Best Tent Camping near Tonalea, AZ

prons: 35$ tent site, location near main spots, well organized

Cons: toilets far from tent spots, noisy due to the street, we arrived After 6 pm and no one sent us info about PIN toilets etc

First: it’s FREE! No cost to camp at this gorgeous national monument with facilities! When we visited in June, we were among a small crowd of campers. We have a tent and we were very comfortable under the Northern Arizona sky.

We stayed in this park for four nights as we prepped our 5th wheel for three weeks of Boondocking. The camp ground was clean and well taken care of. We stayed in February, which is considered off season. In our way of thinking less tourist the better. We would stay here again whenever we are in the Page Arizona area.

We stayed here because it's only a 10 min drive from the lake and we were getting up before su rose to paddleboard. We came late and left before the sun rose, but it looked like most of the RVers lived there. The tent spots were VERY close to each other and the water hook-ups were not working. You have to pay for the showers, but we didn't go into the facility to see how nice they were so I'm not sure. The guy who checked us in was nice, but I probably wouldn't go back if we went back to Page, Az.

We chose this CG off of TheDyrt and gave it a try. Rolled in around 2PM, it was nearly empty. Great CG. Staff at the Visitor Center was very friendly. Spot 14, as you can see had a great view and the sunset on this mid fall cold evening was outstanding.

The “but” part. It is a tight fit. I’d estimate that half the sites are single parking and will only accommodate a van or small Class C motorhome. At least three that I saw have a pretty steep slope front to back. Tents no problem. The pull through spaces will not permit a slide to be out due to blocking the road. We have a 26 ft trailer and a 3/4 ton truck. I wouldn’t try anything larger than this. Heed the warning sign at the entrance, 27’ trailer, 28’ motorhome, nothing larger. Essentially if it were busy and your equipment is on the larger end, your space choices will be limited.

I’ll close on a positive note. It’s still FREE! The cave dwellings and history are not to be missed. ✌️Out!

Nice, easy to find campground with beautiful views!!! Wish I could have spent more time here to explore a bit more, but I have no complaints! No campfires allowed, but grills are provided on site. Loved our time here!

A must stop - we cannot believe this campground is free and so unpopular. There are full service restrooms with a camp sink outside, charcoal grills and picnic tables at each site. Note that fires are not permitted and sites do not have fire rings. We arrived around 5pm on a Monday on our way from North Rim Grand Canton to Monument Vally and Arches. There were only 4 or 5 others here and about 30 sites. The sites are spread out and have great privacy between them thanks to vegetation. The temperature is mild and we’re in for a fantastic sunset view from our site tonight (#4)!

Camp site (Teardrop camping)

We stayed at the Sunset View CG since the Canyon View CG was closed when we got there. Both campgrounds are very close to each other. We took the unpaved road to get to the top of the hill where the CG was and it was a slow & shaky drive..... There is a paved road so don't be fooled by Waze :)

CG is very quiet and has scenic sites that are well spaced out. The sites were big enough and paved well to easily park teardrop trailers and RVs. It felt very private with not many people on the campground. The wind in October was pretty strong so be prepared.

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Facilities / Amenities

Bathrooms were clean but no showers. The cleaning station was locked because of cold. No fire rings on the camp site but there are picnic tables.

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Surrounding area

This campground is close to the visitor center. The night sky and the sunset were fabulous!

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9 miles off 160 on 564 it remote. Camp on side of canyon or sunset view. It's 7,300 up and next to Tsegi Canyon. There are trails to view ancient pueblo dwellings. NPS has info, maps. Last 3 nights I was the only camper in the Canyon View site. My pics show the edge of my popup at my campsite and the canyon it overlooks.

That dirt road had a washout that caught me by surprise. Went nose first into it, finding more and more damage as I try to get it to a big city to repair. Kept going up the mountain. Gorgeous views, so much history. Place felt sacred. Couldn’t even camp, chased out by weather. 25 degrees and snowfall is no place for a damaged car.

This is an unexpected jewel in my travels. There's a campground that is free and first come, first serve. The actual monument is stunning, and there's a few good hikes.

Canyon View at Navajo National Monument : This is such an outstanding campground that it was a shame it was closed in mid May. Staff told me that it was closed because work needed to be finished on the toilets. No work was being done on them when we walked through.

(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)

Overall Rating: 5+ Price 2024: $ w interagency pass Security: no Usage during visit: closed Site Privacy: Very good Site Spacing: Very good Pad surface: Gravel Reservations: First come first serve Outside Road Noise: None Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: no Sewer Hookup: no Dump Station: no Potable Water Available: At Sunset View campground. Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Pit toilets Showers: no Pull Throughs: Available Cell Service (AT&T): 1 bar Setting: juniper and piñon pine Recent Weather: 60 to 70s w occasional wind. Solar: Great Insects:No Host: No Rig Size: 28’ max. Sites: There are some great sites, large and w great views. These are identified in included pics.

This campsite was great. Perfect for popping in and out. We stayed one night and it was extremely quiet and peaceful.

Surprise! Free camping at an incredible national monument…not to be missed.

This has to be one of the the best free campgrounds I have ever been too. Paved roads , paved sites and a bathhouse . Plus a fabulous view

This was such a great spot! The lot was paved, running water at the toilets, quiet site and the stars were AMAZING! We’ll most defiantly come back if we’re ever out this way.

We weren't sure what to expect traveling through mostly desert but after turning off 160 on to the road in it was clear the landscape was changing. By the time we arrived at the campground we were so hoping there was space available as the views and surroundings were incredible. The visitor center is very cool with information about the Navajo history and culture, and trails are remarkable if a bit challenging. We are so grateful to the Navajo Nation for sharing this with us, we will be back!

Very helpful staff with so much knowledge about the area. We chose the perfect time to visit, no crowds, easy access to camping, wild asses all over the place. Watch out for them in the early morning. The hiking trails were top notch! People were harvesting piñon nuts while we were here. We have been here several different times in our teardrop camper.

I visit this campground every year on my way to other areas of the Southwest. It is a beautiful high-desert site on a pinon-juniper-forested mesa top and is part of a national monument with two Pueblo III ruins set in the cliffs.

It really is two campgrounds within 1/4 mile, the Sunset View Campground with water and flush toilets, and the Canyon View Campground with composting toilets and no water on site. Both are quiet, well-tended sites with great views over the red-rock mesa. Sunset View tends to be more crowded, so, if you are looking for quiet and solitude, Canyon View may be your choice. At Sunset View, campers tend to congregate on the west side at sunset, which makes for a nice opportunity to socialize.

The monument offers twice-daily ranger-guided tours of Betatakin Ruin. It's about 3 miles round trip with a 500-foot loss and gain. Visitors should sign up ahead of time. Those who don't want to hike can see Betatakin from the cliff top on the opposite side of the canyon.

Fit hikers also can make the hike to distant Keet Seel ruin (8 miles one way), a beautiful cliff site. It may be possible to stay overnight at the ruin, depending on ranger availability. Check with the visitor center for current visitation policies for Keet Seel.

The monument has nice exhibits of typical Pueblo houses, implements and pots, an excellent short video and a large selection of books and videos. The park staff is local and knowledgeable. There are live demonstrations of Navajo weaving and painting by local artists (with the finished products for sale). The center's gift shop features well-chosen jewelry, rugs, pots and other art at reasonable prices.

This campground is beautiful, it’s up the mountain and I’m not sure how big of camper can get there, we pulled our 21ft and probably wouldn’t take anything bigger, the scenery is breathtaking and it’s very worth the drive!! A must see place, and the people at visitor center are so nice and informative.