Best Dispersed Camping near Superior, AZ

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Superior

188 Reviews of 47 Superior Campgrounds

• m

  matt F.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 28, 2025

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Beautiful, price just went up to $80 a year for a pass. but have to camp 2 miles down a ohv

  Our first night we campednat the 2nd or 3rd campsite which wasn't too difficult to get to. Big rocks and ruts but no biggie. The next morning we woke up to a forest ranger saying we had to camp 2 miles from the road. We took our 30 foot camper the 2 miles and boy was it insane off roading for a travel trailer! Dont recommend it as my tire exploded a week later probably from the abuse. The 2 miles rule seems like it is a new rule and they say it's to stop erosion but it seems to stop campers. Because there's only 2 camp spots past 2 miles deep but tons of other awesome campsites on the way. They also just changed the price from $6 for 6 monthes to $80 for the year

• 

  Michael R.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 21, 2025

  Sycamore Creek Recreation Area

  Interesting place

  Nice location with dispersed camping options. When we were setting up a man came up & warned us that it was a popular spot for Nudists. He was not wrong. Be prepared to run into some interesting people.

• C

  Conner F.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 18, 2025

  Box Bar Road Dispersed

  Gorgeous spot but little service

  It’s gorgeous. Not very many spots but love being right by the river. With this being said it’s tucked in there by the mountains so it gets colder than desert overnight and has wildlife around plus little to no service for AT&T. However, if I didn’t need service this would’ve been perfect since my dog loves the water.

• J

  JOSEPH

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 7, 2025

  Old Corral

  Trash, broken glass and human waste

  This was an open spot at night, and we needed to park, so we did, and saw the place covered in broken bottles, paint brushes, garbage, and up the hill someone has been using the bathroom all over the grounds and leaving nasty toilet paper all over. The horse pen is full of broken bottles and empty gun casings, you can see that people come up here to trash the place.

• s

  steven H.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 6, 2025

  Sycamore Creek Recreation Area

  Cramped dirt roads

  Not a fan. Won’t be back with my trailer.

• 

  Greg H.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 24, 2024

  Peralta Road Dispersed Camping

  No dispersed camping or trail riding.

  This really ticks me off. One of the more beautiful spots to spend a day has been closed to campers and trail riders.  We were shocked to see all access except to the park and trailhead are closed. I agree a few camping spots were over used but that shouldn't have closed the whole area.  This is shameful and a government power grab!

• E

  Emma A.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 26, 2024

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Great stay

  This was like being able to backcountry camp in Saguaro NP. We got in after dark & overshot the turn in, but looped back around. Our site was great - quiet & peaceful. We enjoyed waking up to the literal forest of cactus.

• 

  Enzo M.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 4, 2024

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - West Entrance

  Bulldog Canyon (all entrances) is an OHV Sport area first, Camp spot second

  Thanks to the efforts of the environaz- mentality of the last 40 years there are horribly few true sanctioned OHV areas for folks to legally use and enjoy offroad Motorsports, neither FREE or PAID.   So OHV owners have nearly zero options.   Bulldog Canyon is one those tiny few chances for those OHVers.    Campers need to be cognizant of this and respect the OHV'er, not demand OHV'ers respect THEM!    If you are looking for a pure silent CAMPground, and are of the "get off my lawn" and or "man/woman shouts at clouds" type, look elsewhere.  There are PLENTY of options for such inflexible campers to demand adherence to THEIR level of enjoyment.    Bulldog isn't free, OHVers pay for the unlimited access - when allowed that access - to trails WITHOUT time/day/hour exceptions.   So if you're a camper, bring some earplugs if the sounds of all-hours OHVers is disturbing to you.   Bulldog Canyon is a fantastic area for those campers who enjoy the OHV.   I no longer can use an OHV but I enjoy seeing these younger generations doing what mine and earlier gens once took for granted nearly everywhere unrestricted.     Highly recommend Bdog Canyon for the fun-lovers and young-at-hearts.   For the HOA-loving types, sincerely consider elsewhere for your benefit and those of others.

• 

  Mary Ann

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 5, 2024

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  My favorite area

  Permit required for the gate code. Camping available 2 miles in. Need a 4x4. It's definitely worth the hastle as these spots are beautiful and clean. A lot of OHV so it kicks up dust.

• 

  Brian E.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 3, 2024

  Peralta Road Dispersed Camping

  No more camping

     The county has closed camping on Peralta road,  signs are up,  and trenches have been dug so no access is available.

• e

  edwin H.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 22, 2024

  Peralta Canyon / Gold Canyon Dispersed Camping - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

  Dispersed camping not allowed currently

  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.

• 

  Cas M.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 31, 2024

  Tonto National Forest Dispersed Camping at Lake Roosevelt

  Coyotes!

  Beautiful desert camping, lots of birds and wildlife. I heard coyotes in the middle of the night that woke me up, and was glad for a rooftop tent.

• 

  Jim A.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 13, 2024

  Saguaro Cove

  Remote Camping

  Takes a little 4 wheeling to get there or you can access it from the water.  Basic dispersed camping but gets a little warm during the summer months.  Views are nice and its a nice pack it in, pack it out spot.

• S

  Shane W.

  Ranger

  

  May. 22, 2024

  Picket Post

  Quick Night

  Good place to pull off in a pinch for free. You do hear road noise. Close to Arizona Trail, where it crosses 60 so you can hike both directions if you decide to, or take the trail up to the top of the mountain. Very beautiful area

• 

  Sarah E.

  Traveler

  

  May. 22, 2024

  White Canyon Wilderness Dispersed

  Shooting range

  If you can get past the shooting range, it’s very beautiful

• T

  Teri G.

  Guide

  

  May. 3, 2024

  Cactus Forest Dispersed

  Remote, Private, and free but accessible.

  Remote, private, and free but accessible. Not a standard RV parking lot campground but rather several campsites with ample space between them for privacy, along an unpaved sandy road, just off a quiet paved back road. About 20-30min from gas stations, water, food, etc. It has no facilities or even pit toilets. Exactly what I wanted. This campground is aptly named as it is quite literally in the middle of a Saguaro cactus forest 🌵 along with many other different cactus species and wildlife. This location is tranquil and wild. I couldn't think of a better way to immerse yourself in the middle of this national park than this campground. It's a tight drive in if you go past the 2-3 RV sites at the beginning of the east side. I have a 2015 Toyota Tacoma with a roof top tent pulling a 12x6 enclosed trailer with standard wheels. My trailer made it through without scratches and at no point did I even think about four-wheel drive. A larger camper I couldn't speak for. It is quite sandy and has some mogul sections where the water flows have washed some of the trail away but overall an easy drive.

  Disclosures and warnings:

  There are three sides to this campground. The east side, west side, and North end. The West side is the most trailer friendly and most visited as it is where the GPS leads you. However, it gets worse the deeper you go in after roughly 10-15 sites. The east side you could probably manage a trailer for the first 2-3 sites. After that there would be no where to turn around and it gets rough off-road quick, like deep dried up sandy river bed crossings (month of May) and is more exposed to the sun with slightly less cacti than the west side. The North end is the most private and remote of the other two and the quietest. However, it is nothing short of a four-wheel drive off-road trail. I would not recommend anything other than off road vehicles in the north end and the sites are small, just for tents or 1 vehicle.

  There are almost no rocks to worry about on the way in but the cacti here are more than capable of creating flat tires so take care to avoid pieces that have fallen onto the road. Especially the Jumping Cholla cacti! They are the worst things you will come across in this campground and are everywhere, easily the most dominant species of cactus in this area. They have evolved to break apart into spiny segments when they make contact with someone or something to propagate. Sometimes if the wind blows strong enough they cover the ground around their base with a mound of their spined segments. These segments often roll or blow into the roadways. The spines are hard as stone and sometimes over 2 in long. They have evolved special reversed barbs that you can't see with your eyes on every main spine. They go into anything except metal, including Kevlar reinforced tire sidewalls like a knife through hot butter and then hook in and don't come out unless you rip them out. I rode my adventure bike through the campground to explore, lost my footing in the sand and fell against one of these. I had 3-4 segments stuck to my arm. I spent 10 to 15 minutes ripping these segments out of my arm, pulling my skin away from my body about an inch before they will rip out. Don't make the same mistake as me.

  GUNS! In my opinion the biggest downside to this campground is the almost constant gunfire all day long as there is a public shooting area on the south west side of the campground. If you are in the west side and you are looking southwest, there is a tiny little mountain ridgeline about a half mile away. All around the base of that ridgeline people are allowed to pull up and shoot at targets on the hill side. The locals show up as the sun just comes over the trees around 5:00 a.m. and they don't stop until the sun sets almost everyday of the week. They do however, quit at night so you can sleep.

  If you camp here you are IN THE desert. During the day is fine. You will likely only run into swarms of flies. At night however, is a different story. ESPECIALLY If you decide to have a fire on a cold night or set up a lantern near the ground while making dinner. I stayed here for 9 days straight and I came across 6 rattlesnakes (mostly sidewinders), more camel spiders than I can count (at least 5+ per night), 3 brown recluse spiders, packs of coyotes rolling through at night and early morning (watch your pets), and 2 killer bee swarms in the trees. All within the campground boundaries, so just be ready for rugged camping.

• 

  Patrick C.

  Guide

  

  May. 1, 2024

  Box Bar Road Dispersed

  Fun spot

  This is a great spot and easy to get to. Lots of shaded areas. You can camp next to your car , wich there might be campers running generators, or you can hike towards the river and set up camp to get away from that. Close to the river with several walk in spots to play in.

• 

  Jacquelyn I.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 27, 2024

  Box Bar Road Dispersed

  Easy Drive In

  We don’t have an offroad car, so it is always nice when the gravel road is well managed. No heart aches getting in and finding an open area to camp. I was pleasently surprised at the many little nooks of privacy that you could set up camp. Outhouses are well maintained. Bring your own water though and you do need to pay ahead of time, there are no pay boxes on site.

• c

  cal

  Scout

  

  Apr. 8, 2024

  Box Bar Road Dispersed

  Cat missing here

  Beautiful campground up the road from box bar campground with Mountain View’s and cacti.

  My blue eyed cat went missing here at 9pm on 4/7. Please email me if you see him.

  Caroline.cingari@gmail.com

• F

  Freddie F.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 21, 2024

  Hackamore Road Dispersed

  This area and the whole bulldog canyon are are closed for construction

  The whole are is closed

• S

  Sammy S.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 10, 2024

  Cottonwood Canyon Rd. Dispersed

  Enjoyed tent camping

  I’ve never been out here. Got a state land trust family pass for the area just in case we needed it. The cottonwood canyon rd is dirt/gravel and it is very flat and not washboarded. Cars can drive in. Just be aware that many of the pull offs from the road have dips or hills but there are also plenty of flat pull offs that lower ground clearance vehicles can pass. For tent camping finding a spot without a lot of sharp rocks and prickles from the various cacti can be a little challenging but it’s totally doable. Use caution when walking about between the cacti. Lots of prickles you can’t see well on the ground. Be extra careful if you have dogs. Probably want to have tweezers or pliers with you to remove the spines. We came out when it was covered in grass but I can imagine it might get pretty dusty if there isn’t any grass. There’s basically no shade to speak of but plenty of bushes/cacti etc for privacy. Very easy to find spots away from other campers on the weekend. There’s lots of gunfire and explosions in the distance during the day and at night. Many ATVs/OHVs driving up and down the main road at night. It got pretty much silent at about 11pm. There are probably a lot of places a decent way from the main road that may be quieter but there are no signs anywhere so you just kind of have to pull off and drive around. Camp was raided by quail early in the morning and we had some cows visit but they didn’t come too close. All in all pretty cool area will definitely come back

• S

  Sarah W.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 3, 2024

  Superstition Mountains -- Dispersed Sites along Hwy 88

  Beautiful but a lil more crowded than expected

  Busy during the weekend. Get there early to get a good spot.

  Great to go on hike or to lake after.

  Went a second time and took a 4x4 trail to get a more isolated spot

• C

  Cypress

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 2, 2024

  Schoolhouse Point Dispersed

  Free Lakeside camping

  Pretty, dispersed camping near schoolhouse Point in Roosevelt lake. On the road down to the state campground there are two dispersed camping areas on the left easily visible on the left side, (the gps point may not be accurate, I made it after I left) if you pass both there's an easy turn around at the boat ramp even for big rigs. Some dips coming off the paved road but very easy access overall, might be tight for really big rigs. Probably 20+ sites at each of the two pull offs, most have fire rings and decent shade. Couple minutes drive to the boat ramp at schoolhouse Point which has bathrooms, dumpsters, and both drive in and walk-in lake access. Currently (as of 3/24) no potable water even at the paid campground at the end of the road, you can either pump from the lake if you have a filter or Tonto national monument about 10min up the road has a water spigot before the pay gate. 14 day limit per usual for national forests but a really lovely spot to call home for a while! Lots of great hiking nearby as well as swimming and boating on the lake

• 

  zHolySmoke

  Scout

  

  Feb. 18, 2024

  Bulldog Canyon Dispersed Camping - North Entrance

  Beautiful area, 4X4 needed

  OHV trails. Available with easy to purchase $6 permit that provides the lock code. Camping permitted only after the first Two miles. 4x4 required to get past the first 2 miles.

• L

  Lea

  Scout

  

  Feb. 16, 2024

  Peralta Road Dispersed Camping

  Great dispersed

  Great site - a bit of a drive in

• L

  Lea

  Scout

  

  Feb. 16, 2024

  Dispersed Site Near Tonto National Forest

  Closed and Rough

  Now closed and monitored

• S

  Steve

  Scout

  

  Feb. 6, 2024

  Dispersed Site Near Tonto National Forest

  Area Closed now due to "homeless problems"

  I live in the area and the BLM finally closed this area along with other areas nearby due to junk, abandoned vehicles, vicious dogs etc. It will become the Apache Junction and Goldfield Recreation area. Closed completely for 2 yr for vegetation restoration and when it reopens it will provide residents with OHV and Horse trails along with Staging areas.