Best Equestrian Camping near Patagonia, AZ

I hope this is the hardest campground review I ever have to write. The visit to Colossal Cave Mountain Park started pretty terrible but the property manager/caretaker (Gary) saved this review. Let me start from the beginning.

Upon arrival we were checked in and told there were fire restrictions in place so we wouldn't be allowed to have a fire. I told them that's not what their website said and they argued "well we tell everyone when they call in". Needless to say, I wasn't told when I reserved my spot that there was any restrictions. (and even now, when checking the forestry websites and county fire restrictions they all direct me here (https://firerestrictions.us/az/az-pima-county/) and the specific location of the campgrounds doesn't seem to be under restriction nor can I even determine which specific area to look at. The park said they were part of the forestry service but that area seems to end East of there)

We were told that with our "RV" we would be located at El Bosquecito. We drive to the grounds and find out it's a walk in group site with a small cul de sac with 2 small dirt pull outs to park. I called the caretaker and asked where exactly we were supposed to be setting up so he drove down to meet us. It became very clear very quickly this spot wasn't going to work and this is when he told us they had overbooked their RV spaces (they only have 3) and they were trying to find somewhere to put us. He offered to let us stay in the Day Use area and that is where we spent the next 2 days. (and over the next few days we ran into him a few times to get suggestions on things to do, etc)

Like any camping trip we went exploring to see what the rest of the park looked like. Here is what we found:

• All of the single campsites are currently closed (and have been since late last summer). I'll post a picture of one of the spaces but you can't actually camp there at this moment.
• The "RV" spaces are big enough for a sizable RV but that is all there is to them… a cleared out pull in space.
• El Bosquecito is actually a pretty neat group campground if you don't mind carrying your gear in. There was some tree coverage (it really doesn't get better in the desert). There were BBQs, water faucets, bathrooms, and fire pits. However, there were some weird potential hazards like exposed pipe and open water trenches.
• Most (if not all) of the advertised things to do were shut down or unavailable.
• Petting Zoo - They are between ranch vendors so this was not available,
• Tortoises - They were hibernating (not available)
• Butterfly Garden - There were a few but it was out of season.
• Gold Panning - Available, but you have to but the bags of dirt to pan with from the gift shop.
• The Terrace Cafe - This was open but it's not a restaurant (it's not even in the building). It's a covered "stand" that you order at then there are a few picnic tables in front of it next to the gift shop.
• The Museum - Currently Closed
• The Bats - Out of season
• There are a few trails in the park (Path of Ancestors, Bundrick, and the Arizona Trail). We did parts of all 3 but Path of Ancestors was my favorite. It has information boards along the way talking about the Hohokam tribe.
• Every road in the entire park is REALLY rough. They are paved but there are potholes everywhere. I wouldn't take a super low clearance car through the park and you won't make it back to La Selvilla (if it's open) without high ground clearance and 4 wheel drive.
• They do have bathrooms (ours also had a hand washing station), there were trash cans in all of the usable areas, lots of BBQ stands, and picnic tables. In the group campground and the day use area there were also water faucets.

While we were there we also did the Regular Cave Tour and it was really neat. Dane was our tour guide and he was fun to listen to and very informative. It really was 70 in the cave and with it being in the 50s/60s outside we went in overdressed and ended up really warm. Trust the temperature they tell you! If you have any choice in the matter stay towards the front of the group. We went down with 17 people and there were a few times we couldn't hear the guide or see what he was pointing out because we were so far back.

So overall… I wasn't super impressed this trip. However, Gary gave us a great impression and explained a lot of the "problems" were parts of the park in transition. I totally believe this park could be really neat when it's running as intended. Until then - I strongly suggest you know exactly what you plan to get out of the trip and call ahead to ask for clarification if there is anything in particular you want to see. Their website is NOT kept up to date so it is not a reliable avenue for information. If you are just looking for a neat day trip or a group campground you may have more success than we did but it all depends what you are looking for. I hope to go back in the fall to give it another try.

Upon arrival, this park is absolutely gorgeous. Check-in was swift and easy, and we were escorted to our site by a friendly staff member. Although the park is big rig friendly, we found the turn into the row very tight for our 37ft 5th wheel and long tow vehicle (about 55ft total rig length). Once in the proper row, the turn into the pull through sites is easy.

Full hookups were all working smoothly, and although we did not use any of the facilities, they all looked beautiful and clean. The dog park on the far end was absolutely spotless. The lighting around the campground at night was charming and appreciated. Our site had a tree with a picnic table under it.

We were only a few minutes drive away from all the best attractions Tombstone has to offer, but the location is quiet and away from all the commotion.

So everything in Tombstone is pretty much a theme draw trying to get you to spend a little but I will say that when we found this campground it was a little chuckle because all the different rows are named for different aspects of the western world which is known to be Tombstone. ( Like Lariat or Marshall)

What wasn't old though was the feel of the facility which had modern amenities such as a pool and nice restroom facility. I can only imagine in this area things are highly competitive so keeping to theme but also meeting needs of campers is very important.

Sure it is a little dusty like the west, but you are in Arizona so it can be expected.

They do have rustic accommodations and cabins for those wanting to get the real old west feel and also accommodate both RV and tent campers like myself which was really nice to find out. In fact there was an entire row just dedicated to the good old tent hombres (lol, we will keep in the western theme as well).

Everyone seemed very nice around camp and many were exploring in town at night at one of the many saloons and even asked us if we wanted to come with. They do offer a shuttle service as well for those not wanting to get swept up in the attempting to find a non-pay parking stop.

We paid $25 but had full service at the campground which also included laundry and ice availability without having to get in the car to find a different location. That combined with the pool made it worth every penny!

TIPS:

• Remember everything has a price tag here so find the deals by researching in advance. There is one ticket for $10 that gets you a show, free souvenir and viewing of the diorama.
• Take advantage of the propane at this stop if you are in an RV!