For those who want to experience Phoenix, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. Glamping near Phoenix, AZ is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. Glamping offers quick access to one or more of Phoenix's most popular destinations.
The campground has 138 sites: 68 sites with electric (50/30/20 amp service) and water and the remainder non-hookup sites on paved roads for tents or RVs. Every site has a picnic table and a fire pit with an adjustable grill gate. There are no size restrictions on RVs. Well-mannered pets on leashes are welcome, but please pick after your pets. The office at Lost Dutchman is open until 7 p.m. for campsite check-in, but after hours (with campsite reservations) you can grab a map by the ranger station and head straight to your campsite! If you are staying multiple nights, check-in with the camp host, or a ranger to get a vehicle tag.
$25 - $89 / night
Cave Creek Group Site is located 20 miles north of Cave Creek and Carefree, Arizona. It is a historic campground constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This site is a short drive from the blistering heat of Phoenix offering cooler temps, a clear running creek, and plentiful shade to relax and enjoy nature. With food prep areas, grills and covered picnic tables, you're all set for a weekend with your loved ones you'll never forget!
At this site you'll enjoy camping, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, sightseeing, exploring, bird and wildlife viewing, and there is even a game area for volleyball and horseshoes.
This group campsite is nestled in a narrow valley of juniper and sycamore trees providing abundant shade. Water flowing through seven springs is minimal and only several inches in depth. The area has one large open camping area and a nearby trailhead offering access to over 48 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Bring your camera during springtime to get photos of the desert wildflowers in bloom.
Across the road, Cave Creek trailhead offers over 48 miles of hiking trails - great for overnight backpacking trips. Bronco Trailhead further south, offers parking for 40 vehicles plus trailers and six horse pens. Just seven miles south is Sears-Kay ruin. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this site features the remains of an ancient Native American tribe's hilltop village. For spectacular scenic views take Forest Road 562 to Humboldt Mountain. Or, you can simply stay on site and observe nature and hunt for crawdads in the nearby creek.
$150 / night
Happy Endings Retreat is an amazing place to relax and enjoy nature! Off the beaten path and out of cell phone range, you can truly get “away from it all” here! The property is just 10 miles from beautiful Lake Pleasant and in the thick of prime hiking and miles of UTV roads. Do you prefer quieter activities? Contemplate nature in Hell’s Vinyard – where we have begun the process of renovating the 100-year-old vines or just sit by the pool. We are working hard to create a place for others to retreat and escape the city. Owners Kevin & Scott have been best friends for years and when this property came up, they knew it would be a great fit for two creative movie producers who love camping, hiking, and shooting. They are dedicated to developing Happy Endings Retreats’ 100 acres as an affordable place for people to enjoy the outdoors. You are sure to enjoy yourself and you won’t believe the view!
Mesquite Horseshoe Reservoir and Verde River are nearby. Opportunities abound for water activities such as fishing. This site is located along Verde River and is wooded with large mesquite shade trees. Bald eagles and great blue herons are frequently seen in this vicinity.
Traveler
Perfect for just getting away for the weekend. Only a 45 minute drive from the house, yet far enough that you still feel like you got away.
Lots of good hiking, Ghost Town, good views. Worth every second. Easily our favorite quick camping trip.
RangerWe only got to stay here one night, but it is very beautiful. At the base of the Superstition mountains, which are awesome. Out of the city, so nice and quiet. All the sites are paved and fairly level. There are many sites that have pull through, electric, and water. The showers were good. Many hiking trails in the area. Would love to stay here a little longer.
GuideThis State Park campground located in the Superstition Mountains is a frequent quick camp spot for me if I don feel like trying to beat the crowds to some favorite local dispersed sites.
They offer sites with electric and water, and sites for dry camping, along with some cabins and group sites you can reserve. The sites offer as much privacy as one can expect in the desert and are not super close together, except for the site numbers 70+ which are only available in winter typically. There are plenty of hiking trails and activities in the park and nearby. The bathrooms and showers are clean and well maintained, and they even have a small dog “park” for your best pal to run off some energy.
Favorite things about the park: The views and the wild life. We have seen so many beautiful birds, from quail and owls to roadrunners and vultures, along with several different types of squirrels, lizards, hare, and coyotes.
RangerIf traveling near Phoenix you should make this state campground a number one option.
The towering superstition mountain range is a beautiful site and while we were there we were able to watch a hiker who was rescued. This hiker was not injured, just afraid to come back down the trail. Guess going up is easier than coming down.
The site we had had power and water. The showers in the restrooms were not great but something is better than nothing.
Traveler
We liked it there. Nobody else on Friday night, plenty of space
The typical rumble strip dirt road to this point but easily doable.
Service: 1 bar Verizon
TravelerFairly close to our home (30 miles) but we love to do 1-2 nighters here when we have the time. There is plenty to see around the area. Park is well maintained. Spots are close but not too close to each other. Its a little elevated so the valley views are great. Gets a little warm during the summer - after all it is AZ. Theres an old Gold Mine nearby to visit.
GuideMiles of desert and washes to explore with tons of dispersed camping sites. Can get busy on holiday or event weekends but worth it otherwise. Some weekends have horse or Dirtbike events. Nearby washes lead to tons of trails near castle hot springs that can lead to various abounded mine sites (including Anderson Mill). Obviously not ideal camping in the summer but GREAT for the fall/winter/spring months.
Scout
I have tried to contact the ranch and got no response. I assume they aren't in business anymore.
GuideLost Dutchman State Park isn't just a campground, it's an adventure paradise! I'm giving it a flawless 5-star rating because it truly blew me away. Here's why:
Off-Roading Nirvana: Dust off your UTVs(side-by-sides) and get ready for a blast! The washboard washes (river beds) offer thrilling rides for off-road enthusiasts, with stunning desert landscapes as your backdrop.️
Hikers' Haven: Lace up your boots and conquer one of the park's diverse hiking trails. From challenging climbs to scenic strolls, there's a path for every level and every desire.
Feast for the Eyes: Prepare to be awestruck by the breathtaking scenery. Jagged mountain peaks pierce the azure sky, while the vast desert stretches out before you, creating a postcard-perfect landscape.
History Comes Alive: Immerse yourself in the legendary lore of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. Uncover the park's rich history and explore the stories that have captivated adventurers for centuries.
Camper's Dream: The park offers spacious campsites with convenient power and water hookups, making it a comfortable home base for your desert exploration.(Note: sewer hookups are not available.)
A Final Note: While you're busy conquering the trails and soaking up the scenery, keep in mind that cell service can be limited in certain areas. This might just be the perfect opportunity to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature! Lost Dutchman State Park is an unforgettable experience for anyone seeking adventure, breathtaking views, and a touch of history. I can't wait to get back and explore more of this desert gem!
GuideLoved staying at lost Dutchman. We are full time in our Rv, stayed for a full week and had access to the bathrooms, showers, dump & fill stations. We dry camped with no hookups but were able to use our generator at certain hours of the day. Great AT&T service through our Insty to get internet for work. Mostly loved the copious amounts of trails to walk, hike and run on. Even did a bike ride up the Apache trail to Boulder lake. Such a beautiful location.
ScoutLost Dutchman has amazing views, super clean facilities and spaced out sites. Highly recommend.
TravelerWe really enjoyed this park. Sites were nicely spaced. Beautiful view of mountain and amazing sunsets. Great hikes right from the campground.
ScoutIf you are wanting to explore go here its nice and you can make all time of memories. Nice place to explore
Scout
Spent two nights in January. Facilities were clean round the clock, shower water was hot, staff friendly , and hiking trails directly from the campground.
GuideWish we could have stayed longer. Great views and nice people.
GuideQuiet (most of the time) and a beautiful view. Loved that the campsites were spread out. Only complaints are the weekend warriors being noisy at night and no sites have FHU. Only water and electric but still was nice to have those amenities
GuideVery well kept full service campground with super helpful staff. I recommend sites with canopies if you don't have solid air conditioning as it can get hot in the sun and there's very little natural shade. All sites have power and water. There's a dual lane dump station on the way out of the park.
GuideWe stored our RV here for several years and they were easy to deal with. No hassles. The RV Park itself is nice and has a swimming pool and a little social area where they have game nights and parties.
Guide
We enjoyed our two night stay. The staff were helpful and friendly. The place was impeccably maintained. Had a campsite get a bit rowdy with a few choice words and the staff was on it before anyone complained. Top notch place. A bit noisy at night from traffic but almost all campgrounds are.
RangerAfter years of reading rave reviews we finally got the chance to experience Lost Dutchman State Park, and we were fortunate to show up on a delightful Friday spring evening at 7p without a reservation and secure a last minute cancellation of Site 41 with 50 amp electric and water and a stunning view of the sunset on the Superstition Mtns. This is a very nice park, but also very crowded as it is basically within the Phoenix metro area, so it feels a bit congested and overrun compared to many state park campgrounds.
RangerWhile it's on the bottom of our "Fave AZ State Parks" it's only there because, it's busy. It's right outside of Phoenix and folks from the valley frequent it. Being at the entrance to beautiful Tonto NF doesn't help with the traffic either. But, it's still 5 stars. The sites tend to be backwards for hookups vs how you pull in. So, if you have a long hose and power cord, park accordingly. Did not use any bath houses. Thankful we had electricity as we almost hit 100 in April after a chilly AZ winter.
GuideFriendly rangers. Clean restrooms and hot showers. Hiking trails. Start early in the day. It can get hot in April. We hiked the Treasure loop trail to the green rock. Then the PV trail down. 500 feet elevation gain over 2 miles. Loose gavel in some spots. Moderate difficulty.
GuideRanger Sara ROCKS!!! Her upbeat personality and kindness was greatly appreciated after a long day behind the wheel. The entire staff was welcoming and all the bath houses and showers were cleaned multiple times daily. Our site was spacious and well kept. Not a piece of trash to be found. Very convenient to Goldfield ghost town for a day of fun and a flowy 4 mile mtb loop as well. Our daughter did the jr ranger program and loved it!!! Thanks again, great park!
TravelerSpectacular views, quiet and clean. Trails are well maintained.
LegendWhile the sites at Lost Dutchman State Park are quite close together, the views and hiking trails are awesome! We camped in a campervan here (site 106) and it was perfect. We were in the 'rustic' loop, which consisted of sites without water or electric, and we could see Flatiron Mountain from our campsite.
My only complaint with the site is that it was quite a long walk to the restroom! Tent campers may not be able to find a suitable spot to pitch as the sites are small, but if you can get a site between 33 and 40, you should have room to pitch a tent. There are also hiker/biker campsites that require a short walk. These have amazing views, as do the cabins.
We would definitely stay here again - maybe in early March so we can see the wildflowers blooming!
ScoutScott and Kevin have a great piece of property they love To share! Located in a valley of the Bradshaw mountains just about and hour and a half from Phoenix, this is an awesome getaway- away from it all. I boondocked for a couple days and enjoyed the quiet solitude of the canyon, enjoyed hiking, and the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. It’s a rocky dirt road to get here, but my class C rv easily made it- and I’ve taken it in worse roads. Well worth the effort, give this place a try! thanks Kevin and Scott!
ScoutThis is a nice little KOA. It’s a small resort with all the amenities. It has a small dog park but it gets the job done. The people in the park are very nice and the staff are extremely kind and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Phoenix, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Phoenix, AZ is Lost Dutchman State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 80 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Phoenix, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 glamping camping locations near Phoenix, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
