more remote tent camping zones offer increased seclusion.

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Best Tent Sites Near Leupp, Arizona (20)

    1. Edge of the World (East Pocket)

    53 Reviews
    Sedona, AZ
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 527-3600

    "I’d definitely recommend patience and a vehicle that you’re comfortable hitting ruts, rocks, etc with depending on which route you choose to take into this location."

    "The road in is bumpy and rocky, but not impossible (a Ford Mustang in the site next to us clearly made it)."

    2. FR 222 Dispersed

    35 Reviews
    Bellemont, AZ
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 527-3600

    "Very upsetting to see most of the sites are littered with trash."

    "Picturesque forest boondocking not far from Flagstaff off of highway 180. Turn onto Forest Road 222 and take the first road on the right."

    3. Lockett Meadow Campground

    12 Reviews
    Flagstaff, AZ
    35 miles
    Website

    "The aspens were beautiful and the campsites gave enough spacing for other campers. The meadow is decent, not too big. There is a trail to hike, which is free."

    "Great place to camp near the pay for sites but it’s near the road and a lot of the sites are on a slope."

    4. Dispersed Camping around Sunset Crater Volcano NM

    7 Reviews
    Flagstaff, AZ
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 526-0866

    "Just outside flagstaff. Ita much cooler at night than surrounding areas so a huge plus. Simple dirt road with some bumps and ruts but any 2wd car will be okay. The sites are spread out."

    "This was one of the quickest and easiest dispersed camping spots I've set up in.  In the morning, it's super easy to get back onto the road, hit the trails, or head into Flagstaff."

    5. Freidlein Prairie Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Bellemont, AZ
    39 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 527-3600

    "This place was great, quiet, lots of space for our kids and dog to explore. The camping is in designated spots only which are really spaced out."

    "One of my first options in Flagstaff...now, don't share it or the crowds will come..."

    6. Manzanita Campground

    25 Reviews
    Munds Park, AZ
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 204-2034

    $30 / night

    "We checked in with the camp host, who was very kind and helpful, and set up. The creek running by the campsites is amazing. The campground also sells firewood if you happen to forget it."

    "The campground has restrooms, a natural water pool (cold), and 5 mins away from the Sedona natural slides."

    7. Coconino Forest Road 9125F

    7 Reviews
    Flagstaff, AZ
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 526-0866

    "The road was primitive but in very good shape. Maybe about a 15 minute drive from Flagstaff. Park next to campsite. Fire ring available 😊😊 very pleased"

    "It was about 25° cooler than Phoenix and was gorgeous!"

    8. Dispersed Camping Coconino

    2 Reviews
    Mormon Lake, AZ
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 527-3600

    "I stumbled upon this area after catching some fish are ashurst lake. What a gem. The area I stayed is about a mile from the lake."

    "Plenty of shade from the tall pine trees."

    9. Sunset Crater

    2 Reviews
    Flagstaff, AZ
    33 miles

    "Added bonus next morning to find we were so close to Sunset Crater National Monument. Well worth the time to visit!"

    "Nice Area with plenty of pull-offs if you don't mind hundreds of people constantly driving by. I'm not exaggerating lol. Seems kinda cutthroat so get here early and on weekdays."

    10. FR 240 Dispersed Camping

    5 Reviews
    Munds Park, AZ
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 527-3600

    "Not too noisy all the time but definitely had our fair share of UTV/ATV friends going by all weekend."

    "It was great scenery with no one else near us. There is a bit of traffic from side by sides and oddly enough large cattle trucks but it wasn’t bad."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Leupp, AZ

782 Reviews of 20 Leupp Campgrounds


  • JohnandLisa R.
    Aug. 23, 2018

    McHood Park Campground

    Great place!

    Absolutely love it here! Clean area, clean bathrooms, concrete spots, Quiet hours 10pm-6am. Grill, picnic table, fire ring. Beautiful beach to swim at and Larry the camp host is very helpful 😊

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 23, 2019

    Lakeview Campground (Az) — Coconino National Forest Recreation

    Nice respite from the Sonoran Desert heat

    In the off season, this sweet little national forest campground is a quiet oasis in one of the beautiful “islands of the sky” which are scattered throughout Arizona.  Up at 5000 feet, this place becomes a busy retreat for Tucsonians seeking to escape some of the summertime heat, according to the park ranger we spoke too. It's also a haven for birds!

    The campground has designated section for RV’s and tents, though they are same price at just $10 per night.  Many pull-through sites are available for larger RV’s, as well as some back in spots. Each site has a HUGE cement picnic table and fire ring and are a nice size with plenty of space between sites. There are trash cans (though no recycling) throughout the campground, and a water spigot near the very clean pit toilets, thanks to the dedicated and very friendly camp hosts.  The tent sites overlook the Parker Canyon Lake and are quite spacious. There are few tent sites for groups too.

    There is a nice boat dock, as well as small store near the water that sells snacks/drinks, bait, and a few camping necessities.  You can rent kayaks, paddle boats, SUPs, sailboats and small motorized fishing boats…or bring your own. There is also a nice and easy trail that follows the lake shore for about 6 miles, accessible to both hikers and mountain bikers.  From the lake trail, you can also access the Arizona Scenic Trail (the southern terminus is about 15 miles south of the lake). We also saw quite a few fisherman out enjoying the lake during mid-week.

    The closest grocery stores and gas stations are in Sonoita, about 30 miles away.  Cell coverage is limited here as you are very close to the Mexican border – none in RV campground, just a bit of coverage in the tent campground.

  • Leesa
    Oct. 19, 2020

    Pine Flat Campground West

    Pro tips...

    All the other reviews are spot on - Clean sites, fire rings and the hosts are spectacular. Wood/ice available. We stayed in mid October. We were pleasantly surprised that while we weren’t allowed to use the charcoal grill, we were allowed to have a small campfire. Tips for this popular campground:

    1. Since the first come sites are booked by midday...come early and talk to the hosts about who is scheduled to leave that day. You can then pre-pay for your chosen site and go to town until after checkout time (1:00pm).
    2. Best first come sites: Site # 4, no doubt. It’s farthest from the highway and farthest from other tent pads. The heavy tree canopy keeps you in the shade and is near the river. Site # 3 is also good, but gets full sun mid afternoon and is closer to the bathrooms.
    3. Bring your telescope or binoculars. Set up a star gazing perch at night.....it’s spectacular. The downside of the first come area....both tents and RVs (generator noise) will be side by side. It’s very popular for families: we had a home schooling family on one side and a generator(RV) on the other. Busy as to be expected in this area, especially in October.
  • E
    May. 3, 2021

    FR 222 Dispersed

    Bittersweet

    Long gravel road with plenty of pull offs close and far from it. Nice flat areas for camping. Very upsetting to see most of the sites are littered with trash. Please remember to practice “Leave No Trace” principles, disposing of trash and human waste appropriately, so we can all continue to enjoy the places we love so much. :)

  • Elizabeth G.
    Jul. 26, 2020

    Homolovi State Park Campground

    Beautiful and convenient

    Stayed here for a night in July 2020 on my way to the Grand Canyon from El Paso, TX. It was very quiet and well kept. The road was freshly paved and even though there’s no trees around, each campsite seemed pretty private.

    We stayed in site 40. We had 2 tents but the pad was only big enough for one so we put the bigger one on the paved road over a tarp and it was still comfortable. A hammer was provided to stake down tents.

    There was only only building for all the bathrooms and showers but they were nice and clean. Bathrooms had stalls but the 4 showers each had their own rooms for maximum privacy.

    Some sites had power and some didn’t. Our site (40) didn’t. I enjoyed walking a few hundred yards down the nature trail by the campsite and watching the sunset. It was beautiful! Cell service was fine (Verizon). I’ll definitely stay here again when I’m passing through.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 18, 2019

    Pine Flat Campground West

    An unexpected gem!

    After four failed attempts to find a place to land for the night (two campgrounds not yet open for the season in mid-April and two dispersed sites that would not have been navigable in our low clearance van), we would have camped just about anywhere! Fortunately there were spots available here and we were greeted by a super friendly and welcoming camp host. Sites were all flat with tent pads; most had decent privacy between sites. All have fire rings, large picnic tables in good shape, grills, and lantern hooks. Vault toilets were clean. Artesian well that some reviews said the water quality was questionable; camp host says she drinks it but others do not. We filled up our water jugs and will give it a go. If it weren’t for the proximity to the road (89A) and the noise that goes with it (site 18 you might as well BE in the road!), I would have given this place 5 stars! For $11 (50% off with senior pass), this place was perfect for us!

  • Chloe D.
    May. 28, 2018

    Homolovi State Park Campground

    Quiet of the desert

    This place is so peaceful. You can see the mesas in the distance. It's not far from Winslow or Flagstaff. But it's nice and quiet there. It has a wonderful feeling. There are many artifacts so remember to leave no trace and not move or remove anything.

  • Alex M.
    Jun. 16, 2022

    Homolovi State Park Campground

    Great campground in a desolate place

    This is a nice, modern campground in a state park that features stone ruins. I visited the Homolovi 1 and 2 sites. They were mostly rubble, but there were some intact walls and a large storage pit.

    The campground is large, and sites are nicely distanced from one another. However, there is very little shade or privacy. When I visited in June, there were also high winds. These died down after dark, but made setting up the tent a fun challenge. Each tent site had a paved driveway. This was nice, but made tent stakes placement a little awkward. I had to tie one line to the picnic table.

    Bathrooms were clean and modern, with hot and cold water.

  • CJ T.
    Sep. 4, 2019

    Arizona Nordic Village

    Back Country Yurt - Morning Glory

    We stayed here over Labor Day weekend 2019. We had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the most remote yurt, Morning Glory. Morning Glory has great views and several people (staff and other visitors on the trails) mentioned that Morning Glory is the best yurt to stay in since it is both remote and it has amazing views of the San Francisco Peaks. Additionally, Morning Glory is also placed in the middle of a field with a nearby bench which is also really nice and makes this particular yurt feel serene. Arizona Nordic Village, previously known as Flagstaff Nordic Center, has a lodge, front country cabins and yurts (which are all within a few hundred feet of the lodge and nearby the highway), as well as back country yurts that range 1-3 miles away from the lodge (Morning Glory is a back country yurt). For the back country, AZNV offers gear shuttles at an extra cost of $40. However we packed all of our belongings in since we were not staying for more than a few days. Yurts and cabins come with a battery operated light inside, a propane grill and stove next to the cabin, porta potty a few yards away, nearby picnic table, 2 twin sized sleeping mats, and 2-4 folding chairs (2 in small yurts; 4 in large yurts), a small trey table, and stove (and stove brush and pan to clean ash out), and a fire ring. From what I can tell they also give you some firewood and a 7-gallon jug of water to put out your fire. For an additional cost you can purchase additional wood, which I did since I was unaware they would supply some firewood, but we hardly used this since we did not require the stove in the cabin since the weather at night is in the 50’s. We did try the stove out and found that 4 pieces of wood heated the cabin up a considerable amount within the span of a few minutes. After booking you get a confirmation email with details for your trip. The day of check in I got a courtesy call and was told I could stop in the lodge at check in for a nap and more info. The staff we encountered were all super friendly. We were told there is a black bear that roams the area but we did not see it and heard the bear usually does not make its way up to Morning Glory. Additionally, while vehicle are not allowed in the Forrest, Morning Glory is near a Forrest fire road which had some vehicles on it; I’m not sure that this is common— may have been due to the long holiday weekend. Additionally, I believe AZNV has one or two trucks and ATVs they use to help transport gear. Overall, I had fun and would go back. I don’t love paying for camping (We usually do free dispersed camping and pitch a tent), however this area is fun enough I would go back. The yurt experience was on par for what we are used to when it comes to camping, but it was nice not having to pitch a tent, blow up an air mattress, etc. Lastly, they do haul out your trash for you. I do recommend bringing baby wipes since the trails are dusty, and a headlamp for at night.

    Cell service: I have Verizon and had four bars at the Morning Glory yurt and service at the lodge— however, service between the two was spotty.


Guide to Leupp

Tent camping near Leupp, Arizona offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the Coconino National Forest. With a variety of options available, campers can enjoy the great outdoors while taking advantage of the unique amenities each location provides.

Local Activities for Tent Campers

  • At Dispersed Camping Coconino, you can explore the vast forest and enjoy fishing at nearby Ashurst Lake, making it a perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts.
  • The area around Coconino Forest Road 9125F is ideal for hiking and biking, with well-maintained roads leading to numerous trails.
  • For those looking to experience the beauty of autumn, Lockett Meadow Campground is famous for its vibrant fall foliage and scenic hiking trails.

Tips for Tent Camping Near Leupp

  • When camping at Long Lake Dispersed Camping, be prepared for a challenging drive; a vehicle with all-wheel drive or higher clearance is recommended.
  • At FR 222 Dispersed, look for openings with tire tracks to find your perfect campsite, as there are plenty of options available.
  • If you plan to camp at Freidlein Prairie Dispersed Camping, be aware that the area can be closed seasonally, so check for updates before heading out.

Prices for Tent Camping

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Leupp, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Leupp, AZ is Edge of the World (East Pocket) with a 4.5-star rating from 53 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Leupp, AZ?

TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Leupp, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.