Planning a dispersed camping trip near New River? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find peaceful dispersed camping near New River. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of New River's most popular destinations.
Annual permit needed to recreate an AZ State Trust Lands.
NO CAMPING First 2 miles and 300 feet on either side of the road/trail VEHICLES MUST STAY ON DESIGNATED ROADS - but past those designated no camping zones, camping is allowed unless otherwise posted.
This space is very large so it may be best to divide it by the access points. The point I'll be using is Access #3- Forest Road (FR) 10, south entrance: This access point is reached from Apache Junction. From Mesa: Travel 15 miles east on the Superstition Freeway (US 60) to the Idaho Street exit. Follow Idaho Street north 4½ miles to McKellips. Turn right on McKellips and travel ½ mile to the Wolverine Pass Road and turn left. Follow it for 7/8 mile and turn right on Tonto Road. Travel north on Tonto Road for ¼ mile to Cactus and turn left. Follow Cactus to McDowell Road and follow it to FR 10 gate.
This is for SHEEPS Bridge BLM in Arizona There is a different listing on The Dyrt for SHEEP Bridge BLM in Utah
VERY rugged road to get to this campground. Please be advised if you have an RV or a low clearance vehicle.
Box Bar is a River Access Point to the Verde River, close to Bartlett Lake in the Cave Creek Ranger District. This small site offers beautiful scenery of the surrounding mountains along with a fast moving river – making it a fun spot for kids of all ages. The shore line is a rocky/pebble beach with several shady trees. Wildlife can be seen during the early summer months, and late winter. The road access in to the site is compacted dirt.
There are no designated campsites however the shaded areas along the west side of the parking area are popular spots to set up camp trailers and tents.
Scout
Nice location with dispersed camping options. When we were setting up a man came up & warned us that it was a popular spot for Nudists. He was not wrong. Be prepared to run into some interesting people.
Traveler
So thankful for this desert and the solitude it brought. The further off carefree you get, the more solitude you’ll find. It’s been pretty windy (25-30mph gusts) which causes a lot of dust but it’s gorgeous and warm during the day, even in January. Recommend black canyon city for laundry and hiked on the black canyon trail. Shell by this spot is pricey so make sure to get some stuff at Walmart in Anthem or somewhere else, however the shell is super convenient when in a pickle. Tons of stuff within 15-20 minutes such as groceries, shooting ranges, hiking, trails for the ATV/offroaders. I’d definitely visit again and recommend it. Also, great AT&T service, was able to work off hotspot from Tues-Friday with no incidence.
Traveler
It’s gorgeous. Not very many spots but love being right by the river. With this being said it’s tucked in there by the mountains so it gets colder than desert overnight and has wildlife around plus little to no service for AT&T. However, if I didn’t need service this would’ve been perfect since my dog loves the water.
Scout
Stayed 3 nights. Easy access to/from town, recently graded road as of this writing, and (kind of) level sites. Quiet during the winter season at least and plenty of wildlife. Like most dispersed camping, kooks leave trash everywhere.
Traveler
This was an open spot at night, and we needed to park, so we did, and saw the place covered in broken bottles, paint brushes, garbage, and up the hill someone has been using the bathroom all over the grounds and leaving nasty toilet paper all over. The horse pen is full of broken bottles and empty gun casings, you can see that people come up here to trash the place.
TravelerNot a fan. Won’t be back with my trailer.
Scout
Had a wonderful time white tail deer walking thru the campsite. Plenty of sites to choose from. The only problem we ran into were the wild pigs trying to open our tote (no food in the store ) board games and camp kitchen utensils.
Scout
Beautiful camping surrounded by ponderosa pines and boulders. Rich in wildlife.
We were pushing the envelope with a 30 ft camper. Would strongly suggest motorhomes and longer RV's not consider this location. Our family were the only campers during our stay. Lots of activity in and around Crown King. Gas and water available in town. Due to roads, add an hour to any estimated drive time if pulling a trailer.
Guide
Yes, I paid the$15 fee and I've been here a couple weeks. People are pretty great. I had Christmas Eve dinner with a bunch of other campers. A lot of fun
Guide
From what i gather, some dimbasses were taking pit shots at the free roam cattle...I guess they thought they were not owned. Regardless, we had been there about a week when we were abruptly told to pack up and get out of here. So I did. Liked the spots though.
TravelerThe campsite is good, quiet, easily accessible and I met some friendly neighbors. I love all the cacti as well. There is quite a bit of trash and glass around. Full Verizon cell service and nice warm weather in December.
Traveler
Quiet and calm vibe. Found some random deer hooves at my site which is a little strange but otherwise it was perfect
Guide
The road in is a little rough, but ok. Two week stay limit, but that's pretty standard for BLM properties. There's no facilities so be prepared. Good level land and plenty of room. Wild burros wander through occasionally, and coyotes make their presence known as well. Fantastic views and quiet atmosphere, so far. Been here two nights and plan to stay for at least another week.
Traveler
Dirt road is a bit washboard but very manageable by any vehicle.
Spots line the road to the left & right as you travel down the road. cell Service can be excellent or poor depending on site you choose (avoid the ones in the dips/valleys if its a concern for you)
No facilities, just good ol’ convenient Arizona boondocking.
I came in mid December and there were only a handful of others.
ScoutCoordinates led to a cattle guard that is fenced closed. No access to the site. You could park next to the road though.
GuidePretty decent selection of sites. Some are right on the road, but others are tucked away quite nice. Less than 10 mins from town, but you wouldn’t know it. Roads in are a breeze with only a few sites where having more clearance might be nice. Enjoyed our stay other than one night where our neighbors got a little wild. Sites aren’t that close but at 100 decibels it doesn’t matter.
GuideDirt road in but very drivable. Lots of available places to pull off and camp. Beautiful scenery. In sight of I17 but no sound from it at all. No available shade but my solar set up needs full sun, so it's perfect for me. Will definitely come back
Guide
As soon as I got there, I got the dog out and what do we immediately find? Used drug needles littering the ground around a fire ring. Definitely not somewhere I'd feel comfortable staying the night.
ScoutApproachable, very good spot near the highway, also with a camper van.
GuideLots of room all rvs except little ol me, but only for a couple weeks.
Scout
Thanks to the efforts of the environaz- mentality of the last 40 years there are horribly few true sanctioned OHV areas for folks to legally use and enjoy offroad Motorsports, neither FREE or PAID. So OHV owners have nearly zero options. Bulldog Canyon is one those tiny few chances for those OHVers. Campers need to be cognizant of this and respect the OHV'er, not demand OHV'ers respect THEM! If you are looking for a pure silent CAMPground, and are of the "get off my lawn" and or "man/woman shouts at clouds" type, look elsewhere. There are PLENTY of options for such inflexible campers to demand adherence to THEIR level of enjoyment. Bulldog isn't free, OHVers pay for the unlimited access - when allowed that access - to trails WITHOUT time/day/hour exceptions. So if you're a camper, bring some earplugs if the sounds of all-hours OHVers is disturbing to you. Bulldog Canyon is a fantastic area for those campers who enjoy the OHV. I no longer can use an OHV but I enjoy seeing these younger generations doing what mine and earlier gens once took for granted nearly everywhere unrestricted. Highly recommend Bdog Canyon for the fun-lovers and young-at-hearts. For the HOA-loving types, sincerely consider elsewhere for your benefit and those of others.
Scout
My dog was laying in cigarette butts. At least it's free
Traveler
We left late from Phoenix on the Senator Highway from Meyer and we should’ve stopped while we were ahead. We ended up at the North end just outside of Prescott in the dispersed sites. Disgusting. Every single site looked like this one. We’ve got a RTT so thankfully it was a quick set up for the night and we’re outa here. If we’d have had adequate trash bags (a dumpster would’ve been ideal) we’d have spent the next few days cleaning up. If you pack it in pack it out. It’s real easy. That all being said- if you’ve got a large group with sxs and you enjoy the Senator, this is definitely the perfect spot.
Traveler
Permit required for the gate code. Camping available 2 miles in. Need a 4x4. It's definitely worth the hastle as these spots are beautiful and clean. A lot of OHV so it kicks up dust.
TravelerArea is marked and needs permit as well. As a foreigner I can't buy the permit online since only US address can be entered and will be reverted for the credit card payment so no way to stay there legally.
Maybe going in person or call them can get me a permit but yeah not this way.
Anyway the spot is nice and levelled if it would be usable 🙂
TravelerNo problems except for the people on drugs. Be careful and lock up before you leave to go anywhere.
RangerLots of lit up trucks and dirt bikes coming through the night I stayed but the views and rock formations were cool to check out with my dog.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near New River, Arizona, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. This area offers a variety of spots that cater to different camping styles, from rugged off-road adventures to serene desert retreats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near New River, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near New River, AZ is Old Airstrip Camping & Staging Area with a 4.1-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near New River, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 81 dispersed camping locations near New River, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
