Best Tent Camping near Temple Bar Marina, AZ
Dispersed tent camping sites dot the landscape around Temple Bar Marina in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, with options ranging from established tent areas to more primitive backcountry settings. Gregg's Hideout offers tent-only camping in a secluded section of Lake Mead, while Eight Mile Dispersed Camping near Government Wash provides year-round tent sites with more open terrain. Valley of Fire Dispersed, though technically in Nevada, offers accessible tent camping within reasonable driving distance from Temple Bar Marina.
Access to most tent campgrounds requires driving on rough, unpaved roads that can become impassable during or after rain. A camper noted that "the road is rough, you definitely cannot camp here in the rain. It's a wash...so that would get dangerous." Many sites lack basic amenities, with no drinking water, toilets, or picnic tables available at locations like Gregg's Hideout. Eight Mile Road features trash receptacles near the entrance but no other facilities. Campers should pack in all necessary water and supplies while maintaining a 7-day stay limit at most dispersed sites within Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Tent camping in this region offers spectacular desert vistas and night skies rarely found in developed campgrounds. Areas farther from main access points provide deeper seclusion and quieter camping experiences. According to one visitor, "this place is hard to get to but worth it. It's very isolated and secluded." The landscape alternates between open desert terrain and areas with scattered vegetation that provides minimal shade. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, making spring and fall the preferred seasons for tent camping. Higher-clearance vehicles provide access to more remote tent sites, but several areas can be reached with standard passenger vehicles driving cautiously. While swimming access exists at some locations, receding lake levels have increased the distance between many campsites and the shoreline.
