Looking for the best options for tent camping near Petrified Forest Natl Park? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
There is no RV, car, or front country camping in the park. There is no boondocking, dispersed or “primitive” camping, or just pulling off into a parking area.
There is only backpacking/hiking into the designated Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area to spend the night in the park, at least a half mile from your vehicle. Please be prepared for this adventure! Remember to LNT.
The backpacking wilderness permit is free. You may obtain it in person from either visitor centers on the day that you want to backpack. Each vehicle must have a permit. The permits are available until 4:30 pm.
There are private campgrounds throughout Navajo and Apache Counties, in and around Holbrook, Sun Valley, St. Johns, Joseph City, and other communities.
Groups
Group camping is limited to 8. Because of the fragile soils and landscape features, minimum impact camping is very important. This includes limiting the number of people within an area.
The campground is a fishing area with a picnic ground situated in a mixture of ponderosa pine, juniper and pinyon pine. Chevelon Canyon offers spectacular views and opportunities for hiking and fishing. NO trash collection available. This is a Pack-it-in / Pack-it-out area. Take your trash with you when you leave.
THE BEST BASIC CAMPGROUND IN SHOW LOW, AZ. ENJOY PEACE OF MIND WITH YOUR FAMILY, PITCH A TENT OR HAUL AN RV DOWN TO THE LOT, JUST 20 MINS FROM PINETOP-LAKESIDE, MINUTES AWAY FROM MULTIPLE LAKES, TONS OF FUN STUFF TO DO IN THE AREA. ENJOY PEACE OF MIND IN NATURE FOR ONE NIGHT.
HOUSE RULES:
LEAVE IT AS CLEAN OR CLEANER THAN YOU FIND IT.
KEEP CAMPFIRES NEAT AND ORGANIZED FOR EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
DRINKING/SMOKING ALLOWED WITHIN REASON, ANY DAMAGE INCURRED TO THE LOT WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THE RENTERS ACCOUNT.
MANAGEMENT NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS ON THE CAMPGROUND, ITEMS LOST ETC.
CHILDREN ALLOWED.
THERE IS NOTHING ON THE LOT BUT THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. PREPARE ACCORDINGLY.
IT IS ARIZONA, BRING WATER.
AM AVAILABLE FROM 6:00 TO 6:00PM EVERYDAY FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
DOGS, CATS, GIRAFFES, ETC. ALLOWED. TAKE PICTURES IF BRINGING A GIRAFFE.
CONTACT AT 602-618-4564 FOR ALL INQUIRIES.
$50 / night
Camp Shadow Pines Organization Site
My campgrounds is starting from the bottom-up. I am looking forward to serving families and listening to kids laughing while the adults sit around a huge fire. We talk about old times
I have eight slots that are level four tents.Campers pull behind camper vans as the terrain is a little rough getting in.
Property sits on a wish bone, so you'll have the cattle. Go by every morning and every evening to say hello I have a herd of antelope that you'll always see across the hill and you have three sixty views of a full sunrise in sunsets.
$20 - $35 / night
Guide
The Holbrook KOA is conveniently near Petrified national forest, which makes it an easy place to set up camp because of it's proximity. The campsite was somewhat under construction and it looked like they were adding some additional campsites which is exciting. They offer plenty of amenities (running water, electricity, wifi and playgrounds for the kids.
All of the tent campsites are right next to each other, so you will get to know your neighbors pretty well. When I went I was the only person tent camping which made it great for privacy. My only issue with the campsite is the location of where the tent camps are set up, it is really close to the I-40, you will hear truckers and other cars drive by while your sleeping at night which made it difficult to fall asleep. I think it would be better if they moved the tent camping to the other side of the park that way your farther away from all the highway noise.
RangerThis KOA has lot's of space, from private tent sites to RV with full hookups, fully equipped cabins, even a giant Wigwam to stay at. It also has a pool, playground, small libary, and a well stocked store, everyday they cook food that you can buy instead of cooking yourself. This KOA is in the route 66 town of Holbrook, a small quiet town, with gas, groceries, and fast food all with in a mile of the campsite, the Petirfied Forest is a 30 mintue drive away and worth the trip. During this trip we took a big family group, and normally we tent camp, but we decided to stay in their biggest cabin, it was big and beautiful 3 a/c units, full small kitchen, loft full bathroom and lot's of comfy seat's, all you had to do was bring your clothes and food, everything was there for you. From the gas grill to the fully equipped kitchen, it was a super easy stay. This cabin slept 7 and had a eat in porch as well. It was a little on the pricey side at $160 a night but we felt worth it's price.Check out the video for a video tour of the cabin.
Scout33$ for a primitive tent site
Traveler
Probably the most beautiful campground in Arizona. Just outside Show Low, in the eastern part of the state, you are nestled in the pine & juniper of the region. Despite being in the middle of a developed area, once in the park, you feel appropriately isolated. We were at a reserved tent site (Osprey 12). All tent sites overlook the lake & a couple of them even have creeks running through them after rain. Visited family on a full hookup site & while the pads are huge, it seemed like you were more exposed to your neighbors. The tent loops all have access to a vault toilet & the middle loop has showers as well (the other loops are still walking distance from showers). There are several day use areas & boat ramps to the lake. Saw (& heard) many different birds & animals. Can't wait to go back.
Scout
Sleeping in my car, it was a great spot for an overnight. Not too expensive for tent camping and had both bathrooms and showers
ScoutYou are basically on the side of interstate. For tent it is really noisy option as tent sites are closest to the highway. In addition is rather expensive option ($33 per small tent).
RangerI stayed in as deluxe tent site for one night after visiting the nearby national parks. Restaurants within walking distance, pleasant staff. Facilities are ok.
Guide
We will be back to this campground when we we can stay more than one night. There’s a lot to do in the park and the campground itself is very nice. One small, but nice detail are the tiedowns around the tent sites.
Scout
We came at night and was not easy to navigate. Once we were led in, had a nice, peaceful, quiet stay. Very nice host, Janet, and another guest. This location is primarily for small vehicles, tent, camping, van camping. At this time nothing much larger than 30 feet. All in all a good night and a great view.
GuideWe love this campground. Place to get out of the AZ heat with full hookups, bathrooms, showers, tent sites. In the pines just a beautiful place. Plan ahead as they are booked most of the time. About 6 months to 1 yr ahead to plan this trip.
LegendAfter driving some 3 hours from our last destination and exploring the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert in the harsh wind, we were exhausted upon pulling into our campsite at Holbrook Petrified Forest KOA. Seeing how windburn we were from the journey, we were offered an upgraded "super tent" site upon our arrival for only a $5.00 charge. The appeal was such that we jumped on the opportunity.
To those unfamiliar with KOA campsites, they offer a variety of options for campers from primitive camping to improved campsites for both tents and rv campers. Super tent sites include electricity and runnin water as well as private yard area for campers. At this particular site it offered a wind shield fence and private treed yard which made for a much more camp friendly experience after the long day.
We had neighbors on the other super tent site which were delightful and we greatly enjoyed conversations with them throughout the evening. The campground was filled with friendly faces!
Perhaps one of the most exciting features for us after such a long cold journey from our previous campsite was the amenities throughout the grounds which included a cook station open to the public and heated bathroom and shower facilities. The grounds were well kept and easy to navigate by foot.
In the evenings and mornings there was a cook on duty which offered everything from hot dogs to New York strip in the evening and all you can eat pancakes or other breakfast items.
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All in all we give this site a 5 of 5 Bunnies because of the cleanliness, friendliness and overall amenities. There were no real areas of improvement we could see to make our stay better!
ScoutStopped here on our way out west and stayed in a cabin. The cabin was clean and well maintained. If you’re thinking about tent camping, check the weather for wind because the area is quite windy. Playground was old school and made of metal, so not ideal for kids in the heat. The pool was a nice relief from the heat and the store had lots of camping basics if you need them.
GuideI stayed two nights here to visit the Petrified Forest. The tent sites sit packed together on the perimeter of the park overlooking the highway, which you can here all night long. This was the most expensive campsite I’ve visited on my road trip, yet they were unable to provide me with a charcoal grill and the fire ring was filled with garbage.
The facilities are clean, at least they have got that right.
LegendThis state park offers tent sites, RV with electrical/water and pull-through sites. In winter water was turned off at campsites but bathroom and showers were open. Trash and sewage dump also available. Just a couple of miles off I-40 which is both convenient and not very scenic. Great sunset though looking fish at the interstate. Homolovi archeological site to visit if you have time. Great cell reception both Verizon and AT&T
GuideHigh desert, lots of sky and land, shards of ancient Hopi pottery everywhere, 52 sites some pull through, back in and tent sites, 30/50 amp available,dump station and potable water station, free showers and restrooms. On site Camphost, Homolovi I a d Homolovi ll nearby, rangers available from 8-5 - 7 days a week. Stargazing night at the ranger station with telescpe, 1880s Mormon cemetery within view of San Francisco Peaks and little Colorado River. A gem in the desert.
LegendThis is a nice, modern campground in a state park that features stone ruins. I visited the Homolovi 1 and 2 sites. They were mostly rubble, but there were some intact walls and a large storage pit.
The campground is large, and sites are nicely distanced from one another. However, there is very little shade or privacy. When I visited in June, there were also high winds. These died down after dark, but made setting up the tent a fun challenge. Each tent site had a paved driveway. This was nice, but made tent stakes placement a little awkward. I had to tie one line to the picnic table.
Bathrooms were clean and modern, with hot and cold water.
ScoutAwesome scenery. But the camp ground can get very busy. The site are ok in size but some sites are very close together. There are showers and flush toilets if you are into that. To get to the lake from the tent sites you have to climb down a pretty steep rocky hill or drive to the day use area. We fish for catfish and have caught a few here but also got skunked a few times. I've stayed here June July and October. Dont really recommend fall really windy cold and rainy. But not not many campers that time of the year.
GuideLocated very close to Show Low and right on the Lake - this campground is big and amazing..! Also has a broad selection of campsites ranging from simple tent camping all the way up to large sites with full hook ups for RV's and travel trailers. The views are amazing at all the sites taking in the lake. Lots to do in the water here that's for sure..!
Campsite is clean and very easy to reserve ahead of time on the supported website which is very easy to use and see all the items open.
Extra bonus for this Campground, should you need to, you can cancel your reservation up to 1-2 days out.
LegendSince there are no developed campgrounds inside Petrified Forest National Park, you have two options: choose a private campground outside of the park, or grab a permit and set off into the backcountry. We did both during our visit in August 2015.
We were pleasantly surprised with our campsite at the KOA outside of Petrified Forest. Typically, we prefer campgrounds that are more scenic and rustic, but after a few weeks on the road, we enjoyed the amenities (hot showers, coin laundry, wifi, all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast) and convenience (less than 30 minutes to the park) of this KOA. We chose the “deluxe” tent site, which, for $2 more than the regular tent site, offered a covered picnic table, hot & cold water, and electricity at the site. The campground was nearly empty at this time of the year, so although the sites are close together, we felt alone. The only downsides would be the less-than-inspiring scenic views and the cramped sites during peak season.
The proximity and position of this campground to the national park allows for easy visiting and minimal backtracking. We’d suggest starting your trip along Highway 40 to the northern Painted Desert Visitor Center to get acquainted with the park, then making your way south and exit near the Rainbow Forest Museum. Simply return to the campground via Highway 180.
Inside the park (north to south), here are the must-sees: the Painted Desert National Historic Landmark (try to time it and attend a free ranger guided tour), the Blue Forest, Jasper Forest (below this overlook was our favorite trail of the park!), Crystal Forest, and the Giant Logs area. Don’t forget to stop at both visitor centers for more information about this fascinating geologic anomaly.
You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Petrified Forest)
GuideWe booked the last site available so I think with some careful reviewing of site map and asking over the phone about specific needs this is a 5 star spot, but it isn’t particularly pop up friendly. There are primitive tent sites and an assortment of electric + sites. The grounds are gorgeous, lots of space around the lake, so so so very quiet and clean. We have a small pop up. Generally we chose more primitive or small electric only sites. No rigs like ours were in the tent area so not sure if that is an option. Almost ALL the spaces are side by side shared double lots in the cinnamon teal loop. At least 40% - amazing if you’re group camping, but I like my space and privacy. Quiet hours 8pm- 7am. Showers/toilets in each loop. No outlets in bathroom for hair drying etc. showers were cold after minute 2 and each unit was a full bath so also cold and wet. None of this would matter at a cheap site but a hook up is $65/night. Surrounding town is cute with amenities. Visit The House for a meal.
LegendThe KOA in Holbrook, AZ, is conveniently located just west of Petrified Forest National Park. A quick 10-minute drive to the SW entrance will reward you with a quiet, easy entrance to the park. From there, you can drive through the park and end up at the main visitor center on the northern end, near the Painted Desert.
This campground has a nice, yet older, playground, a swimming pool (open seasonally), and offers full hookups (including cable for an extra fee), tent sites, and cabins. The "kamping kitchen" is open for cowboy cookouts, including dinner and breakfast (at extra charge), and we sampled their all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, which was the best one our 5-year-old ate on our entire trip! Right near the kitchen is a sampling of petrified wood to get you in the spirit of exploration. The owners are very friendly, and even in June this campground felt uncrowded. Sites are a bit close together, but with our small 17-foot trailer, we had plenty of room, a picnic table, and fire ring. The owners were also helpful about giving directions and suggestions about all the attractions in the area. There is also a laundry room on site.
LegendStopped here on my grand Route 66 adventure this summer. I really liked this park for several reasons. 1. It’s convenient to Route 66 (and Hwy 40); 2. It’s close to Petrified Forest National Park, which is pretty cool to explore on its own; 3. Free showers!!; 4. The campground is set back from the main park so you have a bit of privacy from day trippers; 5. Tent sites were level and well maintained (mine was raked!!); 6. All sites seemed to have hook-ups whether you needed them or not (maybe there were tent only sites, but it was all one price so no big deal); 7. The park has some great trails for hiking; 8. There is ancient pottery shards everywhere (don’t take it! Leave it for everyone to enjoy); 9. Free showers!!; 10. Not too far from Winslow, AZ, where you CAN stand on the corner.
Overall I enjoyed my stay here, though I got in at sunset and left shortly after the main park opened at 8am. This might be my only negative about the park. The main park and the best attractions don’t open until 8am (a ranger actually comes and opens the gates), which is much later than I tend to get moving (up with the sun and all). And with the heat of the day starting at 9:30, it’s hard to get to the sites and get in a good hike before it’s too hot.
LegendCampground Review:
This campground was priceless. We stayed at site 11 and it was perfect in reference to the bathrooms for late night use. The campground is a loop with lots of wild Arizona desert brush for little boys to explore. This loops also makes some campsites inconvenient to the bathrooms and FREE showers. Check the site map before reserving. The restrooms and FREE showers were very clean and spacious. The campground was also very clean. I did notice, on our visit, there seemed to be many more RV's than tents. Also, not a lot of families with young children although my children loved the park. The sites are open so there is not a lot of privacy, however, they are spaced apart so you are not on top of each other. The rangers and volunteers were very friendly, knowledgeable and patient with little boy questions. Our first hike was to the Visitors center through wild Arizona desert and cows with a beautiful view of a snow capped mountain. I was very impressed with the Native American history at this park. Each site has a fire ring, grill, and tent pad (with eye hooks all around). The eye hooks were very handy because the winds got a little gusty one night. Also, did I mention the cows???
Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. Today I tested "MOUNTAIN HOUSE HOMESTYLE TURKEY CASSEROLE" https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/homestyle-turkey-dinner-casserole.html
GuideMy first KOA—pricey for a tent spot (car camping) with a small shared area and limited tables. Tent spots are in view of noisy I40. I did feel safe here, considering the KOA branding, and liked the shorter drive to PFNP. Facilities are nice, otherwise, with close bathhouses and a sweet little chuckwagon serving breakfast and dinner.
Legend
Ashley here with The Dyrt. I love that this space can fit those extra large RV's or tents. With your own platform to picnic on or pitch your tent, and yard games to play, this is a cozy and cute spot to visit on your next adventure. The free firewood is a sweet touch. Come give them a try and leave them some love!
ScoutGreat little spot to pull off for the night has showers and tent spots as well as water and electric. Great Wi-Fi service too.
Guide
It was somewhat busy, but still quiet. You can faintly hear a train at night. I felt safe in my rooftop tent, but did hear coyotes around midnight. The view was pretty.
Tent camping near Petrified Forest National Park offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning landscapes and rich history of Arizona's high desert. With a variety of options available, campers can enjoy both solitude and adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Petrified Forest Natl Park, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Petrified Forest Natl Park, AZ is Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area — Petrified Forest National Park with a 4.7-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Petrified Forest Natl Park, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Petrified Forest Natl Park, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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