Best Equestrian Camping near Saguaro National Park

We stayed 2 nights at Catalina State Park in early May. We were in site B48 - this site was at the edge of the loop so it was nice and fairly private - but there was very little shade. I probably wouldn't pick that site again in the warmer months! There were a lot of other sites that had some trees around them and seemed much shadier. Campground was very clean. Bathrooms were spotless with giant free showers, which was awesome. The bathrooms were a pretty long walk from our site (there is only one bathroom facility for that loop). There are some trails in the park. We saw (and heard) coyote, prairie dogs, and a rattlesnake eating a prairie dog along a trail right behind our campground loop! We explored nearby Tuscon (interesting town with really cool murals and a great craft beer scene) and Saguaro National Park (about 30-45 minutes away). The park is very quiet and peaceful, yet very close to stores and a main road if you need anything. The campsite we were in had full hookups for electricity and water (we were in a campervan and didn't need them but it was nice to have access to).

I want to give this place 5 stars but not having a natural water source and locking the gates at night don’t get ya 5 stars 🤓 ...I understand their reasoning behind locking the gates however; bad humans out there that come in late at night and trash the place and don’t pay the measly $7 a night to camp - so locking the gates prevents that. Anyway, the picnic tables were nice and the entire canyon was just beautiful. It’s also a simple drive to Saguaro National Park (East) as well. We saw a deer in the morning too which was cool being that it seemed so out of place in the “desert” ha ha...we will definitely go back. Good times.

We stayed at this campground for 2 nights in late October 2020 while visiting Saguaro National Park.  We highly recommend this state park-- it was one of the best campsites we've experienced at a state park!

Pros:

-Sites are large and have space between them.  Our site (B45) had a good amount of space between us and our neighbors.

-Plenty of room on the site for our 1 tent, but you could have had several

-Sites have power and water in addition to a picnic table and grill

-Mountain views from the campsite!

-Tress and shrubs around the site provided shade-- even a place to hang our hammock!

-Shower house is modern/updated and was always clean

-Nice touches such as a bulletin board with announcements by the shower hours, a "little free library" with books, and a dishwashing station by the shower house

Cons:

-Honestly none really.  There was a sign that the campground can flood in rains.

Highly, highly recommend this campground!

Campground Review

Catalina State Park is just a bit outside of Tucson Arizona, and more importantly, Saguaro National Park.  We used this State Park as a jumping-off point for our trip to Saguaro and it was a pretty good location for that.

Oro Valley is a modern area with tons of shopping and dining options right outside the park.  This was very convenient for us to pick up McDonalds or grab something we forgot from the store.

The Park itself is stunning.  Right up against the mountains, the views are gorgeous, especially at sunset.  We were in campsite #A-23, which was AMAZING. Perfect for tent camping, the space is large and flat.  You could easily fit several tents in this site.

We drove around campgrounds A and B and found the sites to be much more spaced out in A.  Most of the sites were occupied by RVs, which made for a very quiet and non-stressful night!  

Our site had electric hook ups and a water faucet.  Also a BBQ grill and picnic table are provided. Wood fires are NOT permitted in the park.

Overall we LOVED this place.  We will for sure return in the near future!

The Park also has a lot of amazing trails, including a very short hike to see Hohokam ruins which were so cool to see!!  The kids loved this hike and the views were amazing.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - at Catalina State Park we had the opportunity to try out the Wenzel Camp Quilt (or 2!).  These quilts are so great! Our old camp blanket had to be carefully folded in a particular way and then zipped up. These quilts come with stuff bags and you can just stuff the quilt in them when you are done!  I now keep these in the car with me at all time, because you never know when you need a picnic blanket, or something to keep you warm!

For us, it is a no-brainer to just toss one or two of these in with your camping gear.  Here in Arizona, the temperature drops fast once the sun goes down. Although it was over 100F during the day, it was still FREEZING cold in our tent at night.  We were so grateful to have these quilts to snuggle up and keep us warm!

Campground Video

https://youtu.be/yw_dUs9b7aM

I typically rate campgrounds as they fit into 1 of 5 categories. This campground will be rated as a Regional/Public Park — Grounds that are on public lands, and have a cost for entry and/or overnight stay. Ratings for this category are based on: Cost: 5 Allure of the park/lands: 5 Amenities as available (bathrooms, showers, hookups, etc): 4 Layout and privacy of sites: 5

Catalina SP is at the Northern end of metro Tucson. It’s about 30 minutes to downtown and 1 hour to either division of Saguaro National Park (East or West).

Reservations during January for a short-term (2 night) stay were surprisingly easy to obtain via their online booking tool. Longer stays should book far ahead of time, max stay is 14 days, I believe. Price of $30/night +$5 booking fee was very reasonable for RV Electric and water hookups for the stay.

Check in was easy with the attendants and there is no extra cost for park admission for campers, which is a nice bonus for AZ state parks (many states charge the fees outside of the cost of camping).

The sites were huge, very big-rig friendly, and private. Additional signage for numbered sites would have been helpful, but it’s not hard to find your spot using the power of deduction. Backing in our 25’ trailer was easy. Electric and water hookups were available at our site (30) in the B Loop. No sewer hookups and the dump stations were crowded when we left at 11:45am on checkout day. Restrooms were open, and require masks. They were spotless! Water pipes at the campground froze overnight on an evening where temps barely touched 32 degrees. They were defrosted and flowing by 8:30am. There were also dish cleaning stations outside the restroom.

Very nearby are grocery stores, gas stations and other shopping/eating spots, but the proximity to commerce doesn’t impact the natural feel of these grounds... night at the campground is very dark.

The hiking accessible from the campgrounds is fantastic with tons of desert landscape and saguaros dotting the skyline. Low mountains add to the scenic view and trees throughout the campground contribute to privacy from your (fairly distant) neighbors. Yet another fantastic reason to choose state parks for your camping/rving adventures!

Beautiful state park campground. Huge, level, paved sites. All the sites in the B loops have water and electric( 20A, 30A, and 50A). Picnic table and bbq. No fire pits. Dump station near exit of loops and another near state park entrance. Nice selection of pull through and back-in sites. We had a back-in on outer edge and had beautiful views. Plenty of space between sites and with clever positioning and trees, you have some privacy. Was very quiet (with the exception of the coyote's at sundown 👍) Nice clean bathrooms and showers. Many sites have some trees that may provide some needed shade in warmer months. Great hiking and biking in park. Bicycle paths in Oro Valley area are also awesome.

Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona, is a fantastic campground that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and convenience. The campsite is surrounded by stunning desert landscapes, with majestic saguaro cacti and rugged mountains providing a picturesque backdrop. 

The well-maintained facilities and spacious campsites make it an ideal destination for both novice and experienced campers. What sets Catalina State Park apart is its remarkable proximity to the town of Tucson. Just a short drive away, campers can easily access the vibrant city to explore its cultural attractions, dine at diverse restaurants, and shop for supplies. 

This accessibility makes it an excellent choice for those who want to enjoy the serenity of the outdoors without sacrificing the convenience of urban amenities. Whether you're into hiking, stargazing, or simply seeking a peaceful getaway, Catalina State Park offers it all. The stunning natural beauty combined with its proximity to town makes it a top-notch choice for a camping adventure in Tucson, Arizona.