Looking for a place to camp near Sun City West with your horse? Finding a place to stay in Arizona while traveling with your horse has never been easier. Find our top-rated horse campsites from other campers like you. Plan the perfect trip in minutes.
$15 - $45 / night
Set in the northeast Valley of metro Phoenix, McDowell Mountain Regional Park covers 21,099 acres in the lower Verde River basin. Campers choose from 76 individual sites for tent or RV camping, which can accommodate up to a 45-foot RV. These developed sites have water and electrical hook-ups, plus a dump station, picnic table, and barbecue fire ring, while all restrooms offer flush toilets and showers. Group camping is also available.
McDowell Mountain activities range from biking, hiking, and horseback riding on over 50 miles of multi-use trails to picnicking, stargazing, and plenty of park-organized programs and events.
$32 / night
Skyline Regional Park located in Buckeye, Arizona is an 8,700 acre park in the southern White Tank Mountains. The park features 16 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Seven camping sites are also available to rent.
These are first come, first served sites for self-contained units only.
$8 / night
Bartlett Flat Bartlett Reservoir and the Arizona Upland phase of the Sonoran Desert. This site offers beautiful vistas of the surrounding mountains. Bartlett Flat has primitive boat launch opportunities for small boats. River Access Point (RAP) for Verde River. There are no designated campsites at this shoreline area but camping along the shore is allowed. High water levels will limit the amount of available shoreline in this area.
Horsethief Basin Recreation Area offers a variety of recreational opportunities including: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, and OHV riding. Castle Creek Wilderness is located nearby, and Horsethief Cabin and Turney Gulch Group Campground are available by reservation. Day use sites and trails are open year-round; overnight accomodations are not available during the winter. Scroll down (below the recreation map) to learn more about these recreational opportunities. Note: Until further notice, use of a high-clearance vehicle is recommended for those who plan to visit recreation sites in Horsethief Basin.
Westworld’s RV Park consists of 398 permanent RV spaces in 8 different lots located across the property. The best part? They all have electric and water and a dump station on site for your convenience.
$57 / night
Guide
Gorgeous easy dirt road ~27 miles from i17/Bumble bee. (There’s also a much more difficult trail from lake pleasant that requires very experienced off-roading 4x4). Great food and drinks(alcohol) at the crown king saloon and Mimi’s Cafe. There are amazing camping areas just past the main town, and even all the way up near Horsetheif Basin which is about 7 miles past crown king(requires 4x4). There is also an amazing ~30 mile trail from crown king that leads all the way to Prescott called Senator Highway. This also requires experienced 4x4 and like the trail to Horsetheif basin, there are many areas that are only single vehicle width. Amazing weather all year round, but extremely limited travel available while snow is on the ground.
Legend
Pros:
Cons:
Guide
Stayed here during a 200 mile bikepacking trip around this area in late December. There are mountain bike trails connected to this campground that were very fun! Definitely a great basecamp for mtb and hiking.
We were the only tent campers but it was nice to use the electric outlets to charge our devices. Overall a quiet campground but there is a shooting range nearby, so just a heads up!
Legend
General: Very small (7-site) campground. One site is ADA-accessible and paved (the rest are gravel) but there are no hookups at any site.
Site Quality: Generous-sized gravel driveways; Site D sloped uphill slightly. A concrete picnic table, BBQ grill, and fire pit complete the site. I was a little surprised that the picnic tables did not have shelters as it gets quite hot in Arizona (the day-use pavilions were covered).
Restroom: Two-stall, one-sink restroom. No showers. This restroom is also used by the day-use area so by the end of the day, it looks like it has been well-used. It was cleaned at night. It looked like the sink was clogged, but it was just slow draining.
Activities: Hiking! There are several hiking trails directly accessible from the campground and all the trails are well-marked. There is a short (.6 mile) ADA-accessible trail. Horseback riding and mountain biking are also activities although we saw neither in our two days at this park. There was also a wildly popular star-gazing event while we were there.
Final thoughts: IMO, the best sites are B, C, and D. Site D especially has no visible neighbors on either side. Kudos to the city of Buckeye – they could have easily crammed a half-dozen more campsites in this area, but I am glad they did not! As I mentioned, this is a popular day-use area and by 7 am on a weekend in early April, the day-use parking lot was completely full. Despite this, we did not see too many people on the trails.
ScoutStayed here in a campervan for one night on a weekday and really enjoyed it. The facilities were clean and well kept, your neighbors are obviously pretty close by but people kept to themselves. Loved waking up to the giant saguaros!
Traveler
My first time here was over Veteran’s Day weekend and we woke up to F15s flying low overhead for Veteran’s Day. Campsites are disbursed and pleasantly of area to set up your site. Ground is flat and somewhat sandy like a beach. Other campsites seemed quite respectful and aware we are all sharing the same experience. sides were relatively clean, however, people do venture off into the Forrest area to use the restroom. That is my only concern is people do not pack out their toilet paper or their human feces. Please keep this area beautiful the way it naturally is and pack out your waste which is toxic to wildlife.
GuideThis majestic spot is roughly ~26 miles (from Bumble Bee) of bumpy dirt roads, steep terrain, switchbacks, and the occasional one vehicle bridge. The main city of Crown King has a general store with essentials and a 1 pump fuel station. Prices are steep so best advised to fill up on gas and supplies before heading up. The Hazlitt Hollow campground and Horse Thief Basin Lake are ~7 miles from the main city of Crown King and definitely require a high clearance vehicle (4x4 highly recommended). Horse Thief Lake is truly a magical place and beyond serene. The lake fish species present include Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, and Muskie. The weather is very similar to Prescott with an elevation of 6,000 ft. Peaceful, quiet, serene, and soothing all describe this area perfectly.
ScoutMaricopa County has a great park system. This is our third time here. There are tons of trails and the views are awesome.
TravelerVery nice campground. Level site. Great view of mountains and cacti. Go slow, road have big dips to allow water runoff.
ScoutWith all this rain and snow melt Bartlett flats is under water
GuideWe love heading up to Crown King! For dispersed camping, this place is top notch. When you head to town there are services, the saloon, breakfast joint, and pizza place coming soon. It’s not fancy but it’s fabulous! I can’t wait to go hideaway again soon.
TravelerThis was a highlight on the last stay. The people are mostly quiet, and to themselves. If your young a few night stay is okay. But any longer and you will start to see the looks from fellow older campers.
Scout
The Barn at goAway Ranch is a perfect spot for us. It's in a residential neighborhood, but it doesn't feel like it. We enjoy it's proximity to town, but also to the trails, climbing, hiking and lakes nearby. It's clean and quiet and a great spot to boondock. The dump station is close, so it's a quick stop before your onto your next adventure.
TravelerGood price, friendly staff. Clean restrooms, and fire pits. The hosts are incredible Ty yu
ScoutGood spot. Clean and well maintained facilities.
TravelerAll in all, I really enjoyed my stay there, but there are some things of which campers should be aware.
Pros: *Easy to get a reservation *Very nice desert landscape *This is a very very nice park with very very nice trail system. I think there’s something for all hiking, skill levels. *The sites are in expensive. *convenient to gas, rv dump, hardware, grocery, restaurants.
Cons: *There is no water. Neither potable or non-potable. *If you use off air antenna for TV, you won’t get any channels here *The campsites need to be better taken care of. For example, there were tall weeds growing up underneath the picnic table and its benches. *If you use Verizon, there is little or no signal most of the time. *From time to time there’s a bit of jet noise (not necessarily a negative) *This park is very very popular with local, hikers and they start before sunrise and finish after sunset. So it’s very busy right next to the campground.
ScoutReally nice area for any type of camping any time of the year. There are toilets at the entrance to the flats, with trash dumps but it would be a hike the farther away you camp from it so bring your own or rough it and recover it! Ground is mostly level on desert sand and you can launch a dinghy, jet ski, canoe, or kayak from the shoreline; wouldn’t trust anything larger than that but there’s a ramp in driving distance south of the campsite. Went there Indigenous Peoples day and found plenty of semi-private spaces to settle into. Recommend this for groups, solo, fishing, swimming, and families.
ScoutThe scenery is desert with a mountain backdrop. Individual spaces are very spacious. Campground is about 15 minutes from Apache Junction but still secluded. Great weekend getaway. Very quiet except... there is a shooting range about a mile away so there are times you hear a distant report of a rifle. Campground has a public bath and shower. Also a hiking trail.
ScoutGreat views, bring water and watch out for the heat🫠
TravelerLimited spots so try and reserve but very worth the short drive out of the city.
Legend
General: Located less than an hour from Phoenix, this campground is an easy getaway. There are two campgrounds: The Family Campground (40 sites) with water and 30/50 amp electric hookups and the more“rustic” Willow Canyon Campground (19 sites) with no hookups. This campground is good for tents, campervans, or small (16 feet or less) trailers. There was a gate attendant when we checked in around 6 pm on a Monday and we were given an information packet with information on the campground, nearby facilities in the town of Surprise, and trails, which was very helpful considering we were not familiar with the area.
Site Quality: We stayed in the Family Campground so we could take advantage of the electric hookups. The sites are gravel, a good size, well-maintained, and spaced a decent amount of distance apart. Some are pull-through and some back-in. In addition to the aforementioned water and electric hookups, each site also has a picnic table, bbq grill, and fire pit. Some have covered picnic shelters but not all. Most of these also have space for tents.
Bathhouse: Is located in the center of the loop and was clean. Sites on the inside have paths leading to the bathhouse but if you are on the outside of the loop, access is via a path between sites 34 and 36 or sites 11 and 13. Three stalls, one sink, and one shower. One sink is not really adequate for 40 sites, but I did not encounter more than one other person at a time. Soap dispenser, rack, and air dryer. The way the water faucets are is wasteful: once you turn them on, they run for quite some time before turning off. Hot water was appreciated. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on that.
Activities: Several hiking trails. The most popular one is the waterfall trail, but you need to drive to the trailhead for this. It is paved for the first half mile (shortly after the petroglypghs) and then it is a rocky, gravel path. The waterfall only runs after heavy rain (I would think this would make access very challenging). There was water in the “pool” and it is scenic so it was worthwhile to go despite no running falls. There are restrooms, a picnic area and a playground near this trailhead. Some of the other trails are used by mountain bikers or horseback riders. The information you receive at check-in details the usage for each trail.
This campground was mainly an overnight as we continued to head west but I am glad we took the time to hike the waterfall trail before leaving. If you need groceries or other supplies, the town of Surprise, about 8 miles to the east, would have everything you need. Note there is a nearby air force base and you will hear jets flying by, although this was during daylight hours.
GuideThis county park has good campsites with water and electric in the midst of the desert land. The plant life was abundant and there were many birds and wildlife around.
Usury Mountain is a challenging hike but well worth it. The bathrooms are clean with warm showers.
Phoenix is just a short drive for anything you need or want to do. It is quiet even though the city is nearby.
Scout
Gorgeous views, very spaced out sites, and access to great mountain biking and hiking trails. Even the overflow area where we had to spend a couple of nights has a very nice bathroom and shower. Will definitely return!
Traveler
Very pleasant .there is no sewerage hook ups you have to drive to dump ech time .the people were friendly there as well
Scout
I did not stay here because this is a 55 and older community. Seems strange to have it on an app like this. I am writing this review so others can see that this is a community for retirees. Looks nice from the website
TravelerDid a quick overnight trip. Easy to access in any vehicle. If you want to be more secluded keep following the shore line NW, however the more you travel the more ground clearance you’ll need so bring a vehicle with a little off road abilities of you want to be away from the trailers and RVS. Tons of pre made stone fire pits all over to adopt as your own. Bathrooms and trash drop off at the entrance. Overall great scenic spot. Hate seeing trash anywhere, unfortunately there was some left from previous campers (slobs). Tonto pass needed.
Traveler
We have camped many times with my family. Many people have RVs in our group and some have tents and truck tents! All are welcome and easy to navigate. Great for individuals and groups. Cheap, just 8$! It is clean, quiet and beautiful views. Close to town and close to fun attractions such as the rodeo or box canyon wash!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Sun City West, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Sun City West, AZ is White Tank Mountain with a 4.6-star rating from 15 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 17 equestrian camping locations near Sun City West, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
