Best Tent Camping near Salome, AZ

I camped here in late November (not during any festival or anything) so this place was very nice and roomy with great cell service, and a quick and easy drive in - just a few minutes from town. Zero hassle. Very rocky if you’re tent camping but other than that, no problems.

Lots of flying bugs 30 min before and after sunrise and set but they all go away. Not many camping spots but close to water and clean restroom with hot showers. Boat launch, lots of RV parking dog friendly with a dog park. Get good water shoes or your feet will be cut up from river rocks that are everywhere. Close tent camping so if you hate people walking through or around this is not ideal for you.

Love this Saddle Mtn Campsite! The pin location is accurate but it looks there are multiple different access routes. We really enjoyed it here because you can pull up within 50-100 yards from Saddle mountain and camp right below it. So cool.

We tent camped for about 5 days here, the crowd was minimal, felt very safe. Plenty of trails to walk, can explore the mountain and there are petroglyphs here. We only found a couple, but didn’t look too hard.

Overall loved this place, easy access, safe, fun and some cool views!

Buckskin is an amazing park. We have tent camped and RV camped there. Hookups and restrooms are great. The showers are also nice. The best part is, you’re on the Colorado River!!! There are 2 beaches, one you can beach your boat and another that has a designated swimming area. (If you plan on leaving your boat overnight, anchor out about 10-20 feet from shore. The water level drops a few feet at night.) they are also planning to remodel the closed restaurant on site. This is a very friendly family environment.

PROS: 

• Some sites are right on the Colorado river.
• Beautiful mountain ranges in the background.
• Full amenities at this park including showers and restrooms.
• Our site had a nice fire pit and grill, where you could simultaneously cook over coals while still having a nice fire going in the other area of the pit.
• This campground is near a lot of incredible hiking opportunities.

CONS:

• Our site was right underneath a bright lamp that shined into our tent and made it hard to sleep. We were at the site next to the walkway down to the river. Sites next to the bathrooms will also deal with night lamps.
• Tent sites are gravel, which isn't so bad except the whole are kind of slopes down to the river, making sleeping flat difficult.

Overall a well maintained and friendly park. Would come again.

First, you get what you pay for, this tent site was 5.00 per night! The location is great, right on the Colorado River. We made reservations ahead of time using reservation.gov. We knew there were no amenities but were ok with it.

I use a rating scale based on amenities, location, cell service, cleanliness and campsite.

There is no running water available at the site, only one vault toilet, obviously no showers.

The campsite itself was great, nice shady spot with a grill, picnic table and did I mention right on the water.

Cell service was spotty, usually one bar with AT&T.

There are wild burros that roam the area and we were quite surprised that they walked through our campsite down to the water.

We stayed on a Friday night and there were people riding motorcycles or ATVs through the park chasing the burros, making a lot of noise. Also people on the river all through the night making lots of noise.

We rented kayaks in Parker AZ, Parker watercraft and it was great, we loved every minute.

While there we also made the quick trip to Lake Havasu city to see the London Bridge.

I grew up in Arizona and had never been to Alamo Lake.  The lake is kind of in the middle of nowhere but what a hidden treasure. We camped there in March 2018.  It was on the warm side.  The area is best suited for camping October - March.  This is the desert people.  Or if you have a giant RV with air conditioning and cable television, you could go anytime.  Fish early in the morning and late at night. 

The campground is rather large with different areas for tent camping and hook-ups.  We stayed with an electric and water hook-up in a pop-up tent trailer.  There were lots of big rigs and toy haulers.  We definitely had toy envy with only our pop-up and kayaks.  This is a big ATV area so there were lots of ATVs riding around.  People also had speed boat and canoes.  The campground was not completely full even though it was Easter weekend.  It was also relatively quiet.  The bathrooms were sparkling clean and had nice showers with hot water.  There was also an AMAZING fish cleaning area at each campsite loop.  If you aren't really a campsite person, there is dispersed camping available by the shore but you need to drive down a dirt road through a tiny fork in the road "town" called Wayside.  There is a bar/restaurant/store/campground/gas station in Wayside.  The next town is about 30 miles away.

We found some great fishing which is unusual for Arizona.  We caught bass, bluegill and catfish.  We saw people catching a lot of fish.  They have bass fishing competitions at this lake and I can see why. 

The lake is surrounded by pretty red mountains. The sky is a beautiful blue.  I highly recommend the area.  Not too crowded, good fishing, nice clean campground.  What more could you want but maybe a nice cold beer!

We came from the west on 10 and exited on Salome rd- it was all dirt. But if you come from the east to courthouse rd it’s paved. We took the mile marker 13 and we’re very happy. Did a great steep hike up saddle mountain trail.

This is one of my favorite areas to boondock in the southwest winter season. The views are phenomenal ! To my surprise I thought it would be crowded here this year, but no. As soon as you turn off of W Salome Hwy on to W Courthouse rd you’ll find at least 9 or more entrances that lead up towards the mountain. Some better than others, meaning they can be very rocky, so be careful of tire damage. Like any time your looking for a site, park in a safe place and search by either foot or in my case ebike. I have found the last couple roads in on the far west to be the smoothest, but they are also more populated. Sites here can accommodate the big rigs, but the smaller you are the more options you have. This BLM, 14 day maximum.

Every time I mention Alamo Lake, even people who have lived in Arizona forever say "where"? It's quite a drive to what feels like the middle of nowhere, but totally worth the trip. It's like a mini-Lake Pleasant without all the jet skies and power boats. Campgrounds are basic but serviceable and the far side of the lake has nice sandy beaches for additional camping outside the official park.

I just returned from a camping trip here this weekend and the lake was totally different from my last visit. This lake is not fed by any dedicated water source and it was designed for flood control, so it's level varies greatly from year to year based on winter rain/snow fall during the previous winter. The lake this weekend was THREE TIMES bigger than when I saw it in the spring of 2016 - about 17,000 acres and close to full right now. I'd love to give the park a one-star review just so no one will go there and it can be my great little secret! The drive there is a bit boring, and it's funny to note that while driving the 30 miles or so out Salome road, the "watch for cattle" signs are paired with warnings painted on the road AND rumble strips about every 300 years while in Maricopa county, but as soon as you cross into La Paz county the yellow signs and road paint continue, but the rumble strips disappear :)

There are 5 camping sections with different amenities for each - I prefer the B section because most of the sites have views of the lake, but section A has showers near the cabin rentals (they are only a short walk from B, so it makes staying closer to the lake a win still). Sections C, D, and E are off the first road you can enter and are much more primitive, although they are serviced by their own launch and fish cleaning station. Sections A and B are near the ranger station/camp store that sells all kinds of stuff you might forget and snacks, and has a gas pump outside (I did not inquire about purchasing gas and the pump looks like it's quite an antique. . .)

It's a bit desolate and can be hot and to be honest, kind of boring if you don't have a plan. I love taking my kayak because it's so quiet and it's a great lake for birding - I saw tons of migrating water birds this weekend, as well as an osprey, Harris hawks, and an owl early this morning. There are also tons of wild burros, coyotes, and other desert creatures. This is a fishing lake and pretty much everyone who drives all the way out to Alamo Lake is going for the same reason - to sit in a serene lake on a quiet boat and catch a ton of fish. This is not a hiking lake - I did not see any trails other than just paths here and there through the park.

This place is amazing. It’s feel like you are camping in wilderness. Lots of wildlife and beautiful views. The rangers are pretty kind. Plenty of services for campers (Tents, RV’s, cabins) and daily visitors.

Not a bad place to stay, nothing fancy but it all works. Wifi Not the best, especially now with the BIG Tent Show. Free way close by, but doesn't bother us. Lots of nice people here that stay Year around or all winter. Will probably stay again.

I have logged more than 30 trips to this campground since the 80s. Sadly, my last visit September 2020 I discovered that the store, boutique, arcade, restaurant, dock and gas station were gone! Bulldozed. There was no warning or notification when making reservations. There was no.access to convenient purchases or fuel. The campground now caters more to rvs than tents but tents are still allowed. There are bathrooms with showers at no charge. But not as clean as they used to be. Please be cautious of the water levels if you are not experienced with this section of the Colorado River in Parker. The dam limits water flow overnight and the river drops. It rises during the day and is extra high in late afternoon evening time. People often lose watercraft, boats and beach gear because they.are not aware.

I fought a Badger twice a night for three nights. The Rangers are aware of the issue but obviously nothing has been done. The Badger I delt with was 20-25 pounds and nasty. It tried to get in my tent and my Clam Shelter. I cleaned up the beach of plastic worms and fishing line. The campsites are kept nice and the showers are very nice. It's a drive to get to the park.

Rough sloped area at crest by cell tower. There is another better quality road slightly south of this rough upper area that I include in this camping area. This is AZ Trust Land so a $15 online permit is needed to be legit. Cell signal is very good. No toilets, no water, no tables, no dumpsters. Only a few miles into town and a grocery store.

Only 2 stars as the area is no scenic and had beat down vegetation and general vibe is sketchy with some crapped out tents and campers. .

THIS was my first time here in Quartzsite,Az. I stayed at La Posa South. It has been awesome!

I have made many acquaintances ,and friendships

With neighboring RVers, tent dwellers and van dwellers.The beautiful sunsets and sunrises.<

Although there is no electricity ,they do have clean / toilets , dumpsters and potable water as well as non potable.

They also have non - potable water, and places for emptying our Rv tanks.

Yok can buy a pass ($180 to stay for 7 months in the winter,from Sept.15- April 15.

If you decide to stay in summer you pay $75. You can cam 14 days and then move 25 miles away every two weeks.

There are many options to accommodate your camping experience.

I have taken beautiful pictures since being here.

I most deffinately will be coming back.

My last stop before I continued my trip into California and what an awesome stop it was. I’ve spent a month in Arizona roaming around and each area has me fantastic!

I’d immediately recommend having a truck or suv so you can really explore the entire area. I was camping in my overland Tahoe on this stretch and it handled the area well. My buddies has a Tacoma and Land Cruiser respectively so we were set.

It’s all about exploration out here. Lots of RVs bringing their play toss out here so you’ll run into a lot of dirt bikes and utvs which is awesome. Numerous mining areas and ranch buildings still dot the area and are fun to respectfully explore. Sunsets are beautiful, shade is non existent, and rocks aplenty. Cell service was non existent for majority of my trip, and no water that we came across. Saguaros and ocotillos are everywhere which add to the AZ landscape

Do your best to understand the local rules and regs here and abide by them. This is an area we need to respectfully use so we have it for decades to come

A little introduction may be in order. My name is Randy Mahannah, aka Randoo, I am 67 years old, accompanied by my dog and I’ve been on the road since February 23, 2018, as of this writing just over 3 months. I have been in 5 states, 4 Motel 6’s and 10 different campgrounds over 6300 miles and stops at friends and family. I am on the road and I’m enjoying it. Let’s start with a bucket list item.

There is a place in the far western and southern desert of Arizona called the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. At first glance, one might question the possibility of wildlife even remotely living in such a harsh desert environment but live there these creatures do, most amazingly, desert bighorn sheep. But it isn’t just the critters, it’s the desert, some of the most rugged, badass, beautiful desert in America, the border of the Sonora and the Mojave deserts and amazing country.

Oh yeah, campground rating, uuhhh, no campground unless you consider the entire refuge as your campground because that’s what it is, primitive camping at its best. At Kofa there are no facilities, no restrooms, no designated campsites, no water, no nuttin’, just a bare spot in the dirt and a place to dig your privy. So in terms of a best-of-five something rating probably zip. In terms of desert lonesome awesomeness, 5 +.

Take lots of water, you’ll need it, at least two five gallon containers and if you are so foolhardy as to visit Kofa between May and September, take a fiver for each day you will be there, just in case. I was there in March and was quite comfortable, day and night. Winters will be mild daytime, chilly to cold at night, summers, oppressively hot daytime and dance-naked-under –the-moon beautiful at night with more stars than you have ever seen unless you’ve been to Machu Pichu under a new moon. 

As for things to do, desert hiking both flatland and in the mountains is what is offered. Take a camera and try to get a sheep shot. If that doesn’t work the native palms in Palm Canyon that stand still and won’t run away from you and the landscapes under a changing desert sun are wonderful.

I spent three nights there and was enchanted by a desert landscape I’ve wanted to visit since I was draft eligible. It’s all about timing and tolerance but if you find yourself in the neighborhood of Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, 23 miles south of Quartzite, 60+ miles north of Yuma, Arizona, allow yourself a night or two. Might pleasantly surprise you.

This dispersed camping area which requires a ridiculously inexpensive online permit ($20 per year), was perfect for what we needed. Our closest neighbor was about ¼ mile away, and we had views and sunsets aplenty. There is access to the Lake Havasu, but only by OHV or on foot, we chose the latter. 

The roads in from the highway are rough and rocky, but doable if you take it slow.  Once again our 67 year old vintage camper did great getting to our spot, though we recommend parking and walking the roads before committing to the drive in.

There’s hiking opportunities right out your front door, and nothing but the highway or the lake to stop your progress. The nearby Cattail Cove State Park offers designated hiking trails through the rugged desert terrain. 

Nothing in the way of services, so bring your own...but lots of space to be alone and private.  And, with sun, sun, sun, the California/ Arizona skies are great for solar gathering, so bring out all your panels. Starlink internet worked well too. 

Lake Havasu city is about 15 minutes up the road, and there you can find everything you might need in terms of services and supplies. Check out the world famous London Bridge while you’re there, too!

I booked our first trip in our new rv to Emerald Cove for 4th of July. We were sent to the very last space far left at the edge of the campground. The furthest away from bathrooms, showers, store, snack bar, pool, beach, everything! The beachfront spaces were all occupied. But so was the walkways to the water! The spaces reserved as access for all campers to get to the water were filled with cars, tents, people, even though these were clearly marked as walk ways and no parking or any other was allowed. We couldn't even get to the water! Staff did not enforce fair access. Worse, the next camper close to us had a 4 seat razor. Since there was a few spaces between us that were vacant they decided to use the area as a raceway and drove their off road razor vehicle whipping around our camp kicking up dust, dirt and rocks that even flew into us hitting us. I first approached the other campers and asked them nicely to stop driving their OFV wicked fast around us that we were being struck by rocks. They didn't stop. I reached out to the staff who did nothing. We were so unsafe with the vehicle driving around us doing broadies, that we packed up and left within the first 24 hours. We had a 4 day reservation. I phoned the office to let them we had just left and why...they couldn't care less. We will never return here.