Join the fun near Pearce. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Pearce and user-submitted reviews.
Willcox Lagoon Dispersed Site
26 min away
Tombstone Camp on Forest Road 687
41 min away
"All are shaded by scrub oaks and surrounded by towering rock formations. The sites have picnic tables and grills. There is no water available so bring your own. No electricity or other facilities."
"Bring water, etc… it’s always to town. T-mobile cell good enough to stream."
"At the entrance you’ll find a vaulted toilet pit and a couple of trash barrels as of the time of this review."
"Tucked into the boulders near the mountains. Very nice. Another clear moonlit night in southern AZ. I LOVE the desert. All sites are on loose dirt and there are many places for larger rigs."
"I didn’t see anyone else here when I went and didn’t see/hear any wildlife besides birds. I also didn’t have any cell reception (T-Mobile), which was fine by me!"
"Turkey creek flows right next to the campground and offers fantastic hikes along it's banks. There are multiple small waterfalls and pools to splash in."
"Nice, small campground with pit toilets, fire rings and bear boxes. Saw many deer and turkeys in the area."
"Nice clean bathrooms, picnic tables, fire pit, and bear box. Campgrounds are next to a creek with a trailhead leading to a waterfall, couldn’t ask for more for a free campsite."
"Various campsites on Rucker lake. Close waterfalls and plenty of hiking trails. Near fort Rucker and up the road from a few other campsites and hiking trails."
$8 / night
"Happy Valley campground's name can be decieving.. its actually at 6,000' of elevation, 4.6 miles up the Miller Creek trail in the Rincon mountains east of Tucson."
"It was very secluded and had a nice big bear box and a nice fire ring. I would definitely return! It was a bit chilly in December but slept comfortably."
LegendCochise stronghold campground is a rugged campground in a deep canyon. The canyon was the refuge for the Chiricahua Apache leader, Cochise. This is a National Forest Service campground. There are Eleven campsites and two group campsites. All are shaded by scrub oaks and surrounded by towering rock formations. The sites have picnic tables and grills. There is no water available so bring your own. No electricity or other facilities. There is a bathroom with flush toilets. There are food storage lockers due to bear activities. It is dog friendly (on leash). This campground is a little hard to get to, with several water crossings. I would not recommend attempting to drive without a high clearance vehicle. Sites are first come first served. Limit 6 people per site. $8 per night.
GuideStayed on a Sunday in mid January and lucked out on a last minute site that was available. It’s a small campground, so reservations are ideal if you can plan ahead.
There’s no fire rings but there are small grills to cook food and/or have a small “fire” in.
Food storage boxes and bear boxes are available! Some sites have their own and others share the boxes.
Bathrooms are modernized and super clean.
Overall a great campground and would definitely stay here again!
LegendBonita Canyon Campground at the Chiricahua National Monument is a quiet little campground in a scrub pine forest. Chiricahua National Monument is a “dark sky” park, so there is very little light at night. Bring flashlights but leave lanterns at home! There are 36 sites with picnic tables and grills. There are community water faucets, but all were turned off when we were there. There are bathrooms with flush toilet, but no hookups or showers. Most sites are small and could accommodate tents, a small class C or van campers. 25’ is the max length and 14 days is max stay. The sign said the campground was full but there were empty sites. All sites are reservable through the www.US.gov web site.
LegendBonita Canyon CG- Chiricahua NM: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: Campsites in outer loop are more nicely spaced(rate 4) and trailer adds to privacy. Inner loop sites are often a bit close (rate 3).
Price 2024: $ 10 w interagency
Usage during visit: Very full, especially weekends.
Site Privacy: No
Site Spacing: Outside sites are spacious
Pad surface: Gravel
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Very quiet.
Outside Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: No
Potable Water Available: Yes. Spigots are scattered, locations clearly marked
Generators: Allowed, but other than ours, I never heard one.
Bathroom: Built by CCC. Clean and rustic. I like them.
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: I didn’t notice any
Cell Service (AT&T): No. WiFi at the visitor center
Setting: Woods
Recent Weather: 70s to low 80s.
Solar: At our site with good positioning, we were able to bring in 12amps per day with 400 watt fixed panels.
Insects: None now
Host: Yes, 2 couples
Rig Size: Limited to 24’.
ScoutHappy Valley campground's name can be decieving.. its actually at 6,000' of elevation, 4.6 miles up the Miller Creek trail in the Rincon mountains east of Tucson. It lies within the Saguaro National Park so a permit is required ($8 fee). Up to 6 people per permit. There is 3 spots at the camp. Each spot has a fire ring, bear box, and some good size stumps to sit on around the fire. There is a vaulted toilet at the site as well. Water can be scarce in the Rincons so plan accordingly!
Another 3.4 miles up the trail and you'll be at the summit of Rincon Peak (8,200'ish).
LegendMy husband, myself and our 2 small dogs live in Tucson, AZ. We recently acquired a roof top tent and we’ve been trying out various campgrounds across the Southwest.
This is still one of our favorite National Parks to stay at. The sites were “pull though” so it’s perfect for our Roof Top Tent set up. Plenty of trees and hiking opportunities. Honestly, it’s worth the trip just to see the coatimundis. They are ADORABLE!
Pros: Coatis! Scenery. Easy to access. Water. Bear boxes.
Cons: As typical in National Parks, the majority of hiking trails are not dog friendly. No showers. no fire pits, just BBQ that can be used for cooking with fire.
LegendThe Cave Creek Canyon on the western edge of the Chiricahua Mountains is a spectacular area that will completely take you by surprise. This cute campground tucked into the trees will charm your socks off!
Each site has the standard picnic table, bear locker, fire ring and lots of shade. The bathroom is a vault toilet, kept clean by the volunteer camp host, staying at Sandy Flat. This campground is rather small with just a couple small RV sites and lots of shade. Perfect for tent camping though. Great for warmer months, not so great for solar charging due to the shade, so we moved up the road to Sunny Flat campground. There are two small cabins available for rent near the forest visitor’s center, check with the Coronado National Forest, Douglas District office.
The area is a birder’s paradise and at certain times of year can get very busy. Great opportunities for hiking, biking and wildlife viewing throughout the entire mountain range. All the campgrounds are first-come, first-served.
There's not much in the area for food and gas, so come prepared. There is one small grill/basic grocery store down the mountain, but if you are looking for real groceries, shop before you come.
TravelerThis place is perfect for dry camping a short distance from historic Main Street Tombstone. There were no amenities, so be prepared! You cannot beat the price! For car/tent camping there are some private spaces with a little shade and evidence of past campfires. Be sure to stay to the left of the sign to go into the lower camping area. Pay your 10 bucks at the drop box.
ScoutThe Cave Creek area as a whole is a 5+ star destination. This campground, however, gets only three stars. It is at the end of a dirt road. We counted only three official sites, though none were numbered. Those sites include a picnic table and a fire ring. One was huge, one medium and one small. There is a vault toilet a fair hike away. We came during COVID restrictions and the toilet was in very good shape. No other campgrounds were open because of COVID. There is no water, so bring your own.
To get to the sites, you make a hairpin turn (there is ample room to swing wide in a car with no trailer). The first 20 yards after the turn are pretty rough and rocky and more of an issue driving up them than down them. The sites themselves are nothing too spectacular. Beware skunks at night. But the wonderland of the canyon is the real draw. There is a trailhead out of the camping area that goes on some good hikes. The night sky is unparalleled. The drive from the campground to other trailheads and other areas is fine.
Nestled in the scenic landscapes of Arizona, Pearce offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and tranquility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pearce, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pearce, AZ is Cochise Stronghold with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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TheDyrt.com has all 23 tent camping locations near Pearce, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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