Searching for a dispersed campsite near Morenci? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from the hecticness of everyday life. Find dispersed campsites you've visited before, or discover new spots from other campers.
This rockhound area makes a great day adventure for rock collectors. The principal attraction for rock collectors here is fire agate. Fire agate is a relatively new gemstone, only identified and formally recognized in the 1930s. It has the color play of precious opal with gem quality reds, greens, and blues. The desert regions of Arizona, southern California, and central Mexico are the only areas of the world where fire agate is known to occur. Although its origin is unknown, it is always associated with volcanic deposits. The site is open for digging by the public without fees or permits. Camping throughout the area is allowed for up to two weeks.
Please follow LNT principles when dispersed camping
You may camp outside of developed areas across most of the Coronado National Forest at no charge. We recommend that you stop in to one of our five ranger stations to pick up a free travel management map so that you are aware where vehicles are and are not permitted.
Potable water, restrooms, and other amenities are not available at dispersed sites. If you choose to camp outside developed areas, be sure to bring adequate water or be prepared to purify any water source before drinking. No permits are required to camp in wilderness areas.
The Coronado National Forest has a 14-day stay limit on all camping. Areas designated as “Day Use Only” are limited to posted hours, no overnight use.
The Round Mountain Rockhound Area is a popular rockhounding area located near the town of Duncan in eastern Arizona. Please follow all rules and regulations.
Ranger
Not much for camping area, but it’s right on the creek and secluded and quiet. No toilets. No trash. Verizon in and out. 4x4 needed to exit. Road is a couple miles, rough, and one shallow water crossing.
Ranger
This is an overlook of the Gila Valley with a wall to keep people from driving off. Verizon works. It dead ends just past the wall. You could camp here in an RTT. There is a place further down that has a couple dispersed areas by the creek. Marijilda Ranch Road. It’s rough but worth the run. Pictures in this review are of that area.
Guide
Second time camping here. Great area to relax and enjoy the sunset. Far from other campers/camping sites. Loop is close to the main road. 4x4 is required to make the loop.
Traveler
Agree with all previous reviews. Good spot for a one night as my wife and I do a cross country ramble from California to Florida in a teardrop. Blessed with no wind and mild temps. Nice sunset behind Mount G. Plenty of spots even with a dozen or more RVs and vans.
GuideNice Spot. Easy to find, and easy to find a spot. Big Rig friendly in the 1st area. Gets a little tighter the further down you go like most places. We stayed in the 1st area for stronger internet & less fuel consumption when we go to town. Diesel prices are stupid right now. We found a nice level unobstructed spot looking out at the snow capped peaks of Mt. Graham. Verizon via Visible 2-3 bars. ATT via Straight Talk 3-4. Haven't tried OTA channels. 4 Rigs in the 1st area, about a football field apart. Some overnighters, but most we talked to here 7-14 days. Minimal trash, but some. Pretty quiet and only about 8m to town, but it feels more remote. Free dump station at the Water Reclamation Plant in Safford, just sign in, dump, sign out. They also have water to rinse, not potable. Cute diner in town called Jerry's. Good burgers at JD's sports bar (loud though). Great RV repair shop (Trek RV) squeezed us in for a Furnace motor issue. This one gets added to the Will RETURN list.
GuideVery nice dispersed camping. Only three other RVs here. Great views of wide open spaces
Guide
So if you are into rocks this really is a great place to check out. Be prepared as the drive in is difficult and long. Larger RVs are not recommended as the road has many steep washouts and ruts. The main dirt road leading into the area has bad washboard bumps. There is also an active cattle ranch in the area so be careful with any pets. You’ll find a logbook on the way in. Once there you’ll find plenty of places to park but don’t count on it being level. There are also lots of sharp rocks so watch your tires. There are no facilities here. The views are amazing especially at night. The wind never did stop. You got to really like rocks!
RangerGreat spot to split up our drive. Super easy access and road in, the coordinates take you to one spot, but there is multiple here. It’s not far off the road but far enough to be peaceful and quiet! Amazing view of Mt. Graham!
Guide
Beautiful & a must if you like isolation. Near Hot Wells with a tub.
Guide
Very little traffic. Decent Verizon & AT&T cell service. Cleaned up some trash to leave it better than I found it.
Guide
We searched for fire agates but decided against camping here because the road is a bit sketchy. The only spot big enough has a large bump that would likely tip my travel trailer farther than is safe.
ScoutWe stopped here on our way further west. There were 2 other campers there, but we were able to find a great spot where they couldn’t be seen.
Plenty of sites, ours was 1.5 miles off 191. Easy to get to in our 26’ bus. Saw a handful of vehicles pass by, likely on there way to Hot Wells.
The Hot Wells Springs were closed due to Covid, so I assume that limited a lot of traffic through Tanque Road.
At times of the year, locals probably use this as their own shooting range, as I saw plenty of casings. YMMV. It was gorgeous and peaceful for our stay.
RangerEasy access off 191. Shot gun shells, bullet casings, cigarrette butts, broken bottles, mild trash, wide open desert terrain with panorimic Mountain views. BLM free. No services. If this is your thing, go for it. Spent one night.
GuideThis is the first time I've ever stayed on BLM land. I parked at the 3rd spot in midday and stayed all night. I only saw about 6 vehicles go by the entire time I was here, but I couldn't see or hear anyone else aside from that. The view was nice from my spot. Had about 2 bars on average with AT&T
LegendMillions of years ago, volcanic activity in the Southwest create lava rocks and fire agate. Inside the Rockhound area you can walk and collect fire agates right off the surface of the ground. It is the desert equivalent of searching for sea shells at the beach. It makes a fun day trip for families and rock enthusiasts. If rocks aren’t your thing, bring an ATV, 4x4, or dirt bike and enjoy miles of trails and dirt roads.
The Rockhound area can be accessed from the Black Hills Scenic Byway or the main access road. We had no issues finding it using Google Maps. We did take a 4x4 on this trip, but it isn’t necessary. Any vehicle that can handle a few miles of primitive/gravel road should be fine.
If you’re adventurous enough, spend the night in one of the dispersed camping sites. Just be prepared. There are no facilities or water available. The site only has a sign, a log book and a small trash can. The area is very rocky and I don’t recommend tent camping, but it would be feasible with some raking. There were 3 other groups camping while we were there and they were all sleeping in some type of camping vehicle. There aren’t any trees, so we experienced lots of high wind gusts. As a precaution, We took our awning down in the middle of the night, but our roof top tent was fine. Although this area is remote, you can see the lights from Safford,AZ at night. We didn’t have a fire, but they are permitted (as long as there isn’t a fire ban in effect). Some of the sites had camper-made fire rings/pits dug into the ground and surrounded by rocks.
LegendWildflowers at their peak. a full on superbloom of California poppies amidst cacti greeted us at this BLM spot just southeast of Mt. Graham. Lots of places to pull over for a night or for a week or two along Tanque Road, and almost no road noise since the highway is far enough away. Tanque Road is dirt but was doable for our vintage trailer for the first mile or so, but we've heard it gets sandy and harder to navigate the further in you get.
Well-positioned in between the Coronado National Forest and the Hot Well Dunes area. No services, no water, no toilets, just beautiful open desert. Come prepared with drinking water and please Leave No Trace.
Closest town is Safford, AZ about 30 minutes away, and has all that you need.
Guide
It's beautiful. So many spots to camp, a river to fish, beautiful areas to walk around. Just gorgeous.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Morenci, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Morenci, AZ is Black Hills Rockhound with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 13 dispersed camping locations near Morenci, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
