Best Dispersed Camping near San Tan Valley, AZ

This BLM dispersed camping area access is about MP 147.5 in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 8. This is a two track road that leaves the highway and goes thru a gate, and EXTREME CAUTION is advised slowing down and leaving the freeway due to no off ramp or signs here to alert traffic behind you. Not recommended for RVs or TTs due to the risky access off the interstate. Best suited for Overlander types and high clearance trucks/vans. This area was a pleasant surprise and the access road #8042a is best due to good gravel surface and interesting camping areas. Suggest going on #8042a for 1.2 miles to the abandoned windmill/tank area. There is a large rock borrow pit midway if you are a shooter. This windmill area is behind a ridge from I 8 and reduces the highway truck noise.

Free dispersed camping, no water. Info kiosk at pin location. Note that this area is isolated with little traffic and other campers and would not advise solo camping due to warnings about illegal smuggling. Go with buddies and go heavy.

This is free dispersed camping on the BLM Sonoran National Monument. At Interstate 8, Exit 144 go south. BLM starts in about .6 mile. Note that the gravel road then will pass thru some pvt land that the Dyrt does not show, before the BLM again at the road fork to the Vekol Ranch (2.1 miles in from hwy). See attached screenshot from the BLM monument map. Lots of sites scattered along the main graded gravel road. There is an info kiosk at junction of road going to the Vekol Ranch. Most of the campers seem to be in this area to avoid interstate truck noise. Excellent cell signal on all carriers. No water, marked sites, tables, fire rings or trash dumpsters. Nearest services are in Sanfield (poor), Maricopa (best) or Gila Bend (fuel, RV stuff) so come prepared. Maricopa has a Fry's Market and gas. Sanfield has a Family Dollar and Circle K gas. Gila Bend has most services but not a major food market. Not much Sonoran cactus vegetation by the kiosk sign in in this area, no cholla and very few Saguaros, area is just a wide flat creosote palo verde sandy plain.

Update: if you go another mile or two south (uphill) on the main road you can camp at the #8007b and #8007c road spurs and #8045 spur. More Sonoran vegetation there and very scenic...lots of Saguaro cactus to camp with on flat open desert pavement. Farther away from the hwy noise is a plus!

If you are concerned about potential safety issues from illegal smuggling warnings, then staying down close to BLMat the .6 mile mark is likely best.

One of our all-time favorite boondocking spots. There are many forests roads off 188 on the southern shore of Lake Roosevelt where dispersed camping is allowed. Some have spectacular views of the lake but are high up and difficult to get to. We found the most easily accesible dispersed camping off Forest Rd 83 between the national monument and little town of Roosevelt. There are large level sites here right off the forest road. As you go further up the forest road, sites get smaller but more private.

This is all working open range with lots of stock. We woke up many mornings to cattle rooting through our stuff and one morning to a real roundup with cowboys on horses. Amazing. There are lots if Saguaro and jumping Cholla cactus around as well as rattlers and scorpions so be alert.

We stayed nearly three weeks here and will go back. Lots to do around and across the lake.

No amenities but there is a dumpster at the head of FS83. Otherwise nearest towns are Punkin Center to the west and Roosevelt to the east, Globe being the nearest large town about 40 min away.

Note there is also dispersed camping off 88 along the Salt River, also worth taking s look. No cell service along 88, no amenities and roads get much more steep and difficult.

The area itself is reasonably nice desert camping. Lots and lots of spots in both the AZ State Trust land (permit required) and the BLM land.

Pros -Lots of fire rings made from rocks in almost every spot. -Room to spread out. -Free.

Cons -The road coming in is the worst washboarding i have ever seen. Like the worst. Almost un-drivable...and I’ve been down a lot of rutted roads that require high clearance. I didn’t need clearance, i needs a road that isn’t ridiculous. -There is a quarry or something at the end of the road, which you wouldn’t think would matter, but starting at 4:00am...giant, and i mean GIANT rock hauler semi trucks started barreling down the washboarded road every 5-10 minutes until we packed up and left a day early at 10:00am because we couldn’t take the noise anymore. These trucks go down the road at 45mph and just absolutely SHAKE the ground and roar with noises. It was the most absurd thing that had ever happened to me while camping. Do not go here for peaceful camping.

We were surprised on the number of people who ventured out to this BLM spot off Park Link Road in the Cactus Forest over a rainy weekend in Tucson.

The first dozen dispersed spots were full with camper vans, small trailers and trucks. We continued to drive down the gravel dirt road to a more secluded spot. We didn’t see anyone in our one-night stay beside a mountain biker in the morning.

Even though It was raining in the area for about 24 hours before we travelled to the campsite, we didn’t have any issues navigating the 1.5 miles down to the site we chose. The truck has some mud in it and the 4x4 wasn’t needed (but made it easier). I would recommend a high clearance vehicle to reach the further back spots. Also, the road was narrow, our F250 brushed a few bushes on the way.

Most dispersed sites had a fire ring (check locally fire conditions first). I’d suggest bringing in fire wood unless you just want to burn the few fallen twig and limbs. It’s a cactus forest- so the terrain is mostly saguaros, chollas, Palo verde trees and shrubs.

Our site had a beautiful view of the sunset and a view of Picacho Peak in the distance. We visited in February and the weather was nice (on the chilly side) for our roof top tent. I wouldn’t come here in the summer unless we had a rig with air conditioning. Impressive view of the stars at night. Some traffic noise from I-10.

No water, toilets, or trash. So be prepared to take out what you bring in. We had 2 bars of LTE slcell service with T-Mobile.

It’s BLM land close to Tucson, so locals use the area for gun target practice. We heard gun shots until the sunset and starting again the morning. It was basically non-stop. If you want a place to shoot, this would be a good spot to camp.

🌵 Saguaro Facts: Saguaros can live to be 150-200 years old and grow as tall at 40 feet. A 10 year old saguaro Is about 1.5 inches tall (please watch where you drive, park and step). At 80 years old, it’s around 6 feet tall and starts to bloom. The best time to see saguaro blooms is mid-May through mid-June. At age 95-100, it’s around 15 feet tall and starts to grow it’s first arm. 🌵

I have camped at every dispersed camping place within 150 miles of Phoenix. 99 percent are over run by noisy, disrespectful ATV AND DIRT BIKE riders. If they see people camping they like to rev their engines really loud and create big dust flumes to show how nasty they really are. Last year I never saw a dirt bike or ATV in blue point, but this year there's been a lot. Come on guys and gals you have control of every single other spot this was just one place the family could go and have some peace and quiet. NOT THIS YEAR!!! the ATV'S AND dirt bikes have been tearing down the roads making sure they really rev their engines and creat dust when they go by campers. Just be jerks. But besides that, compared to any other place, this is the quietest. Don't park near the gate, the sound from the road can get really loud. 6 am every morning a helicopter comes overhead it's extremely loud, just so you know. Make sure you go to the Tonto national Forest Mesa ranger station and get a permit for bulldog canyon on Ingram street in Mesa. You need the gate combination codes to open the gate and be in there. The rangers do come through and check your permit and ID's to make sure you are the one on the permit. Ive only seen coyotes and wild horses in there.the horses actually came up to my window, it was awesome.you can have fires, but there's no water or toilets. Try to stay away on Friday and Saturday nights. Allot of kids go there to drink and party. One more thing, if you open the gate, close and lock it! I have seen people call the rangers and tell and the rangers came down and took the person's permit away.enjoy!

It has what's seems like endless road of dispersed camp sites with endless cacti of any/ every kind... It is no cost and forthe ones who have animals it has a fence yard in the first and second spots for public use...BY FAR ME AND MINES favorite place thus far... Four thumbs up

This is a dispersed camping are close to town.

Easy to moderate trails throughout the area. Lots of dispersed camping and miles of trails. Heavy UTV use has made some of the trails even more challenging. Lots of fun.

Drive through the town of Gold Canyon AZ, and you quickly leave behind the sprawl of suburban Phoenix, but embrace the sprawling landscape of the Sonoran Desert which is brimming with life in the spring. The unpaved road leads to multiple pull-offs and side roads where you can find the perfect spot to tuck away and camp for as long as you like.  Embrace the sun and bring your solar panels and plenty of cold drinks -- you'll be rewarded with amazing sunrises and sunsets and all the peace and quiet you can stand.  You may get lucky and find some partial shade under a Palo Verde, too.

Though adjacent to Tonto National Forest and the Superstition Mountains Wilderness Area, the camping along Peralta Rd. is on Arizona State Lands. Use of this land, for any reason or purpose, requires a special individual permit. These annual permits are available online, https://asld.secure.force.com/recreationalpermit/ and cost $20 (plus $1 online processing fee). The permit is good for 1 year (deal of the century!) and allows access to any other Arizona State Lands where a permit is required. 

While there are no services available at any of the camping spots, water, gas, or groceries are a short drive back into town. The hiking, and biking opportunities are amazing right around camp via the numerous and unlabeled OHV trails, or a short drive to the Peralta Canyon trailhead. This Forest Service parking area requires either a Tonto Pass, or Interagency Pass, or$10 day pass (available through a self-pay kiosk) serves as the start of many trails that will lead you into the gorgeous Superstition Mountains. Both the road, parking areas and trails are super busy on the weekends, so plan accordingly. During the popular hiking months, Forest Service Volunteers will regulate the parking area, so don't think that you'll get away without buying a pass. The ticket is more expensive.

September 21, 2024: We’ve dispersed camped here many times in last three years, took a trip out there today and every dispersed access point is plowed up with very deep trenches not allowing vehicles or rigs to access. Sad affair with squatters taking advantage and leaving trash, there was not a soul in sight. Maybe they’ll reopen it later when it cools down.

Probably one of the closest places to camp on the east valley of the Phoenix area. This place is most used by OHVs so it can get noisy on the weekends. I’ve also seen spots that people use for shooting. This area is just for dispersed camping, no services, cell phone coverage is good with Verizon.

We stayed here in the spring so the weather was great for no a.c. Boondock sites are on the small side and limited. Don't bring a big rig in here. There is a parking lot with a gate code that you need to get from the BLM but you can do that online. Park in the lot and walk in to scope out site availability. That way you aren't stuck trying to turn around. We have a 19' trailer so that wasn't a problem for us but could be for toy haulers, etc. A lot of ATV traffic here so be prepared to hear engine noise but the scenery is beautiful 😀