Best Tent Camping near Oatman, AZ

I wanted to find a site as close to Oatman as I could. It took me three trips that way to find this campground and finally I was happy I did. Located only about 8 miles away from Oatman, it allowed me to have a full day to explore Oatman and surrounding areas including the many mines which are closed but "open" to the person wanting to really explore.

This place is a smaller park and though mostly they do have RV campers they do accept tent campers. The owners are very friendly and you meet them when you check in, this is not a chain so they take pride in what they give in way of service to those passing through.

My space was clean and level for camping in a tent. I only paid $15 which was very reasonable and like I said location was key!! My site had a picnic table and was pretty basic but it was peaceful and I had a great night there as a result.

They do offer long term RV camping at a very reasonable rate, however when I was there it didn't look like they had a ton of that traffic at the time. I will say that unlike a lot of long term lots which appear to be a bit trashy this one was maintained.

TIPS:

• Use this as a basecamp for going to Oatman where there are a lot of stores, a great cafe, mines to explore and of course pictures to take.

• Bring what you need with you. The closest full grocer is in Kingman which is about 25 minutes away so if you don't want to have to drive into town then just pack it in your car.

This park is a hidden gem, a little rustic. Campsites built by CCC, old stone cabins, walls, and trails. There's RV parking away from park, a few campsites for small trailers, and beautiful tent sites.

This is a small campground located right next to the Colorado River. This site has a motel, RV and what looks like tent sites. Looks clean and has views of the docks right on the water

This is our 2nd stay at Lake Havasu State Park. We had site C-2 in the cabin loop with W/E. Recommend weekdays if you like quiet camping. We were there Monday thru Thursday with only a couple days advanced resi and had the cabin loop all to ourselves until the last night. Most weekends are booked. As always the park is immaculate with nice personal combo bathrooms & showers. Clean & level tent sites as well. The park staff had huge smiles and waves at the gate every time we returned from our days adventure. Great welcome!

Although you can make it to the campground in 2wd, I wouldn’t take a car. SUV/truck preferred. Tent camping/car camping only, no RV sites at all. The road is steep, winding, dirt with loose gravel 11 miles off the paved road. Camp sites have a great view because of the elevation. picnic tables and fire rings in each site as well as many trash receptacles and clean toilets. no other amenities. Rough off-roading in the areas surrounding the campground leading to old mining areas. Awesome views, we went in June when it was probably 110 degrees at the base of the mountain, mid 90s up at the camp site.

This camp ground has so much it’s a little village in its own. Who doesn’t love camping and walking straight out to the River at your feet? Literally tent camping is allowed that close. Forgot your ice? They sale that on site as well. They have dump stations for your RVs and fresh water source to Fill up. They have covered tables and bbq grills as well. You can rent cabins that they have available but they are always booked up so if that’s what your after make sure to book in advance. Even if your not camping and you just want to go in it’s ten dollars no matter just so you know. Summer time this place is lines miles long so get there a day early before the weekend starts to save you a little wait. This place you can get to by boat, drive, and even walking. They do have clean bathrooms and it’s Well kept. Keep your food in containers because they have skunks and raccoons.. I know crazy.. little fact the entire Laughlin area has them near the water and hotels because they want a quick meal. AnywAy have proper storage because you may wake up to nothing... really nice place on the water!

Cattail cove was another Havasu Campground my family frequented from 1984 to 2000 It has awesome memories of hiking along the red rocks and lake, following wild Ram through the mountainsides and finding great cliff-jumping spots into the refreshing waters in summer heats. It DOES get very hot here in the summer, so be prepared. I have been during a record 132-degree days. You stay in the water and dont get out under some shade!

Excellent swimming areas. Good docks for your boats- but make sure you have some good bouis so you dont get any damage. The restaurant / bar used to be really good. In 2012 we visited it and it was not great... but we didnt get sick. Functional store. Gas available for your boat or vehicle. Clean nice bathrooms. OK Campgrounds... clean, more-so meant for motorhomes however some pretty good tent sites in the valley area.
At night bring out your black light and look for scorpions. You'd never even know they were there if you were enjoying the night sky on the jetty. Awesome wildlife and nature. While wild burros / donkeys are more predominant on the California side of the lake you'd still be likely to see some. Skunks. Bats. Owls. Hawks. Rams, snakes (rattlers, king snakes, gophers and more though the campground maintenance is pretty good about keeping it safe). Great large mouth bass fishing, catfish and other species, crawdads, and other fun finds. I used to enjoy skin diving near the cliffs there and in coves.

if your not familiar with Laughlin it is super hot we came in October and it was still hot as can be, not as bad as the summertime and for sure not as crowded, we came on a weekday so I do recommend coming during the week. The water is still refreshing because it's still hot as heck out there…..Ok on to the good stuff, so the beach area is amazing. honestly, it's super neat and crystal clear river water and sandy beaches. The best part of this site for sure!!!!!  the campsites are super clean, and not on the beach area in case you were wondering you can walk or drive… ok so the campgrounds have desert landscape and NO trees between spaces, clean bathrooms and showers oh and the showers cost quarters so make sure you bring them.. anyway besides desert landscaping the spaces are pretty spaced out but still NO trees, also you're super close to a major street in Laughlin so not really impressed by that, the only spot that was left was right by that and you hear cars for a good amount of our stay.

if you have the NV state park pass be prepared to pay 10 dollars additional without an RV it's one of the few places I have noticed that make you pay even if you are tent camping, so make sure you put that in your budget!! 

So the grounds are dirt roads but the parking places are paved and they do have tables and awnings for each spot. some are pull through as well and like I said full hooks up and they do have a dump station right when you pull in so it's convenient for before and after dumping needs…

like I said it's hot even in October and November but it's not busy at all on the beach. Cool little gem because of the beach for sure!! Also just for extras.. raccoons, and skunks roam these areas at night so have your food and vehicles secured

cheers!

Tucked at the end of a road off the main highway in Searchlight. There is nothing in town other than some gas stations and a McDonalds so make sure you pack everything you need. Upon pulling in there were no signs of where to go so just drive up to the motel check-in and look for a board with envelopes and you will find your name and spot assignment. I recommend calling to get the assigned spot you want. I stayed in lower campground RV Site #8, pull through 40' Front Row. There was a busted up concrete pad and a picnic table that has seen some better days. The spots are right next to each other so if you have obnoxious neighbors, that could be a problem. Luckily for us we had great neighbors. If you want extra room to lounge outside your RV, then I recommend you book an extra site so that you have that space, other than that you will be sitting basically up against the RV next to you. Some of the front row spots have random trees so if you have slideouts, be mindful of that. My view was the Motel parking lot so be aware that Front Row does not mean Water view. Campground is dirt/gravel and absolutely nothing fancy about it and no nice views until you walk past the motel. I walked through the motel grounds and it was clean but it looked like it was deserted in a way. I saw one of the rooms and although they had a great patio area overlooking the water, the rooms were old and dated. We also drove to the other side of the campgrounds where there were tent sites/no hook-ups and I don't recommend it. It looked run down and depressing. Just a short walk from the RV campgrounds and over a small hill (watch for dog poop) you will reach a beautiful cove, The greatest thing about this location! It's super clear and the sand is soft. Great place for water activities. Also, the night skies are great for stargazing. It's a short drive from Vegas and it gets the job done.

I wanted to find a place that was close to Oatman so I could make a daycation away from the house in Vegas. Everything I saw implied this one was the most reliable and closest to the site. I did see along the path however a few others, but my reservation had already been made and for $30 nonrefundable that meant I was keeping my claim on my site.

The site was not a deluxe site like some KOA's have but it was a non-primitive site and I had hook ups so I was excited to see what it was this campground had to offer.

I was staying during offseason so I knew I wouldn't have access to the pool or hot tub, the hot tub would have been nice however. I was expecting to maybe play some mini golf but the course looked unmaintainted like it too was in the off season, a little disappointing.

Since there wasn't anything to do really at camp I went and explore the Historic Route 66 in Kingman to follow up my fun in Oatman on the same journey. it was quirky and bold and had some really nice stops. I was very happy with having proximity to the options I got to see so it made the campground worth it. I was given a few tips from the office as to the must see locations and I managed to check them out before it got dark. (pictured)

All in all, I wouldn't say I wouldn't give this place a shot again during a different time of year, but during the early months of the year it wasn't all I was wanting it to be and more.

Enjoy Lake Havasu by being right on the lakeside. What better way to beat the dry, Arizona desert heat. We tented the weekend we camped. We also had hammocks to lounge in during the day when not in/on the water. Nice facilities and an easy way to enjoy Lake Havasu affordably.

The staff were amazing! Incredibly friendly & filled with information. Although there are few trees around they were hammock friendly for those of us that prefer hammocks over tents. It was extremely hot but that is Arizona in summer so it's a huge beni that the campsites are right on the lake yet still close enough to go get food or coffee or anything else we may have wanted from town. Would definitely recommend Lake Havasu State Park for camping!

Facilities are clean and spots are plentiful May-September due to the extreme heat. All sites are pull through RV sites that easily accommodate 2-3 tents (4man). Rumors have it they are clearing sites to create a tent only section but it will not be ready until fall 2020.

Until then expect to pay the $20/night + $10 utility hookup.

Great campground for either tents, trailers, class A or C motorhomes. Quiet and close to Colorado River