Staying at Rincon Country East has proved to be a fantastic choice for us. The level of silence both day and especially night is a bit of heaven. Thoughtfull staff and campers makes for a most pleasant stay. The mountain views greet us constantly here. Mount Lemmon is a short drive or bike ride away with snow capped top and great food offerings. Skying is possible for those with young legs. The bike situation in Tucson is the finest we have encountered. Our electric bikes can run forever on the well paved trails all over the county. Tucson is an easy town to drive around with good shopping and dinning. So happy with our snowbird park pick!
While site parking is a serious challenge unless 25 foot and under the park is fantastic on most levels. Beautiful grounds with kind staffing that are most helpful. Wifi is one of the problem areas here. Their "free internet" is a serious joke and the high priced Wifi setup is so slow it's criminal. We opted for making our Comsumer Cellular phones "Hot Spots" which works very well. Palm trees and flowers everywhere with great pool and hot tub that are kept spotlessly clean. All the amenities you could ask for even Pickle Ball courts. The nearby adventures are fantastic with desert and cool mountain top adventures aplenty. I highly recommend this park. The five month stay rates are great at just under $4000. Propane delivered to your door and all aspects of this operation are kept so clean it squeaks…….With the help of friendly neighbors we parked our 35 foot Toy Hauler--took an hour--serious obstacle coarse to parking--palm trees at curbs being a problem.
Camping here was a great way to enjoy Mt. Lemmon. The campground was beautiful with a great lake for fishing and i believe you can also Kayak. The campground was very full, but it wasn't too loud and our site still offered privacy. Explore around the lake and be sure to bring your fishing pole!
Camping here was a great way to enjoy Mt. Lemmon. The campground was beautiful with a great lake for fishing and i believe you can also Kayak. The campground was very full, but it wasn't too loud and our site still offered privacy. Explore around the lake and be sure to bring your fishing pole!
Spencer Canyon Campground is a first-come, first-serve 60+ site camp located 21.5 up Mt. Lemon. Spent a long weekend, beginning on Thursday. Benefitted from getting there early, because I got my choice from most of the sites and come Friday all of the sites became occupied. By Sunday afternoon (check-out time of 1:00 p.m. is “strictly” enforced), nearly all of the sites were empty again.
The pine forest was a sight first thing in the morning, and the wind breezing through the pines created an extremely relaxing environment. Saw several deer. For the most part, the campground is reasonably quiet, and there is enough space between the sites to allow some privacy.
There is a bathroom and water available. Garbage is managed daily.
Overall, very positive experience.
The views are unreal! It's nestled up against the Catalina mountain range with great views of the mountainside. The park entrance is not very obvious until you come right up to it and then you see the large entrance signs. It's very convenient to local shopping but yet very removed once you enter. The RV section is very clean and the spaces are wide apart for privacy. The hiking trails are well maintained and graded. The evening we stayed there was an outdoor concert that we did not attend but sounded fun from the notice the friendly attendants handed out at the gate. This was a very popular park even for day use so plan ahead. The river stream was running due to the recent snow storm the previous week and although the mesquite trees were still bare, the ground was covered in grass. Overall very nice state park in the spring. We made it to one of the easier hikes called Montrose Pools which was very picturesque and a great place for a picnic stop.
Fantastic views and lots of fun trails. They also have a lot of activities and entertainment to attend at various times each month. 30& 50 amp with water and no dump on their"B" loop sites with restrooms and showers. The"A" loop sites have some with and some without power. There are also 2 easy to access dump stations in the park. Very close to town.
Camping high in the mountains above Tucson was great. Rose Canyon campsites are spaced out and quiet. The lake was about a half mile walk from the campsite. There is also hiking trails close to the campground.
Overall, the campsites are larger than normal and the sites are even. There are also ample trees to hang a hammock to relax during the day.
We went there to camp for 2 nights but because of the constant traffic we only stayed one night. The campgrounds is full of trees. There are several bathrooms. The one closest to us didn’t lock so I used a stick to keep the door closed. There is water to draw and take to your camp. There are mosquitoes and lots of flies so be sure to take some mosquito spray. The camp was lovely with lots of trees and we saw deer and javelina and birds. The only drawback…and it is a big one is there is non-stop traffic. The cars drive in and to the end of the campground where there is a big sign that says RITE OF PASSAGE SICAMORE CANYON ACADEMY which we found out is for troubled teens so it is either the help or the parents constantly driving to and from the academy. Starting just after 6 am until after midnight, even the Pinal County Sheriff drove up there for an hour or so. We won’t go back but I hear if you take the road#29 on google maps right across from the campground you can camp for free. There is just no water, toilets, garbage… and also not all that traffic.
I would rate the campground a 5 if all that traffic was diverted onto their own road.
Spencer Canyon Campground is a nice campground approx. 20 miles from Tucson up the General Hitchcock Highway(often called the Catalina Highway or Mt. Lemmon Highway). It is located approximately 3 miles past the Palisades Visitor Center and the entrance is marked well by a big brown sign as you approach. Phill and Denise, the friendly campsite managers will give you advice and suggestions about campsites that suite your needs. The photos attached to this review are from campsite#6, which is close to the Phill& Denise’s camper location and the highway- yes, we did hear road noise. Most campers chose locations deeper in the campground, but we were there on a busy weekend so most of those“deeper” campsites were occupied. All sites have a large bear box, concrete picnic table, charcoal grill and an iron fire pit. The picnic area of the site is level but the whole campsite is NOT so pick your location carefully if you want to pitch your tent on a flat, level plot. We did find some firewood left over from prior campers but recommend bringing your own, dry wood if you have room in your rig. In my observation, there is a rather nice, vessel toilet house strategically located to serve 6- 7 campsites. There is also a water faucet to be shared by 6- 7 campsites. Campsite#6 has its own faucet so others might also. There are 60+ campsites throughout Spencer Canyon and I would suggest that those“deeper” in the campground are more desirable. It should be noted that most of the campsites are close together, that is, about 50-75 feet apart, hence, my“… if you don’t mind company” comment. It should also be noted that Phill& Denise are really nice and helpful, the campsites are well maintained and clean, it is only 22 miles from Tucson and less than 6 miles from the mountaintop hamlet of Summerhaven, and is situated at approximately 7,900 fee of elevation. Thus, Spencer Canyon Campground is a great getaway from the Arizona heat and close enough to Tucson for a 1- 2 night weekend.
Desert life.. Very quiet and clean.. Lovely view of the desert and some hiking trails
This is a very nice self service campground. Clean, scenic, and with decent bathrooms and showers. There is no shade, but you’re in the desert so that is the expectation. The sky is beautiful at night and sunrise/sunset is otherworldly.
While this exact campsite was closed at the time, driving up the road across the street and into the mountains gives you the opportunity to camp in the wilderness. Finding a good little spot is not difficult, and you’ll get an amazing view of the city lights at night, or the sunrise in the morning. Very close to Summerhaven to grab some coffee in the morning as well
This is a large campground that is great for Tents, Vans, and RVs. The roads getting in are amazing and the scenery is beautiful. I come from a area that is green nearly year round, lots of trees and thick forest. Water is plentiful as well as swamps. This place is in stark contrast to where I call home but is still amazingly beautiful. I had never seen the massive Saguaro Cactus and was sure to be a highlight of this trip. The area did not disappoint at all.
We arrived in weather that was sunny and clear with a temperature of 102 degrees. While that sounds incredibly hot, it should not scare you off. The humid 90 degree weather back We arrived in weather that was sunny and clear with a temperature of 102 degrees. While that sounds incredibly hot, it should not scare you off. The humid 90 degree weather back home is much harsher than the very dry 102 we arrived in. The camp ground was wonderful and"closed" for the summer. This means that while you are able to camp there, the office is not maned. Simply deposit your payment into an envelop and drop it into the box at the office and you are good to go.
The campsites are great. They have a sandy peat gravel which is surprisingly comfortable under a tent and sleeping bag. If you are using a mattress in your tent, then you really have nothing to worry about. The temperature at the time we hit the sack was still high, so we started on top of our sleeping bags. Temperatures however did drop to 64 degrees and I woke up in my bag. The campground also have Bathrooms, but they do not have showers. That bathrooms can be hot and humid but still serve their purpose. I believe all the sites have tables was great for us.
The morning was amazing and after a quick breakfast, a bike ride was in order. There are a number of trails in the area and many of them are great. Some have steps for Hikers and are not friendly for Mountain Bikers. The trails do not have good markings but are fairly easy to follow with a GPS map. I say have fun.
Very good amenities. Quiet. Not overcrowded, 2swimming pools, large laundry. Really suited our needs. We were there June and July 2019
The campground hosts were awesome and hospitable. I have a thing about clean bathrooms and these were VERY clean! It was just an overnight stay, but we will definitely be back!
This place was really pretty and a lot of critters running around to watch. Also a great spot for birdwatchers. The campground itself was well kept. I did not care for how close together most of the sites were and lack of parking. Be sure to get here early because sites fill up quick!
Very nice area and very good hiking trails. I would go back again
Well maintained beautiful sites. Our group had site 4 and 5. Which had several spots to camp. Ramada had water, electricity, grills and fire pits nearby. Great time.
We got there early Friday morning, there were Wild Turkeys passing through the area. Way cool!!! Most spots are roomy and Shaded, temps were really nice for Arizona in June, due to the elevation. Met a few campers that had been staying there since Wednesday, and they were really nice people. Highly recommend going here..
We try to stop at this SP campground every time we're heading out of town or come back home (Tombstone) We always stay during the Fall/Winter months though. I'm not sure if they are even open in the summer, due to extreme heat. This park is just beautiful. Full of blooming cactus in the Spring and gorgeous sunsets always. The bathrooms are spotless and they have individual locking showers. For $30 you get water, electric, a huge site &, tent area in addition to your rv lot, The lot is pavement, and the tent is sand. All sites are set up in a random pattern, to give you the most privacy. our site had a Ramada with picnic table & fire pit. They do sell firewood but it's $7 a bundle. We also once stayed in their overflow area, which is dry camping and that's only $15. They have great hiking trails, but use a walking stick, I got too up close and personal with a rattlesnake.
Joined a friend for a weekend in the RV park. It was dark when I arrived and can only see the outlines of mountains from the moonlight. Awoke to absolute beauty! Saguaros sprinkled throughout the grounds. The grounds are well kept as well as restrooms. It was my friends RV so I don’t know much about the reservation procedures but had electric hookup and maybe water. The campgrounds are tucked away in the mountain and a bit of a drive into Tucson but the site is so worth the remoteness. Great location to unwind and recharge. Short distance from Desert Museum.
Lazydays offers just about anything you want, big small, covered, uncovered, just name it. The sites are well set up with a table and benches and they are clean. This was a shakedown for us in a smaller RV than we were used to. The campgrounds were well kept and there was a good restaurant in the main building, open to offer alternatives to your bar b-q.
We have stayed here a couple of times on trips to the West Coast. The park is beautiful at the foot is the mountains overlooking Tucson. The elevation is fairly high up. So, the temps are quite moderate compared to Tucson. They have a mix of reservation and non reservation sites all ranges from large RVs to tent camper. Great showers and restrooms and good roadways all the way into the sites. Tucson is just minutes always and the State Park Entrance is near a residential neighborhood. The mountains are beautiful in the morning. I would highly recommend this site if you are wanting to camp near Tucson, Arizona.
Nice little park. Staff was great. Sites are too close together for my liking but lots of trails off the park. Dropped in on Memorial Day weekend, sites were mostly full (1 site left) but the neighbors had little dogs and we have 2 big German Shepherds so that wasn’t going to work so we asked if we could stay in the equestrian area since there was only one person in there & they agreed. It was PERFECT for us. Not sure we’ll stay again if we can’t use that area!
Great stop in an AZ state park within minutes of civilization at Tucson. Plenty of hiking trails nearby, great campsite amenities. Showers, clean bathrooms, water at every campsite.
Showed up on a Monday afternoon with no reservation and picked up a non-electric site no problem. $20 fee or $30 with electric hookup.
Would definitely stay here again.
May, 2019 we visited Saguaro National Park near Tucson AZ. We had planned to hike into the park at one of their few campgrounds but the office informed us that there was a controlled burn and recommended we not stay in the park and suggested Gilbert Ray as a good option. Gilbert Ray Campground is a great location for visiting the National Park. We arrived to find the office closed for the summer, so self serve option was available, at 10.00 per night for tent camping you can’t beat the price. The bathrooms were clean and as an added plus they have a dishwashing station. We stayed in the A loop. There are no showers and the campsite it all gravel making it next to impossible to put a tent stake in. The sites are fairly close together, for example, I could hear our neighbor unzip his tent. All sites have picnic tables. Cell service is good.